When Neurons Tell Stories A Layman's Guide to the Neuroscience of Mental Illness and Health

This new book by Erin Hawkes-Emiru brings neuroscience to life by postulating why neuroanatomy

and neurochemicals matter when you are living with mental illness and addiction. Erin, whose graduate

education is in Neuroscience, works as a peer support worker in Vancouver, Canada; the stories told in

this book are those of her clients. Erin's empathy for her clients is built on her own diagnosis of

schizophrenia. In this book, she opens for the layman the neuroscience that may underlie not only the

symptoms of mental illness and addiction, but also mental health more broadly.



Erin Hawkes-Emiru holds an MSc in Neuroscience. She was the recipient of multiple scholarships,

including two Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada awards. In 2002, Erin

was diagnosed with schizophrenia and went on to be hospitalized 14 times. Finally, antipsychotic

medication helped her regain wellness, stability, and hope. Her memoir, When Quietness Came: A

Neuroscientist's Personal Journey With Schizophrenia, was published in 2012. Erin was awarded the

prestigious Courage to Come Back award in 2019 from Vancouver Coastal Health. Since 2013, Erin's

work on the ACT team has been highly valued by her clients and colleagues.