Jennifer Kanary

I am a Canadian-born mind-warrior based in The Netherlands. I am the founder of roomforthoughts, an artistic research practice that uses installation art, collaboration, technology, and multimedia as methods of research to address mental health issues. My practice is ultimately dedicated to understanding the physics of thought in relation to the experience of reality, and how the brain constructs it.

After my sister-in-law, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, died by suicide, I began a journey of understanding psychosis (also known as madness or a "thought disorder"). I obtained my Ph.D. in Labyrinth Psychotica: Simulating Psychotic Phenomena with the Planetary Collegium of Plymouth University. With the help of many valued network partners, prestigious grants, freelance developers, and artists, I was able to bring my research together into two final simulation projects: The Wearable (2013) and The Labyrinth (2013).

In the past years, Labyrinth Psychotica has helped thousands of mental health care professionals in 20+ different countries to better understand the nature of the subjective experience of psychosis. I am an experienced speaker on the subject of psychosis simulation, and understanding psychosis in general. My other skills involve writing and curating art and science projects. I am an experienced educator in Art & Research. I recently started learning how to program in the Unity game engine.

I am currently working on securing funding that will allow me to attract a team of dedicated developers and business people who will help me scale Labyrinth Psychotica, as well as develop new digital tools of empathy that function as "prosthetics of the imagination" in better understanding mental health issues. With their help, I aim to grow sustainable social entrepreneurship that will reach millions instead of thousands. For them, I want to be the best creative leader I can be.