Live Well Bipolar ™

This beautiful person connected with me on Instagram and ever since she has become someone I am grateful to call a friend.

Katie is a therapist and the woman behind the Instagram page @katie.theBipolarTherapist. She received her Bachelors Honors Degree in Psychology in 2007 and, following being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 1 with psychosis, completed her Masters of Social Work degree in 2010.

She graduated with distinction and proceeded to work in the Mental Health field within a healthcare environment since that time. Katie has experience working in programs such as Eating Disorders Treatment, Intimate Partner Violence, Crisis and Suicide Intervention and within an Acute Mental Health Unit in a hospital setting.

In addition to providing individual and group based therapy, Katie has recently started to speak publicly about her lived experience with Bipolar Disorder Type 1, generalized anxiety disorder and OCD. She is dismantling the stigma around Mental Illness, providing education, advocacy and telling her story about managing her mental illnesses while living a fulfilling life.

Katie speaks openly about the impact not knowing about her diagnosis had on her professional life and relationships. Despite the challenges, Katie managed to build a supportive relationship with her husband, Ryan.

She shares her feelings around opening up about her diagnosis publicly and how this has transformed her experience into advocacy, aiming to educate others and reduce the stigma around mental illnesses. The episode explores the importance of self-knowledge, support, and ongoing learning in living well with bipolar disorder.

For more Katie, stay connected with her here!

00:00 Introduction and Guest Presentation

02:01 Guest's Journey to Diagnosis

09:04 Living with Bipolar Disorder: Personal Experiences

11:51 Support Systems and Relationships

20:45 Managing High Stress Situations

23:52 Opening Up About Bipolar Disorder

27:09 The Power of Sharing and Advocacy

32:23 Living Well with Bipolar: Final Thoughts

Joining us today is the one, the only... the love of my life, Dan Scobie!

In this candid and intimate podcast episode, we reflect on our relationship journey, beginning from the first time we crossed paths at BLK Live 5.5 years ago to our current life together.

The episode delves into personal aspects of our lives, including the challenges and triumphs of managing bipolar together, many new beginnings shared, and the evolution of our relationship over time.

Highlighted are themes of personal growth, the power of open communication, and the importance of support in navigating life with bipolar disorder.

The episode also covers Dan's perspective on encouraging me to launch my podcast, publish my book and start publicly speaking about my story. He describes concerns and fears he had at the start of our relationship and what worked well in navigating the hard times.

Tune in to hear the breakdown of our full love story and what is next for our relationship. We made sure to answer all the questions you asked here as well!

00:00 Introduction and Initial Conversation

00:20 Meeting the Guest: A Personal Journey

00:58 Unveiling the Past: The First Encounter

01:21 The First Podcast Experience

02:01 The Evolution of Relationship

04:34 The First Impression and Early Days of Dating

09:01 The Turning Point: Opening Up About Bipolar Diagnosis

09:51 The Impact of Diagnosis on Relationships

11:41 The Struggles and Triumphs of Living with Bipolar

14:43 The Journey of Acceptance and Understanding

18:43 The Role of Family and Friends in the Journey

23:35 The Impact of Bipolar on Career and Personal Life

28:53 The Power of Sharing and Destigmatizing Bipolar

30:26 Struggles with Work and Bipolar Diagnosis

30:58 Understanding the Impact of Work Environment

32:08 The Journey of Self-Discovery and Acceptance

32:34 The Impact of External Factors on Mental Health

33:23 The Experience of Going Off Medication

33:38 Moving Forward: New Environment and Better Routines

37:38 The Importance of Communication in Understanding Bipolar

39:24 The Journey of Writing a Book and Starting a Podcast

39:53 The Impact of Supportive Relationships

50:05 The Future: Starting a Family and Overcoming Fears

52:39 The Power of Love and Understanding in a Relationship

Reflections on My First Year of Marriage: Living with Bipolar

You guys.... in exactly one week, I will be celebrating my first ever wedding anniversary... something I used to think would never be possible for me.

Tune in to hear me share my experiences during my first year of marriage. I will reveal:

1. How Dan's support helped me recognize the value of my story

2. The role of communication shifting in our relationship and the importance of recognizing and respecting each other's boundaries

3. What traveling together has done for our connection and creating beautiful experiences (being present in the moment).

4. The importance of individual growth within our relationship and maintaining a balance so bipolar doesn't consume the relationship.

5. Hope that it can work from others who shared their personal experiences with me navigating their marriages with bipolar

The episode aims to inspire listeners by demonstrating that a supportive, loving relationship is possible for people living with bipolar disorder.

00:00 Introduction and Reflections on the Past Month

02:03 The Importance of a Supportive Partner

07:00 Overcoming Fears and Sharing My Story

08:04 The Role of Bipolar in Our Relationship

08:32 The Power of Communication and Understanding

09:36 Lessons from Our First Year of Marriage

17:43 The Impact of Travel and Shared Experiences

20:49 The Importance of Self-Work and Respect

21:27 Conclusion: The Power of Love and Support

I had the pleasure of meeting this amazing guest in person because she also lives in AZ! I first met her where I meet so many of you guys... via Instagram. After she saw my post about episode 183, she reached out to me and I got her connected with NAMI so she can share her story with others!

As someone who lives with bipolar type 2, ADHD & Anxiety … my guest describes the way this impacted other areas of her life. She shares what it was like being a young mother, military spouse and struggling to find herself amidst the passing of her aunt.

Birdie Thorn is a mental health advocate, writer, and content creator. She has written an article for the International Bipolar Foundation and is a speaker for NAMI. She has made it her mission to bring awareness to mental health disorders with a comedic twist. You can find her on instagram @birdies.bipolar.brain where she showcases what it’s like living with Bipolar 2 disorder, anxiety, and ADHD. Her goal is to help end the stigmas surrounding mental health disorders. 

After receiving her diagnosis in her early 20s, Birdie shares:

1. what the early struggles looked like for her

2. the moment she finally accepted her diagnosis

3. strengthening her relationship with her husband who is now 5 years sober

4. the importance of open communication and medication

Birdie emphasizes the importance of removing stigma around mental health disorders and reassures listeners that it is possible to lead a successful life despite living with a mental health disorder.

Exciting news: Birdie wrote a book & it will be launching in a few months!!! She also shares how she crafted the 5 phases of bipolar and is a speaker for NAMI (where she killed it on her first presentation this month).

00:00 Introduction and Guest Presentation

00:57 Birdie's Journey with Bipolar Disorder

02:19 Coexisting with Bipolar Disorder

03:42 The Impact of Bipolar Disorder on Personal Life

08:02 The Role of Anxiety and ADHD in Birdie's Life

12:30 The Importance of Support and Medication

26:31 Birdie's Future Plans and Final Thoughts

30:37 Conclusion and Farewell

Connect with Birdie here!

This episode is dedicated to you.

You making the time to listen to this podcast, whether you are a long time, weekly listener living with bipolar like me or someone who does work in the field to help others navigate bipolar… I want to say thank you for showing up. Whether you are showing up here to do the work for yourself or someone you love… you are making a difference.

After doing the pod for 4 years now, I have learned the power sharing your story can have on people who listen, on people who are sharing and on people who ask to talk about these topics.

Sharing my story with you has changed my life because it has given me hope to see all the ways it is possible to live well bipolar. Since this continues to happen in every conversation I have the privilege of sharing with you I wanted to do something different.

If you have a story and you have not shared it with me here on the podcast yet, you can now apply here to be a potential guest! I want to hear your story because I know it will have an impact on others.

Why is it that we do not hear from more people who have achieved success when it comes to living with bipolar?

Success does not look the same for everyone. But what does success look like when navigating life with bipolar?

In this episode, I get into a deep conversation about these topics with Gabe Howard, a well-known figure in the mental health advocacy field. Gabe is the author of 'Mental Illness is an Asshole,' and host of the podcast 'Inside Bipolar' from Healthline Media, which offers a unique perspective on living with bipolar disorder.

He also hosts the 'Inside Mental Health' podcasts and co-hosts the 'A Bipolar, A Schizophrenic, and a Podcast,' podcast. Gabe breaks down the challenges and misconceptions surrounding bipolar disorder and the role fear plays in staying silent.

Gabe shares his personal journey, from his diagnosis in 2003 to the recognition of the lifelong management of the disorder. Gabe stresses the importance of changing perceptions and creating positive examples for those navigating a similar path. This shared experience provides valuable insights and sparks a crucial dialogue about the ongoing process of living well with bipolar disorder.

For more Gabe, be sure to connect with him here!

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

02:22 Gabe's Story: Living with Bipolar Disorder

05:55 The Impact of Diagnosis and the Journey to Acceptance

06:00 The Power of Support Groups and Shifting Mindsets

07:46 The Struggle for Stability and the Path to Recovery

09:30 The Importance of Believing in Yourself

11:00 The Transition from Silence to Openness about Mental Health

14:59 The Responsibility to Share Personal Stories

16:41 Fear and the Impact on Career

17:12 Experiences of Discrimination at Work

18:35 Overcoming Fear and Speaking Out

19:17 The Turning Point: Choosing to Share the Experience

20:16 The Power of Positive Examples

21:03 The Importance of Sharing and Inspiring Others

23:14 Living Well with Bipolar: A Personal Perspective

24:39 The Roommate Analogy: Living with Bipolar

27:19 The Power of Online Communities and Podcasts

28:42 Final Thoughts and Resources

For almost 2 months, I have been dealing with some health issues and it reminds me of how I felt when I was trying to learn how to navigate receiving my bipolar diagnosis almost 10 years ago.

It wasn't until 3 weeks ago that it started to impact me a lot more.... not able to make it through a work out, very low energy, disrupted sleep, abdominal pain, and feeling bloated/uncomfortable eating almost anything.

I have had over 5 doctors appointments these last 7 weeks and a bunch of tests done to come to the conclusion that "everything looks normal."

