talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast

A 31-year journey: Mental health writer Louise Dwerryhouse shares her remarkable story living with bipolar disorder.

Louise Dwerryhouse, a retired social worker, who worked in Canada and the UK, is an advocate, and mental health blogger on “lived experience” living in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder late in life, over 30 years ago at the age of thirty-five, and has been living well with the disorder for 10+ years. She writes to those alone, frightened and traumatized by volatile mood swings such as she had in her early days post-diagnosis. Louise tries to lead by example, by sharing her journey to recovery, showing it is possible to live well with the disorder. Her dream is to see a society centred on acceptance, inclusion and less stigma in her lifetime.

More on this episode: https://talkBD.live/my-bipolar-story

#talkBD⁠ gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at ⁠https://talkBD.live

Psychiatrist and clinical informaticist Dr. John Torous and mental health educator Victoria Maxwell speak on the role of online platforms and mental health apps in supporting mental health and bipolar disorder and how these technologies can be integrated into wellness and treatment plans.

Dr. John Torous is director of the digital psychiatry division, in the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated teaching hospital, where he also serves as a staff psychiatrist and assistant professor. He has a background in electrical engineering and computer sciences and received an undergraduate degree in the field from UC Berkeley before attending medical school at UC San Diego. He completed his psychiatry residency, fellowship in clinical informatics, and master’s degree in biomedical informatics at Harvard. Dr. Torous is active in investigating the potential of mobile mental health technologies for psychiatry and has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and 5 book chapters on the topic. He serves as editor-in-chief for JMIR Mental Health, web editor for JAMA Psychiatry, currently leads the American Psychiatric Association’s Health IT Committee, and is a senior member in IEEE.

Since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, psychosis, and anxiety, Victoria Maxwell has become one of North America’s top speakers and educators on the lived experience of mental illness and recovery, dismantling stigma and returning to work after a psychiatric disorder. As a performer, her funny, powerful messages about mental wellness create lasting change in individuals and organizations. By sharing her story of mental illness and recovery she makes the uncomfortable comfortable, the confusing understandable. The Mental Health Commission of Canada named her keynote That’s Just Crazy Talk as one of the top anti-stigma interventions in the country.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

Psychologist Dr. David Gard speaks on the use of psilocybin to treat bipolar disorder/depression, the potential benefits and risks, and breaks down the latest research on the role of psychedelics and psilocybin in supporting mental health. Hosted by Dr. Emma Morton.

Dr. David Gard is a Professor of Psychology, Director of the Motivation and Emotion Research Lab, and the Coordinator of the Clinical Psychology Master’s Program. He received his Master’s degree in clinical psychology from San Francisco State University in 1996 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of California at Berkeley in 2005. He has been lecturing at San Francisco State University since 1997 and was hired full-time as an assistant professor at SFSU in the fall of 2005. His research interests are broadly in the area of emotion and motivation dysfunction in various mental health disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. He also researches novel treatments in severe mental illness.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

Psychologist Dr. Thomas Richardson (University of Southampton), and author and mental health advocate Cara Lisette speak on how to help maintain self-compassion, discuss perfectionism in bipolar disorder, and answer your questions drawing on their clinical and lived experiences. Hosted by Dr. Emma Morton.  

Dr. Thomas Richardson is a Clinical Psychologist working as an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology within the School of Psychology, University of Southampton. Thomas leads teaching about CBT for Bipolar Disorder on the CPT diploma and is actively involved in various research projects around Bipolar Disorder. Prior to this he worked for 8 years as a clinical psychologist in a community mental health team for adults within the UK National Health Service. He did his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton, qualifying in 2013. His doctorate thesis looked at if tuition fees increases impacted on student mental health, which led to his ongoing study of finances and mental health. Dr. Richardson also has lived experience of bipolar disorder. 

Cara Lisette is a mental health advocate, author and therapist. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder aged 25 and since then has been actively campaigning to reduce stigma around the illness and raise awareness of signs and symptoms to look out for. She runs a successful blog (www.caras-corner.com) about her experiences with mental illness, and is also active on Twitter (@caralisette) and Instagram (@caralisette), where she shares more about her journey and about mental health in general. She has recently written a self help book for people with bipolar disorder which is due out in June 2023, after her self help book for people with eating disorders became a best-seller. She hopes that her knowledge as both a therapist and somebody with lived experience have come together to create a resource that will help people to understand themselves and their illness better.  

