From state hospital patient to documentary filmmaker

Stories of recovery from serious mental illness are like poetry that touches the soul. There is a deeply human connection no matter the divide of mental illness. And just like good poetry, recovery stories should be held onto closely for the days we, as mental health clinicians, need them to resist burnout and replenish hope. "PATIENT'S RITES" (2015) by Issa Ibrahim is one such example. In a deftly original musical documentary, Issa chronicles his remarkable life story from an early life tragedy that lands him in Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, the state psychiatric hospital in the borough of Queens, for the next 20 years. Moving from catchy tunes with lyrics inspired by his lived experience to moments of critical reflection, Issa showcases the healing power of art and paints a portrait of himself as a man that will not be defined by a diagnosis or the worst thing that happened to him. I think there's something we can all learn from Issa. The full-length documentary is freely accessible on YouTube.