Ken Duckworth, MD, is the chief medical officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and has been the medical director since 2003. He is also assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an adjunct clinical assistant professor of health and policy management at the Boston University School of Public Health. Dr. Duckworth has served as a board member of the American Association for Community Psychiatry, and worked for years as a psychiatrist on an assertive community treatment team. He was previously acting commissioner and deputy commissioner of Clinical and Professional Services at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. Dr. Duckworth has worked with the homeless population in Boston, provided mental health services and consultations at a private boys’ elementary school, worked with individuals in private practice, and served as an expert witness in multiple legal cases against systems of care that have been failing people with mental health conditions. He lives in Boston.

About You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health―With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families 

Written with authority and compassion, this is the essential resource for individuals and families seeking expert guidance on diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, featuring inspiring, true stories from real people in their own words.

Millions of people in the United States are affected by mental illness every year, and the Covid-19 pandemic only further exposed the shortcomings of the American mental health system. Too many are confused, afraid, and overwhelmed, with many asking themselves the same questions: What does it mean when different doctors give me different diagnoses? What if my insurance won’t cover my treatment? Will I ever feel better? Families and friends are often left in the dark about how best to help their loved ones, from dealing with financial and logistical issues, to handling the emotional challenges of loving someone who is suffering.

You Are Not Alone is here to offer help. Written by Dr. Ken Duckworth with the wisdom of a psychiatrist and the vulnerability of a peer, this comprehensive guide centers the poignant lived experiences of over 125 individuals from across the country—real people like Mary Ellen, John, and Angelina—whose first-person stories illustrate the diversity of mental health journeys. This book also provides

• Practical guidance on dealing with a vast array of mental health conditions and navigating care 
• Research-based evidence on what treatments and approaches work 
• Insight and advice from renowned clinical experts and practitioners 

This singular resource—the first book from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and with all sales proceeds going back to the NAMI community—is a powerful reminder that help is here, and you are never alone.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. nami.org | @namicommunicate