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

Professor Dr. Sheri Johnson (University of California Berkeley) and mental health educator Victoria Maxwell discuss the relationship between creativity and bipolar disorder, how to maintain creativity outside of mood episodes, and answer questions from the TalkBD audience.

Hosted by Dr. Erin Michalak.

Dr. Sheri Johnson is a professor of psychology at the University of California Berkeley, where she directs the Calm Program. Her work has been funded by the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation, and the National Cancer Institute. She has published over 200 manuscripts, including publications in leading journals such as the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and the American Journal of Psychiatry. She is co-editor or co-author of five books, including Emotion and Psychopathology and a best-selling textbook on Abnormal Psychology (Wiley Press). She is a fellow for Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), the Association for Behavioral Medicine Research and the American Psychological Society.

Since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, psychosis, and anxiety, Victoria Maxwell has become one of North America’s top speakers and educators on the lived experience of mental illness and recovery, dismantling stigma and returning to work after a psychiatric disorder. As a performer, her funny, powerful messages about mental wellness create lasting change in individuals and organizations. By sharing her story of mental illness and recovery she makes the uncomfortable comfortable, the confusing understandable. The Mental Health Commission of Canada named her keynote That’s Just Crazy Talk as one of the top anti-stigma interventions in the country.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

Psychiatrist Dr. Manuel Sánchez de Carmona (Anahuac University, Mexico City), and mental health educator Victoria Maxwell discuss and answer your questions on mania and bipolar disorder, drawing from their lived and clinical experiences.

Hosted by Dr. Emma Morton.

Dr. Manuel Sánchez de Carmona is a member of the ISBD Board of Directors and works as an associate professor of Clinical Psychiatry for the Anahuac University in Mexico City, Mexico. He began his involvement with ISBD in 2008 as the founder of the ISBD Mexican Chapter and since then in key leadership roles: first as ISBD Secretary Treasurer and then as ISBD President, serving for two consecutive terms from March 2014 to December 2017. He was able to actively promote the Society and generate local chapters in several countries of Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He is passionate about providing education on bipolar disorders and using the Society as a game-changer in public mental health services. Since World Bipolar Day’s inception, he has been involved in its global promotion and making connections with experts with the lived experience to generate community awareness and fight stigma. Dr. Sanchez de Carmona has more than 25 years of clinical experience treating mood disorders and is interested in diagnosis, early detection, and providing quality of life to patients.

Since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, psychosis, and anxiety, Victoria Maxwell has become one of North America’s top speakers and educators on the lived experience of mental illness and recovery, dismantling stigma and returning to work after a psychiatric disorder. As a performer, her funny, powerful messages about mental wellness create lasting change in individuals and organizations. By sharing her story of mental illness and recovery she makes the uncomfortable comfortable, the confusing understandable. The Mental Health Commission of Canada named her keynote That’s Just Crazy Talk as one of the top anti-stigma interventions in the country.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

Psychiatrist Dr. Manuel Sánchez de Carmona (Anahuac University, Mexico City), and mental health educator Victoria Maxwell discuss and answer your questions on psychosis and bipolar disorder, drawing from their lived and clinical experiences.

Hosted by Dr. Emma Morton. 

Dr. Manuel Sánchez de Carmona is a member of the ISBD Board of Directors and works as an associate professor of Clinical Psychiatry for the Anahuac University in Mexico City, Mexico. He began his involvement with ISBD in 2008 as the founder of the ISBD Mexican Chapter and since then in key leadership roles: first as ISBD Secretary Treasurer and then as ISBD President, serving for two consecutive terms from March 2014 to December 2017. He was able to actively promote the Society and generate local chapters in several countries of Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He is passionate about providing education on bipolar disorders and using the Society as a game-changer in public mental health services. Since World Bipolar Day’s inception, he has been involved in its global promotion and making connections with experts with the lived experience to generate community awareness and fight stigma. Dr. Sanchez de Carmona has more than 25 years of clinical experience treating mood disorders and is interested in diagnosis, early detection, and providing quality of life to patients.  

