Sandy Jeffs
Sandy Jeffs | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 (age 72–73) Ballarat, Victoria, Australia |
| Alma mater | La Trobe University |
| Occupations | Author, poet, advocate |
Sandy Jeffs (born 1953)[1] is an Australian author, poet, and mental health advocate. She is known for advocating for people living with schizophrenia.[1][2]
Early life and education
Jeffs grew up in Ballarat, Victoria.[1] She enrolled at La Trobe University, where she studied history.[1]
In 1976, shortly after graduating from university, Jeffs was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 23.[2][3][4] She was unable to get a job, and was admitted to a mental hospital in Melbourne.[2][3]
Career
In 1993, Spinifex Press published Jeffs' first book, Poems from the Madhouse.[5][6]
In 2009, Spinifex published Jeffs' memoir, Flying with Paper Wings: Reflections on Living With Madness.[6][7]
In 2018, Jeffs was one of the featured guests in an episode of You Can't Ask That on people with schizophrenia.[4][8]
Jeffs has served as a Peer Ambassador for the Australian mental health organization SANE,[3] and as a member of the Board of Management of the Schizophrenia Association of Victoria.[1]
Selected publications
- Poems from the Madhouse. Spinifex Press. 1993. ISBN 9781742191485.
- "The Experience of Schizophrenia". Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 31 (6). December 1997. doi:10.3109/00048679709065506.
- Loose Kangaroos: A Collection of New Australian Poetry. Spinifex Press. 1998. ISBN 9780958539463. (with Geoff Prince, Michael Crane, and Dee)
- Flying with Paper Wings: Reflections on Living with Madness. Spinifex Press. 2009. ISBN 9781925950953.
- The Mad Poet's Tea Party. Spinifex Press. 2015. ISBN 9781742199467.
- Chiaroscuro. Black Pepper Publishing. 2015. ISBN 9781876044817.
- Out of the Madhouse: From Asylums to Caring Community?. Australian Scholarly Publishing. 2020. ISBN 9781925984262. (with Margaret Leggatt)
- The Poetics of a Plague, A Haiku Diary. Spinifex Press. 2021. ISBN 9781925950373.
Awards and recognition
- Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)[9]
- Victorian Honour Roll of Women[1]
- Victorian Community History Awards, Oral History Award (Out of the Madhouse)[10]
- Second prize, Anne Elder Award (Poems from the Madhouse)[1]
- SANE Book of the Year Award (Flying with Paper Wings)[7]
- Commendations, Australian Human Rights Awards (Flying with Paper Wings, Poems from the Madhouse)[1][7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Sandy Jeffs OAM". Victoria State Government. 2001. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ a b c May, Natasha (23 May 2025). "Is the inquest into the Bondi Junction murders further stigmatising schizophrenia?". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ a b c "'The death sentence didn't eventuate': the importance of discovering hope and purpose". SANE. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ a b "Someone dealing with schizophrenia answers your questions". Triple J. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ "Nothing says it more than a poem". Access2Arts. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ a b "Sandy Jeffs". Spinifex Press. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ a b c "Sandy". SANE. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ Foster, Ally (16 August 2018). "People with schizophrenia reveal what voices in their heads say". news.com.au. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ "Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division" (PDF). Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia. 2020. p. 64. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ "2020 Victorian Community History Awards Winners". Royal Historical Society of Victoria. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2026.