Running with Unicorns: What I learned from a lifetime of helping my sister with her mental illness

About the Book

Running with Unicorns: What I learned from a lifetime of helping my sister with her mental illness proposes that some brains may function in a unique manner. A unicorn is the perfect symbol to depict the strength and power of these individuals. The author wanted to keep the flow of text uncluttered and not get drawn into "normal" thinking and behavior. The world wants to make all individuals part of the herd; trying to fit them into society as we currently know it; trying to "cure them" so that they will be accepted. The question is: should they be cured or should we learn how to help them, acknowledge their special talents, and minimize their fears? In 2016, a site called the "Secret Unicorn Blog" was written by Archie McPhee. He says that, "The unicorn uses its weapons of strength, creativity and audacity to instigate change. The unicorn does not use the opinions and desires of others to decide what it should do, it goes by an inner compass defined by taste, decency, intelligence, and whimsy. Chances are, if you've had your world changed by something, that something was created by a unicorn."

About the Author

Charlotte Gibson was born in Toronto, Canada in 1945. She currently lives in Waterloo, Ontario with her husband Barry, and their Doberman Bracken. They live near their five children and six grandchildren. Charlotte loves fitness, friends and flower arranging. She has an honors B.A. and an M.A. in Community Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University. With more than 25 years of service in the non-profit world, Charlotte Gibson made it her mission in life to help improve the health and quality of life for people in the province of Ontario. As President and Chief Executive Officer of The Easter Seal Society, Ontario from 1998 to 2005, she was committed to helping children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities live independent and rewarding lives. She moved to Easter Seals from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario where she held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility from 1985 to 1998.