Emi Nietfeld’s journey with foster care and PTSD

Spread the light with Dr Devika B

Emi Nietfeld is a journalist, mental health activist, and the author of Acceptance: A Memoir, a journey from foster care and homelessness to Harvard and Big Tech. As a journalist, she writes for places like The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Slate and is passionate about critiquing unrealistic expectations of “resilience” put on vulnerable youth. She lives in New York City with her family and stuffed animals.

Trigger warning: In this interview, we talk about childhood neglect, PTSD, suicidality, self-harm, depression, and an eating disorder.
SPREAD THE LIGHT WITH DR DEVIKA B:
First-person accounts of living with mental illness that aim to dispel stigma and stereotypes and instead, spread hope and light.
Because stigma festers in the dark and scatters in the light.
I'm your host, Dr. Devika Bhushan, a pediatrician, public health leader, and equity and health changemaker. In 2022, I served as the Acting Surgeon General for California. I have lived experience as a woman of color, a parent, a person with bipolar disorder, and an Indian-American immigrant to the US by way of the Philippines.
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SPREAD THE LIGHT WITH DR DEVIKA B:
Because stigma festers in the dark and scatters in the light.
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If you or a loved one needs help for a mental health crisis in the US, don’t hesitate to call or text 988 — or reach them online here. Find other resources here, search for a treatment facility here, and find a therapist here. Here are resources specifically for LGBTQ people. If you’re a US-based clinician or health student dealing with “any issue, not just a crisis,” reach out to the Physicians Support ...