Our Interview with Bethany Yeiser, President of The CURESZ Foundation
Q: WHAT IS THE ORIGIN STORY OF CURESZ?
“In July 2016, I partnered with Henry A Nasrallah, MD, to establish the CURESZ Foundation (Comprehensive Understanding via Research and Education into SchiZophrenia). Dr. Nasrallah serves as Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Today he serves as Executive Vice President and Scientific Director of the CURESZ Foundation, and I serves as CEO and President.
I was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2007 after four years of homelessness, including 13 months sleeping outside in a churchyard. I was told I would be permanently and totally disabled, but made a full recovery on the underutilized, gold standard antipsychotic, clozapine, in 2008. In 2011, I graduated with my molecular biology degree from the University of Cincinnati with high honor. Today, I serve as President of CURESZ, and also work as an author and motivational speaker. My first book, Mind Estranged, was published in 2014. Awakenings, co-authored with Henry Nasrallah, was published in 2024.
The CURESZ Foundation offers valuable resources including information about cutting-edge and underutilized medications for schizophrenia to help patients emerge from disability and achieve the highest quality of life possible. They also offer supportive programs including a caregivers’ mentoring program, CURESZ on Campus clubs/Ambassadors, Ask the Doctor events, and a hopeful support group with people in full recovery on call to encourage those who are struggling.“
Q: WHAT IS THE VISION AND MISSION OF CURESZ?
“We envision a future where schizophrenia and related psychoses are accepted as neurological brain conditions, treated like all other brain diseases, prevented by identifying risk factors, and treated effectively with early intervention, leading to restoration of health, wellness, and functional recovery.
To deliver evidence-based medical information, drive research, educate communities, and advocate for policies that restore health, wellness, and meaningful functioning for people living with psychiatric brain disorders. We reach lives, one at a time, with insights on proactive treatment and cutting-edge developments, doing it with a personal touch, reaching people at the beginning of their journey.“
Q: WHAT MAKES CURESZ UNIQUE?
“CURESZ provides world-class, evidence-based care for schizophrenia accessible to individuals and families by advancing research, educating clinicians, and providing individualized support grounded in lived experience. We bring together leading experts through our international “Schizophrenia Colloquia” to determine research direction and treatment best practices.
We present schizophrenia as a treatable physical brain disorder, encouraging proactive treatment so people with schizophrenia can live full, self-directed lives free from harmful stigma. Featuring 45 individuals living in full recovery, we offer hope and individualized support generally unavailable elsewhere. These 45 accounts of full recovery are central to our message that recovery is possible today and that clinicians must always try for the highest level of recovery possible, never giving up on their patients. We identify common cases of complacency in schizophrenia treatment where young people are not being offered the standard of care and encourage and enable clinicians to become more proactive. We help families find their first psychiatrist, second opinions, or new clinicians. Our monthly “Ask the Doctor” sessions allow six families to ask expert questions over 90 minutes.“
Q: WHAT RESOURCES DOES CURESZ OFFER?
“We offer cutting-edge information on underutilized medications such as clozapine for treatment resistance, long-acting injectables to prevent relapse and VMAT-2 inhibitors for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. You can use our website to find a doctor near you who prescribes clozapine or medication for tardive dyskinesia. We are always looking for more clinicians to join our Clozapine Expert Panel list and our Tardive Dyskinesia Expert Panel.
We also offer a short cognition test called the Cognition Self-Assessment Rating Scale that can be used for screening, to see if a person needs a full battery of tests.
CURESZ also offers several supportive programs. We partner struggling or newer caregivers with experienced, vetted caregivers in our mentoring program called “FriendSZ.” We offer CURESZ clubs, with two in Ohio and one in Michigan. Ask the Doctor sessions are monthly, and during the school year, we run a virtual lecture series. We also maintain a very hopeful Sunday evening support group with people in full recovery on every call to encourage others. Contact CURESZ by using our contact form on our website to get involved in our supportive programs.Our book Awakenings can also be a great resource for providers, clients, and families.”
Q: HOW CAN OTHERS GET INVOLVED?
“Join us this summer on July 10-11 for our Tenth Anniversary Summit. The Summit is titled “Bridging the Gap between Advances in Knowledge and Clinical Practice,” and will be held at the Graduate Hotel in Cincinnati. We will begin at 6pm on the 10th and end at 3pm on the 11th.
Topics include:
Update on LAIs and TD meds: Underutilization, Data and Statistics Relevant to Families
Clozapine and the Mucarinic Agonist Xanomeline: 2 Major Treatment Advances for Schizophrenia Over the Past 40 Years
The Risk of Developing Psychosis in College
The Schizophrenia Colloquium: A Major Scientific Initiative organized by three CURESZ Board Members
You can find more information about the summit and register here.”
We hope you enjoyed learning about CURESZ Foundation as much as we did and take advantage of their valuable resources. We are so grateful for the work they do to advocate for people with schizophrenia and their families.
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