Shadow of a Diagnosis

Shadow of a Diagnosis is a hybrid work of narrative philosophy, clinical insight, and cultural critique that examines how psychiatric diagnosis shapes identity. Drawing from my experience as both clinician and former patient, I explore what happens when a label becomes the lens through which a life is interpreted—how it can steady someone, and how it can also narrow who they’re allowed to be.

The project asks what stories diagnostic categories make possible, which they erase, and how people reclaim authorship when institutional scripts take over. It offers an alternative grounded in narrative sovereignty, ethical presence, and interpretive humility. Portions of this work appear in my essay in The Lancet Psychiatry.

If you are interested in scholarly dialogue, writing collaborations, or institutional engagement related to this project, you are welcome to get in touch at… drmonicaross [at] gmail [dot] com.