Dare to Imagine

In 2005, Eugène and Nérée began writing what was to become Dare to Imagine – From Lunatics to Citizens:  A Survivors History of Mental Health in New Brunswick.

It was important to them that this be the story of people who had experienced the system, not academic history as recounted by psychiatric experts.

[We set out] to recount not just the stories, but the struggle of the people who wanted to create programs and services for like-minded individuals… We worked outside academic formats, using experiential references to show how others overcome the stumbling blocks and everything that goes against them.  – Eugène

It was a nice success story. With very little time and money, it was a challenge to tell the story in French and English of what was going on in New Brunswick. And to deal with complex historical and psychiatric concepts and present them in a way that was accessible to people.” – Nérée