On 1/22 I underwent a procedure (colonoscopy and endoscopy) where the images showed an inflamed stomach lining in line with gastritis. I was told by my gastro doc that my symptoms line up with IBS and know it will be a journey to get to the root of what actually caused the inflammation in my stomach lining.

This has been frustrating for me considering I thought I was in the best condition health wise of my life... I workout regularly, eat balanced meals, drink my water, have been sleeping great and don't even drink alcohol anymore. The only thing I changed about my lifestyle had been getting back into long distancing running.

I wanted to share what has been helpful on this journey for me just as I always do my best to share what has helped me in navigating life with bipolar. This situation has not been easy on me and I always want to share my reality with you in the hopes that this could help someone.

On a lighter note.... the podcast will be turning 4 years old on 1/31. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to listen, read this and be here. If you haven't already, please leave me a rating or review if you listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. I love you!

Overcoming Trauma to Becoming Support: An Empowering Conversation with Jen Hilderbrand

Jen Hilderbrand shares her personal journey overcoming traumas from childhood and how she did not realize the ways in which these events would impact her life as an adult.

She shares how the trials she faced eventually led her to therapy which saved her life when it came down to navigating the sexual abuse and trauma from her childhood.

Eventually her therapeutic journey led her to getting involved with Hope Mental Health Foundation (Hope Gives). Jen explains the driving mission of the non-profit organization which she is now President of: to remove financial barriers to therapy for families and individuals in need.

Hope Gives believes that therapy should be accessible for all to progress emotionally, heal and break cycles of destruction. Jen describes the fundraising initiatives and how she works to spread awareness about mental health care, the importance of therapy, and the tireless work by the team at Hope to ensure therapy is accessible to all who apply for sponsorship (the dream they want to make a reality).

As you can see in this episode picture, I had the pleasure of meeting Jen in real life last October at the third annual Hope Gives Charity Gala. Her spirit was infectious but her story was really what showed me how serious she takes this work.

To connect with Jen you can follow her here and learn more about the great work Hope is doing here!

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

01:39 Jen Hildebrand's Personal Journey and Struggles

04:01 The Impact of Childhood Trauma

08:05 The Power of Therapy and Personal Transformation

16:12 The Birth of Hope Gives

23:46 The Challenges and Triumphs of Hope Gives

31:36 The Future of Hope Gives and Final Thoughts

Navigating Bipolar Through Music: A Heartfelt Conversation with B. Russ

Brandon (B. Russ) is a rapper and content creator who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2017. He discusses the pivotal moments that led to his diagnosis along with one of his biggest saviors besides music - community.

B. Russ utilizes his social media platforms to promote conversations around mental health and build a supportive community. He speaks about integrating his personal journey with his passion for music and reveals how both community and purpose have become central to his wellness journey.

When it comes to how help looks different for everyone, B. Russ is changing the game on speaking openly about his experience with bipolar. Greatest of all, he highlights the importance of representation in mental health conversations, especially in terms of race for other black men and reaffirms his platform's commitment to providing purposeful conversations around the topic.

A big pain area navigating life with bipolar is purpose and B. Russ shares what has helped him most with this. Tune in to hear him share what helped him gain the confidence to share his story online and the greatest lessons he has learned working in the field of behavioral health.

Stay connected with Brandon on IG here!

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

01:25 Building a Community Through Instagram

02:13 B Russ's Journey with Bipolar Disorder

07:45 The Impact of Music and Storytelling

11:19 The Importance of Representation in Mental Health

14:26 The Role of Community in Living Well with Bipolar

17:39 The Power of Purpose and Impact

36:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Conversation with Missy Haze, Creator of 'Comfortable Silence'

Listen until the end for a special gift for you from Missy...

Missy was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 at 16, only a year after surviving the most powerful tornado that destroyed her high school in Enterprise, Alabama and took the lives of 8 of her classmates.

The day of the tornado, Missy describes a memory writing in her journal about not looking forward to a test that day to look backing on the detrimental impact of this day in 2007.

The survivor's guilt cast a weight on Missy she found hard to describe at the time. After receiving her diagnosis she opens up about the emotions that came up and what it felt like to not have anything explained to her.

She also reveals the importance of support from loved ones, as she recalls the roles her family played in helping her through one of her lowest moments. Missy encourages others by reminding them that their lives have purpose, and she express gratitude to those who have supported her along the way.

Journaling has always been Missy's number one savior in navigating her trauma, diagnosis and daily life. Little did she know that it would be the place where her brand, Comfortable Silence, would be born.

Comfortable Silence is a purpose driven clothing brand dedicated to eliminating society's stigma of bipolar disorder and was designed to make those struggling feel less alone.

Use this code for 20% off your order!

00:00 Introduction and Guest Presentation

00:33 Guest's Personal Journey with Bipolar Disorder

00:38 The Impact of a Tragic Event

01:22 Guest's Initial Struggles with Bipolar Disorder

06:44 The Turning Point: A Mental Break

17:11 The Birth of Comfortable Silence

32:58 The Role of Journaling in Mental Health

37:08 Final Thoughts and Reflections