On November 7 at noon, the McGoogan Health Sciences Library will host an author talk with Monica M. Schmidt, MA, LMHC, IADC, LCPC, titled “Late of the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers: Dr. John H. Watson’s Invisible War.” A licensed mental health counselor and Sherlock Holmes expert, Ms. Schmidt will explore the movement from mere literary fiction to a clinically accurate portrayal of a man struggling with what is now known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Everybody knows Sherlock Holmes: he’s an eccentric but incredibly clever London-based detective who, along with his friend Dr. John H. Watson, solves Victorian-era mysteries. But who is this Watson fellow? Depending upon the author or the actor, sometimes he’s portrayed as an adventurous man of action and in others he’s a befuddled “Boobus Britannicus,” so we’re never sure about him. Upon their initial meeting, Holmes deduces that Watson was an army doctor wounded in Afghanistan. What Holmes couldn’t have known was that Watson was a survivor of one of the deadliest battles of the 2nd Afghan War and was struggling to find his footing after being invalided from the service.
Since 2013, Ms. Schmidt has been a staple in the Sherlockian conference/lecture circuit, typically speaking about Sherlock Holmes and mental health. She received the investiture of “Julia Stoner” from The Baker Street Irregulars in 2019 and “The Church of St. Monica” from The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes in 2015. She practices near Iowa City, Iowa.
The event will take place in person in the library, room WHM 6033, and via Zoom. Registration is required for the Zoom* link.
*If you do not have current badge access on the UNMC campus, we encourage you to sign up to attend virtually via the Zoom registration link.