I just finished the book, Manic by Terri Cheney. It is an excellent memoir about what it is like living with a bipolar disorder. Although, as therapists, we have all been educated about this disorder, Ms. Cheney’s memoir truly brought it to life. She was able to beautifully capture the emotional pain and distorted thinking that goes along with the manic and depressive phases of this disorder. Ms. Cheney’s memoir also shows the unpredictability and complete helplessness a person with this diagnosis can experience. She was able to show the reader the stigma and shame so often associated with mental illnesses. I am sure her book will help reduce both.

I look forward to reading your thoughts about this book and what you have learned by working with individual’s diagnosed with bipolar disorder.