Ellen Lubensky
Ellen Lubensky | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | Stanford University (B.S.) University of Pennsylvania (M.Ed.) Rutgers Law School (J.D.) |
| Occupation | Attorney Mental health advocate |
| Known for | Advocacy for informed consent, patient rights, and accountability in psychiatric care |
Notable work | Founder of The Mental Health Choice Project Founder of EllenLubensky.com |
| Website | ellenlubensky |
Ellen Lubensky, Esq., is an attorney and mental health reform advocate working at the intersection of law, patient rights, and accountability in psychiatric care. With over 20 years of legal experience, including work in Social Security Disability and medical malpractice, she brings a legal perspective to issues surrounding informed consent, patient rights, and transparency in psychiatric care.[1]
Through education, advocacy, and public engagement, Lubensky works to increase awareness of informed consent, psychiatric medication withdrawal, misdiagnosis, and the need for greater support for individuals navigating mental health treatment. She is the founder of EllenLubensky.com, a platform for speaking, writing, and media outreach that Lubensky created after her personal experience with a wrongful diagnosis.[1]
Personal and Professional History
Ellen Lubensky is a graduate of Stanford University (B.S. Psychology, with Distinction and Departmental Honors), the University of Pennsylvania (M.Ed. in Elementary Education), and Rutgers Law School (J.D. with High Honors, Lead Articles Editor of the Rutgers Law Journal).[2]
Nearly 30 years ago, Lubensky sought help for some mental health symptoms she was experiencing. Her doctor issued a diagnosis and, along with that, a prescription for an antipsychotic medication. This medication, which Lubensky took on the advice of her doctor for about 25 years, caused severe physical damage. Over time, Lubensky developed a condition called tardive dystonia, a movement disorder that is directly related to long-term use of psychiatric medication. Lubensky reported physical symptoms so severe that she had a blue hangtag, meaning permanent disability. Her symptoms included difficulty climbing stairs, trouble writing by hand, diminishment of her mental acuity, and changes in her personality.[1][3]
After 25 years of living with her original diagnosis and unresolved symptoms, Lubensky decided to taper off the medications in the hopes that her mental acuity would return to baseline. Lubensky was given no hope that her physical symptoms would resolve, but miraculously her physical symptoms resolved to baseline. However, she was given no warning of the risks of physical dependence on psychiatric medications before being prescribed benzodiazepines for sleep. Her struggles with benzodiazepine withdrawal led her to form her advocacy site.[4][5][3]
Following the identification of her misdiagnosis, Lubensky decided to taper off the medications that had been harming her for decades. Tapering is not a quick process, and she has currently been tapering for over three-and-a-half years. Alongside tapering, Lubensky has embraced a holistic approach to healing her body, helping to repair the damage wrought by medication over the years.[1][3]
The Mental Health Choice Project
The Mental Health Choice Project is a charitable organization that Lubensky launched to promote informed consent, patient choice, and compassionate support in mental healthcare. It aims to provide balanced, evidence-based information so individuals and their families can make informed decisions about mental health treatment.
The site emphasizes dignity, autonomy, and respectful conversations around mental health through educational resources, community outreach, and advocacy.
The project was publicly launched in July 2026 by Lubensky and is in the process of obtaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.[4][5]
Services and Resources
Lubensky’s advocacy site features articles and essays about various topics related to informed consent, accountability in psychiatric care, misdiagnosis, and mental health policy. She is also available for speaking engagements such as keynote speeches, podcast appearances, panel discussions, and workshops.[1]
Press
Lubensky has been featured on a number of podcasts, including “Born Without a Choice,” “The Wisdom Transfer,” and “Trauma Recovery Anonymous.” Other recent press coverage includes:
- A Patient Daily — A feature on mental health reform and informed consent and her recent podcast appearance. [6]
- Mad in America — A guest piece about her personal experience with misdiagnosis.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Ellen Lubensky – Mental Health Reform". Health Policy Podcast. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ellen Lubensky". LinkedIn. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "An Attorney Goes Public: My Experience of Misdiagnosis, Damaging Drugs, and Lack of Informed Consent". Mad in America. June 2026. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Support the Mental Health Choice Project". GoFundMe. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Ellen Lubensky Announces Public Awareness Initiative Focused on Informed Consent in Mental Health Treatment". NewsBreak. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ellen Lubensky Discusses Mental Health Reform and Informed Consent on Health Policy Podcast". Patient Daily. Retrieved 7 August 2026.