The actress, model, author, and mother Mariel Hemingway will be the featured guest and speaker at the fifth annual "Conversations" event hosted by the American Psychiatric Foundation on Tuesday, May 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., in Hall A of the Toronto Convention Center at APA's 2006 annual meeting. Modeled after the "Inside the Actors Studio" program on Bravo, the "Conversations" format creates the opportunity for a relaxed and often intensely personal interview. Richard Harding, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, will interview Hemingway. Dr. Harding is an APA past president and current member of the American Psychiatric Foundation Board of Directors.

At age 13, Hemingway began her film career in "Lipstick" followed by an award-winning turn in Woody Allen's film" Manhattan." Featured in more than 30 films and television projects, Hemingway is a yoga enthusiast who released a memoir of personal growth called Finding My Balance in 2003. Her book details her quest for life balance in a family well known for its legacy of mental illness.

Most recently, Hemingway has become a mental health spokesperson and advocate. She is a frequent guest on "Larry King Live," discussing depression and suicide. Her poignant personal story combined with her commitment to her personal mental health, the mental health of her family, and her belief in treatment and recovery promises a memorable interview.

The foundation launched its "Conversations" event four years ago so that psychiatrists could hear from well-known people whose daily lives have been affected by mental illness. The event is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from AstraZeneca. ▪