MY JOURNEY

Writing and mental health advocacy can affect both personal and social change. I started blogging because the thoughts and words in my mind simply had to get out. I hope this blog offers support, educates, and fights stigma against those living with mental illness.

The following essays, excerpts from my memoir Balancing Act: Writing Through a Bipolar Life, recount my struggle with depression and bipolar disorder, the two decades it took to get a proper diagnosis, and how my journey has ultimately given me a sense of purpose.

There is hope. Your life has purpose. Everyone deserves respect, love, kindness, and compassion.

Writing and mental health advocacy can affect both personal and social change. I started blogging because the thoughts and words in my mind simply had to get out. I hope this blog offers support, educates, and fights stigma against those living with mental illness.

The following essays, excerpts from my memoir Balancing Act: Writing Through a Bipolar Life, recount my struggle with depression and bipolar disorder, the two decades it took to get a proper diagnosis, and how my journey has ultimately given me a sense of purpose.

There is hope. Your life has purpose. Everyone deserves respect, love, kindness, and compassion.

I’m More Than My Bipolar Diagnosis

As a perpetual and proud geek, I always liked going to school. My brown-nosing and hard work got me a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from UC Berkeley, a master’s degree in psychology from New College of California (never heard of New College? well, it no longer exists and was never as prestigious as Berkeley), and twice I’ve attended Fuller Theological Seminary and twice I quit.

Though I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I haven’t practiced in over twenty-five years. My varied career path has included working as a legal assistant, psychotherapist, and commercial real estate professional. Clearly, I haven’t stuck to one thing for very long. If you take a look at my LinkedIn profile, you’ll see that I was a job-hopper, shooting high, rapidly rising, then crashing and burning, over and over — fairly typical of someone with bipolar disorder.

More About My Journey