Sean Astin

Sean Astin approaches the national mental health conversation from a unique perspective. His mother, academy and multi Emmy Award-winning Patty Duke suffered through most of Sean’s childhood with an undiagnosed bipolar mood condition. Once diagnosed, she became a nationally renowned mental health advocate writing books, producing a film and giving lectures across the country in an effort to help destigmatize mental illness.

For over twenty years, Sean has continued to build on his mother’s legacy of advocacy. By sharing intimate stories and details of growing up in a family where a mental health issue informs everyday life, Sean guides an audience through practical thinking about the issues from a lay perspective. Having built a relationship with film audiences for forty years, he relies on that goodwill to allow him to delve into these topics in a serious and supportive manner. His discussions are about representation, advocacy and empowerment in a relatable manner with an emphasis on his disarming and common sense perspective.