I’m writing my second book about how veganism can promote mental health, a topic I'm passionate about and eager to research and explore. 

I graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a B.A. degree in English and American Literature. I’ve been a freelance writer for two decades, and I've written for numerous regional and national outlets including SELF Magazine, BP/Bipolar Magazine, and The Huffington Post. 

My memoir Birth of a New Brain – Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder (Post Hill Press, 2017) is the first book to address this form of bipolar disorder and perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. The clinical psychologist and author Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison (An Unquiet Mind)) endorsed Birth of a New Brain, and noted it to be “an informative and important contribution to our understanding of this triggering of mental illness that happens more often than is generally recognized.” My research for Birth of a New Brain was basic; I utilized interviews, single case studies, and medication trials. 

I hold a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies, and a certificate in Nutrition and Mental Health from UCx through the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. I live underneath the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. Santa Cruz, a beautiful area, is home to vegan pioneers/advocates including Colleen Holland, founder of VegNews magazine, and the authors John Robbins, Ocean Robbins, and Jackie Day. I live with my vegan family: my husband Craig, our daughters Avonlea and Marilla, and Lucy, our intrepid vegan Scottish collie.

I began my PhD at the University of Northampton in March 2020. My research examines the potential link between psi, spiritual experiences, and dietary practices – especially veganism and vegetarianism, but also fasting. (Psi is an academic term referring to apparent psychic phenomena, experiences, or events such as telepathy, energy healing, and survival after death.)

My thesis focuses on these studies:

I have been vegan since 2016. Outside of my PhD, I am interested in the environmental and ethical aspects of veganism, and am a trustee of Climate Action Ilkley, a charity that aims to help tackle the climate and ecological crises through projects and awareness-raising local to the town.

I have a background in software engineering and in professional and managerial roles to support scientific research at the Universities of Manchester, Leeds, and Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2021 I retired from paid work to focus on parapsychology research and environmental activism.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljdaw/