Alice Weaver Flaherty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Flaherty
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Alice Flaherty in 2013
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| Born |
Alice Weaver Flaherty
21 July 1963 |
| Spouse(s) |
Andrew John Hrycyna
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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Alice Weaver Flaherty is an American doctor who studies the brain, called a neurologist. She is also a researcher, teacher, and writer. She wrote a famous book called The Midnight Disease in 2004. This book explores how our brains help us be creative and why some people get "writer's block" and can't write.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alice Flaherty was born on July 21, 1963, in Morristown, New Jersey. Her father, Franklin Trimby Flaherty, was an engineer. Her mother, Sarah Louise Flaherty, was a librarian.
Alice grew up in Brookside, New Jersey. She went to West Morris Mendham High School. Later, she studied at Harvard University for her first degree and her medical degree. She also completed a special training program there called a fellowship. She earned a Ph.D. from MIT as well.
Her Work as a Doctor and Researcher
Alice Flaherty is a professor at Harvard Medical School. She teaches about both neurology (the brain and nervous system) and psychiatry (mental health). She also works as a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was the first person to lead the Brain Stimulator Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. In this unit, she uses special devices called deep brain stimulators. These help treat brain and mental health problems. Her research looks at how we control our actions. It also studies how our brains understand our bodies. These ideas help explain conditions like depression and Parkinson's.
Her Books and Writings
Dr. Flaherty writes many different kinds of things. These include scientific papers, funny essays, and even picture books. Her book, The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Neurology, was a very popular textbook for many years.
Her most famous book is The Midnight Disease. It was listed as one of the "Best Books of 2004" by newspapers like The Washington Post.
Her Experience with Hypergraphia
After her twin boys were born too early and sadly passed away, Dr. Flaherty felt very sad. A few days later, she woke up with a strong urge to write everything on her mind. This strong urge to write is called hypergraphia.
She says she could not stop writing for four months. Something similar happened after her twin girls were born too early, but they survived. After both births, she felt even more creative. Her book, The Midnight Disease, tries to explain this amazing brain experience.
Media Appearances
Alice Flaherty has shared her knowledge with many people. In 2019, she gave a TEDx talk called Danger and Creativity. She also helped with two TV shows that were based on her life.
She has appeared on many TV and radio shows. She speaks up for patients who have brain illnesses. She was also featured on a podcast called The Great God of Depression. This podcast was about her talks with the writer William Styron.
You can even see her image in a painting! Her picture hangs in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. It is in an oil painting called Museum Epiphany 3. She was also the main person in a short film called Bedside Manner. This film won a big award in 2016.