Since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, psychosis, and anxiety, Victoria Maxwell has become one of North America’s top speakers and educators on the lived experience of mental illness and recovery, dismantling stigma and returning to work after a psychiatric disorder. As a performer, her funny, powerful messages about mental wellness create lasting change in individuals and organizations. By sharing her story of mental illness and recovery she makes the uncomfortable comfortable, the confusing understandable. The Mental Health Commission of Canada named her keynote That’s Just Crazy Talk as one of the top anti-stigma interventions in the country.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

Award-winning Professor of Nutritional Psychiatry Professor Felice Jacka (Deakin University, Australia) and mental health educator Victoria Maxwell discuss the importance of nutrition for mental health, provide practical tips on how to improve nutrition, and answer questions on food and mood. Hosted by Dr. Emma Morton. 

Felice Jacka OAM is Professor of Nutritional Psychiatry, Director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University, and founder and president of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research. Professor Jacka has been responsible for the development of the highly innovative field of ‘Nutritional Psychiatry’, establishing diet as a risk factor and treatment target for common mental disorders. The results of the studies she has led have been highly influential, being cited in more than 80 policy documents globally (e.g. WHO, UNICEF) and influencing clinical guidelines in psychiatry in Australia and elsewhere. She is widely recognized as international leader in the field of Nutritional Psychiatry research. She is an ISI Highly Cited Researcher (2020 and 2021), putting her in the top 0.1% of publishing scientists worldwide for impact. In 2021 she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to Nutritional Psychiatry.

Since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, psychosis, and anxiety, Victoria Maxwell has become one of North America’s top speakers and educators on the lived experience of mental illness and recovery, dismantling stigma and returning to work after a psychiatric disorder. As a performer, her funny, powerful messages about mental wellness create lasting change in individuals and organizations. By sharing her story of mental illness and recovery she makes the uncomfortable comfortable, the confusing understandable. The Mental Health Commission of Canada named her keynote That’s Just Crazy Talk as one of the top anti-stigma interventions in the country.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

Director of the UBC Centre for Gambling Research Dr. Luke Clark (University of British Columbia) and clinical psychologist Dr. Thomas Richardson discuss the relationship between mental health and risk from gambling, research into bipolar disorder and impulsivity, and useful management strategies.

Hosted by Dr. Erin Michalak.   

Dr. Luke Clark’s research focuses on the psychology and neuroscience of risky decision-making, with a specific interest in gambling behaviour. His research around mood disorders dates back to his PhD at the University of Oxford, where he studied state and trait aspects of cognitive function in bipolar disorder. He also works with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on cognitive function in late-life suicidality. Prior to moving to Vancouver in 2014, he was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology in Cambridge, U.K. At UBC, he teaches an undergraduate course on intro psychology and a third-year course on Gambling and Decision Making. He supervises graduate students in the clinical and cognitive programs in the UBC Department of Psychology.

Dr. Thomas Richardson is a Clinical Psychologist working as an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology within the School of Psychology, University of Southampton. Thomas leads teaching about CBT for Bipolar Disorder on the CPT diploma and is actively involved in various research projects around Bipolar Disorder. Prior to this he worked for 8 years as a clinical psychologist in a community mental health team for adults within the UK National Health Service. He did his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton, qualifying in 2013. His doctorate thesis looked at if tuition fees increases impacted on student mental health, which led to his ongoing study of finances and mental health. Dr. Richardson also has lived experience of bipolar disorder.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live

CIHR Banting Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Emma Morton (University of British Columbia, Vancouver) and peer researcher Amir share tips for managing bipolar disorder. They’ll discuss mood monitoring and planning, and specific strategies for responding to mania and depression.

Hosted by Dr. Erin Michalak.

Dr. Emma Morton is a CIHR Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at UBC Psychiatry. She completed her Ph.D. and training as a psychologist in 2018 at Swinburne University, Australia, and moved to Canada to join the CREST.BD team as an Institute of Mental Health Marshall Fellow in 2019. Emma’s research interests include quality of life, self-management strategies, and digital mental health tools for people living with mood disorders. She has clinical experience working in community mental health, early intervention, and hospital settings.

Amir is a recent graduate of UBC in a bachelors of science in cognitive systems where he focused on cognition and the brain. He is a peer researcher at CREST.BD and is starting his role as a peer mental health support worker at Foundry. As an individual with lived experience, he has been a researcher on UBC and UCSF’s joint project on investigating the use of Psilocybin in individuals with bipolar disorder.

#talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. Learn more about the talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast and upcoming episodes at https://talkBD.live