Bipolar Girl + Carolina Partners Join Forces!

I'm very excited to be a part of Carolina Partners' initiative to combat the stigma around mental illness. Welcome to my new readers! Here's a bit about me and why I'm committed to the work that I do here on this blog and out in the community.

I BELIEVE STORIES SAVE LIVES. Stories create opportunities for individual and collective transformation. Stories push back hard against discrimination and replace ideology with empathy. One individual’s willingness to be vulnerable can open up a whole world for countless people who are otherwise convinced they are completely alone in their desperation and fear.

I have lived with depression and either ADD or hypomania (depending on which psychiatrist you ask) for over two decades. Looking back, I can’t draw a line between the suffering caused by my symptoms and my shame, and the attendant isolation. What I can see is that for each small step I take beyond shame’s reach, I become a better advocate for myself and make choices that support moving forward in my recovery and my creative practice.

I know now that when I resist a connected life, I falter. When I allow shame to keep me from asking for help, I fall deeper into shame. When I choose connection, I create a space for healing: not only my own, but for others.

I’m grateful for this opportunity to connect with the Carolina Partners community! I see this endeavor as an chance to spark dialogue and learn from each other. I look forward to connecting with you!