You may know Sean Astin from such movies as Lord of the Rings and The Goonies, he is also a public speaker regarding mental health. As such, Astin will be a featured guest at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church on 8550 Pioneers Blvd to deliver a program titled “How to Navigate Mental Illness Within the Family Dynamic.” The talk comes during Bryan Health’s Mental Illness Awareness Week and will take place Thursday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 PM.
Astin’s mother, actress Patty Duke, suffered from an undiagnosed bipolar mood condition for most of Astin’s childhood. Duke was also a mental health activist, and Astin carries on her legacy.
Astin speaks to destigmatize mental illness, guides audience members on how to think about mental health practically and shares intimate details of his early life when mental health was an issue every day. At the end of the lecture, those in attendance should have a clearer idea about how mental health is represented and should leave with a common-sense perspective about mental illness.
Those interested in attending can register here. To date, over 1,000 people have registered to attend.