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Ashley Smith

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By Editorial Team

2 min read

Ashley SmithAshley Smith is a mental health advocate, blogger, freelance writer, and author. In 2007, she and her family experienced a significant medical setback that involved legal interventions, which led to her diagnosis of schizophrenia. Early on Ashley's recovery journey led her into the world of mental health awareness with emphasis on public speaking, blogging, and book-writing to promote advocacy campaigns, and peer support for mental illness and substance abuse.

Initially, she anonymously blogged on experiences with schizophrenia. With family and community support from peers and caregivers and supporters, Ashley gained a better outlook on recovery opposed to common myths and widespread stigma. Understanding that people living with a diagnosis can live productive, healthy quality lives helped build the self-confidence to attaching her name to the blog. Established in 2008, the Overcoming Schizophrenia blog focuses on Ashley's life, advocacy, and her peers with guest articles to reinforce her values and beliefs that there is hope and recovery is possible.

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NAMI Georgia, Inc., helped Ashley overcome a lot of self-stigma, and educate her on how to practice advocacy. Her training, volunteer work, and passion for recovery led her to take on leadership positions including state board of directors (2012-2014), state trainer, and group facilitator, and non-emergency helpline coordinator.

In 2012, Ashley became a certified peer specialist (CPS); a mental health support person who shares their unique recovery experiences when relevant with peers. Counseling them with evidence-based interventions such as crisis planning with the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and Whole Health Action Managment (WHAM) healthy lifestyle habits.

This CPS and blogger self-published her first book, What's On My Mind? A Collection of Blog Entries from Overcoming Schizophrenia, Volume I, foreword by Christina Bruni in 2014. Continuing her recovery journey and advocacy work allowed her to produce more blog books, and utilize some of her wellness tools to create 30-day inspirationals that incorporates prayer, journaling, and affirmations. Now she's published six books.

Currently, Ashley serves on the CURESZ Foundation Advisory Council. The author teaches writers how to construct their book-writing plans. Ashley enjoys mentoring people and encouraging them to practice wellness activities. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia, United States with her son and their two dogs. To learn more about Ashley visit her blog and Amazon Author Page.

Click here to read all of Ashley's articles on Schizophrenia.mental-health-community.com.