DBSAlliance

Kristin Finn was inspired to write her first book after searching for practical information and guidance on managing her disorder ─ from preconception through postpartum. Fortunately, she kept a detailed journal, and is able to share her insights written from the unique perspective of someone who lives with a medical illness, particularly bipolar disorder.

"Relationships & Mood Disorders" features Dr. Brenda Shoshanna—psychologist,therapist, mediator, author and speaker. Dr. Shoshanna offers counseling and relationship mediation, helping to resolve conflicts constructively and discover creative solutions.Her work integrates psychology, spirituality and everyday life. The relationship expert on iVillage.com, Dr. Shoshanna speaks on all aspects of relationships,balance, transition and living life to the fullest and is dedicated to discovering and developing the best in herself and others. She has been in private practice as well, for over 25 years in Manhattan, and also conducts sessions via telephone all over the country. Her latest book, The Anger Diet (Thirty Days to Stress–Free Living), was named best book of the year in spirituality by Spirituality and Health Magazine. Visit Dr. Shoshanna's website, www.drshoshanna.com, to learn more.

Mitch Golant, PhD, is a licensed psychologist whose book What to Do When Someone You Love is Depressed offers guidance to friends and family on how to keep their own spirits up while at the same time doing what's best to help a loved one who's living with depression. The subjects he addresses include how to maintain intimacy and communication, what to do when someone threatens suicide, the role and limits of medication, the link between depression and chronic illness and how to handle specific challenging situations.

Dr. Golant is also Senior VP of Research & Training for The Wellness Community (TWC), an international nonprofit that provides free support, education and hope to people with cancer and their loved ones at over 100 locations worldwide. Dr. Golant is widely recognized as a pioneer in the use of information technology in cancer education and support through online support groups. He has facilitated over 4,500 support groups for people with cancer and trained over 350 professionals in TWC's Patient Active Support Group model. In addition to What to Do When Someone You Love is Depressed, Dr. Golant has coauthored five books and is the contributing editor to the Essentials of Psychosocial Oncology Handbook. And in 2005, he and two colleagues were selected to train 40 psychologists and psychiatrists from Poland's National Psychosocial Oncology Society. For the past four years, he has served on the board of directors for the American Psychosocial Oncology Society.

Melvin McInnis, MD, FRCPsych, is the Thomas B and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression, Professor of Psychiatry with the Department of Psychiatry and Depression Center at the University of Michigan.

Dr. McInnis is an established and internationally renowned researcher in the genetics of bipolar disorder. He has published widely in the field and is an active participant in one of the largest and longest standings collaborations in BP disorder that began as the NIMH Genetics Initiative for Bipolar Disorder. This endeavor (known colloquially as the "G11") now consists of a collaboration between 11 universities within the USA and is dedicated to the genetics of BP disorder. Dr. McInnis' involvement began as a fellow genetics in 1989, at the time the collaboration between the 4 founding sites.

Dr. McInnis has a relatively rare combination of research and clinical experience. He has extensive laboratory leadership experience in a molecular genetics laboratory as well as experience in genetic analyses and bioinformatics, and a published record of these accomplishments. His professed strength and depth is in the clinical arena and is a recognized expert in assessment and management of patients with complex mood disorders. His collaborative nature is reflected in the enduring collaborations that he has within the G11 group, as well as establishing collaborations locally with Wayne State U. He has established strong relationships within the University of Michigan with experts in molecular genetics (Margit Burmeister) and within the Department of Biostatistics. There are active interactions and collaborations between the McInnis group with the Health Services Section within the Dept of Psychiatry focused on bipolar disorder.

"Laughter is the Best Medicine" features David Granirer—counselor, stand–up comic and author of The Happy Neurotic: How Fear and Angst Can Lead To Happiness and Success. In his book, David challenges some very popular new–age thinking by proposing that negative, rather than positive thinking, is crucial for success. David is also the founder of Stand Up For Mental Health, a project teaching comedy to individuals living with mental illness as a way of building confidence and fighting public stigma. Learn how his students have found new passion and purpose on their road to recovery by learning stand–up comedy…who knows…perhaps maybe even you?!

Visit www.standupformentalhealth.com to learn more about David and his work with Stand Up for Mental Health. Visit www.DBSAlliance.org/comedy2008 to learn how you might become a student and showcase your comedic talent at the DBSA 2008 National Conference this September in Norfolk.

Want to learn more about DBSA's online, real–time groups? Join us for this interactive chat! Online support groups are "a necessary part of our commitment to bring support to everyone who wants it, no matter where they are or how they need it," says Elizabeth Siegel, DBSA's Chapter Relations Manager who currently oversees the online support groups' operation. "We are the only organization offering this kind of virtual, real–time peer support to people with mental illness."

One of the benefits of online support groups (OSGs) is the support it offers to all of those who don't have access to DBSA's local support groups, either because they live too far away or have limited mobility, or because they wish to remain anonymous. One of the challenges that OSG participants face in their text–only world is how to communicate the nonverbal expression that face–to–face groups might take for granted—a simple nod of support or a smile, for example, as someone tells his or her story. Find out how OSG participants and facilitators manage these challenges and reap the benefits of connecting with peers online.

Description Stephen Propst is Chair of the DBSA Board of Directors, president of DBSA Metro Atlanta and is an active voice on radio, television and in print. His Mind Over Mood column appears regularly in bp Magazine. He is a writer, a conference speaker and a consultant to families and patients who seek to successfully confront mental illness and have meaningful lives. Stephen holds an MBA from Michigan State University and previously worked in the hotel/restaurant field.

In this podcast, Marya Hornbacher gives a preview of the keynote presentation she will give at the DBSA 2010 National Conference, “Celebrating 25 Years of Peer Support.” She speaks about her latest book, Madness: A Bipolar Life, in which she takes the reader along with her on her journey through Type I rapid–cycle bipolar. Read more about Marya and her 2010 conference presentation at www.DBSAlliance.org/Conference2010.

DBSA’s Allen Daniels speaks with Dr. James Gordon about the topics he covers in his book Unstuck, a guide for the journey out of depression. Dr. Gordon discusses his integrative approach to treatment for depression and alternative strategies for mood disorders and provides different perspectives on understanding and treating depression.

DBSA’s Ingrid Deetz speaks with Dr. Jane Mountain about the differences between sharing our 'illness stories' and 'wellness stories' in the recovery process. From deciding who to share your stories with to breaking your story down into manageable pieces and even the importance of hearing your story in the words of your loved ones, Dr. Mountain shares several tips to help you in this important process.