BROOKE SIEM
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS WRITER & CHEF
I was among the first generation of teens to be medicated with antidepressants. Fifteen years later, heavily depressed and still on the same set of drugs that I was prescribed as a teenager, an opportunity to travel around the world for a year dropped into my lap. After spending half my life—and my entire adult life—on antidepressants, I wondered: Who might I be without them?
My mission is to share the story of what happened after I booked a one-way ticket to Malaysia and got off all the drugs, one by one by one by one by one. Unfurled against a global backdrop and my work as an award-winning chef, my story chronicles explosive and terrifying antidepressant withdrawal and the fight to manage the modern mental health system, all while demanding hope and forgiveness in the name of healing.
I AM A
WRITER
My work has been featured by The Washington Post, Food Network, EatingWell, Tasting Table, Hipmunk, BarBend, Working Against Gravity, and more. My co-authored book, Prohibition Bakery, was published in 2015 by Sterling Epicure and is available in bookstores nationwide.
I AM A
CHEF
Before I was known for my work surrounding long term antidepressant use and antidepressant withdrawal, I spent 10 years as a working chef. I co-founded Prohibition Bakery in 2011 and was named one of Zagat's 30 Under 30 in 2014. In 2017, I competed on—and won—the hit Food Network show, Chopped. These days, I freelance as a recipe developer and food photographer with a focus on macro-friendly meals.
I AM A
SPEAKER
My favorite way to spread my message is through public speaking and workshops. Past engagements include:
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PressNomics6 Tucson, AZ
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To Write Love On Her Arms x Fortitude Dance Project Boston, MA
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The Camaraderie NYC, New York, NY
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The Legacy of You New York, NY
WHAT I LEARNED FROM
ANTIDEPRESSANT WITHDRAWAL
Keynote speech for Fortitude Dance Project x To Write Love on Her Arms. January 2019.
PODCAST
EPISODES
Got questions about my life? Let’s talk about it.
Pivot Podcast with Jenny Blake: Episode 107: (Un)Medicating Grief & Recovering Feeling After Decades on Anti-Depressants with Brooke Siem
The PressNomics Podcast: Episode 7: Challenging the Pharmaceutical Complex on Long-Term Antidepressants
The Maverick Show: Episode 23: Extreme Performance Training, Boozy Cupcakes, and Kicking Life in the Dick
The Growth Tribe: Episode 33: Grieving Loss, Identity & Closing Life’s Chapters ft. Brooke Siem
Maverick's Podcast: Episode 14: Take Back Control of your Life
Drive On Podcast: Episode 26: Being Your Own Advocate and Other Lessons Learned from Depression
Do A Day Podcast with Bryan Falchuk: Episode 45: Breaking Free of Depression, Medication, and Suffocation
AND I CREATED THE
FUCKIT BUCKET™
Ever the entrepreneur and always delighted by the phrase "Sometimes you have to chuck it in the fuck it bucket and move on," I decided I wanted a little bucket charm to carry around that would help remind me to lighten up.
It didn't exist. So I made one!
Click here to get your own Fuckit Bucket™.
AS FEATURED BY
PUBLISHED WORK & PROJECTS
I Took Antidepressants For Years. Getting Off Them was Horrific.
I spent half my life on antidepressants. Today, I’m off the medication and feel all right.
What It’s Like to Compete On—and Win—Food Network's “Chopped.”
In the first three seconds of me cooking in the Chopped kitchen, I’m cursing like a drunk frat kid.
How I Uncovered a 70-Year Old Family Grudge Baked Into a Cake.
Learn to make the notorious and delicious "blitz torte" that wove four generations of women together in my family.
What They Mean When They Talk About Stillness.
For the first time, our world has been erased of anticipation.
Flying Solo: What It's Really Like to Travel Alone.
What it's really like to travel the world alone…and the best places to do it
How to Find the 'Best' Taco in Mexico City. Hint: Eat a Lot of Them.
Like pizza for New York City, Mexico City residents debate their city's best taco.
Any questions?
CONTACT ME
FIND ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Be nice.
