Marsha McAdam

As an Expert by Experience, influencer and ambassador, Marsha is committed to bringing about positive change within the mental health sector. She identifies as having a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and physical health comorbidities. Marsha is a Churchill Fellow (2023) and a recipient of the President’s Medal from the Royal College of Psychiatry (2023).

After receiving life-changing mentalisation-based therapy (MBT), and with the support and recognition of those working with her, Marsha embarked on a venture to use her lived experience to inform policymakers and clinical staff and support service transformation in both physical and mental healthcare.

More recently, Marsha has initiated, organised and led a national Personality Disorder and Stigma project with key UK clinical, voluntary sector and policy leaders. Marsha occupies important advocacy and advisory positions including as an Ambassador and Peer Consultant for Centre for Mental Health, is the Vice Chair on the NHS Confed’s Mental Health Network and is the Expert by Experience for Equally Well UK.

She has sat on some of the most transformative boards and panels, including being a member of the governments Mental Health Act Review Team, a founding member of the Speaker Collective and the Lived Experience Group for Equally Well.

Marsha is also a national speaker on matters such as parity of esteem, personality disorder, stigma and discrimination. Having the opportunity to help others enables Marsha to remain positive and is essential to her wellbeing.