Supporting Psychiatry and Dispelling Stereotypes

“We live in a needy world,” Hardman says. “But psychiatry has been the story of my life, so that seemed like a logical thing to donate to.”

While most Americans feel we are in a mental health crisis, philanthropy in this area is rare. According to data from Candid developed by the Center for High Impact Philanthropy and reported by Inside Philanthropy, mental health accounted for only 1.3% of overall foundation investments from 2015 to 2018. Which makes Hardman’s support even more significant.

Hardman is a third-generation Atlantan and an eighth-generation Georgian. Born at Emory University Hospital, she has lived her entire life — 82 years — in Atlanta. She is
a 27-year survivor of breast cancer. And she has struggled with psychological issues since high school.

As a teenager, Hardman began suffering from physical symptoms related to anxiety. “My family didn’t know what to do with me, so they sent me to a mental hospital in Asheville, North Carolina,” she says. Hardman was 16. She often wonders if the trajectory of her life might have been different if her mental health issues had been addressed more appropriately.

As an adult, Hardman was diagnosed with severe anxiety, a condition she later discovered was prevalent in her family. Family and friends also suffered from ALS, autism and cognitive, mood, psychotic and substance use disorders, as well as brain injuries leading to devastating symptoms and even suicide.

Hardman became acquainted with Emory’s programs through her own sessions with two psychoanalysts affiliated with the Emory University Psychoanalytic Institute. Her choice to support the Emory Brain Health Center is intended in part to dispel the stigma associated with brain disease. “If you have a heart condition, people are sympathetic, but they jump to all sorts of conclusions when you have a mental illness,” she says.

William M. McDonald, Reunette W. Harris Chair for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the J.B. Fuqua Chair for Late-Life Depression, is both grateful and awed by the scope of Hardman’s philanthropy. “Mrs. Hardman has an abiding interest in how the brain works, and her own experiences have helped her understand how vital a correct diagnosis and treatment plan can be,” he says. “She values the role that research plays in developing meaningful treatments. Her support has been critical to the care of so many patients who have anxiety and depression, including many who have suffered for years without appropriate treatment.”

Hardman’s philanthropy places her in the vanguard of women philanthropists. The percentage of overall wealth owned by women is growing, and their historically hidden generosity is coming into full view as increasing numbers of women are embracing philanthropy (see "A Force for Good" at right).

“When I think of Catherine Hardman, one word comes to mind — courage,” says Emory President Gregory L. Fenves. “The challenges that she has faced in life have served as fuel for her generosity. As a philanthropist, she has empowered Emory psychiatry and brain health researchers like few others, and we are profoundly grateful.”

Hardman established named funds in psychiatry, and the Catherine Shropshire Hardman Brain Health Suite and Symposium honor commitments to psychoanalytic education.

One of the initiatives she enabled is the CARES Program, launched in January 2024 for people suffering from anxiety. The program focuses on identifying the types of therapy that could be most helpful for each person, getting started right away, and connecting with additional resources at Emory and beyond. People of all ages — from teenagers to older adults — are finding support.

“I have sympathy for people who have severe anxiety because they really suffer,” Hardman says. “And that’s another reason I support Emory.”

Hardman hopes that her frank, open approach to giving will encourage other women to do the same. “The world needs more people who can help, who can be kind and supportive,” she says. “Women with means could be doing more to support whatever causes they value. I think it’s important to put your money where your mouth is.”

The philanthropy of women continues to emerge as a catalyst for positive change.