My Experience With Bipolar
Author: Triston Huntsmin

As a counseling psychologist, I enjoy a variety of clients each
day with a variety of needs. I see couples who are on the edge
of divorce yet still want to save their marriage and I see
young children who are struggling after the loss of a parent or
sibling. Some of my most interesting clients are those that deal
with bipolar. I was never trained to specifically deal with
bipolar, so I had to dive in with my first bipolar client and
learn as I went.

I'll never forget meeting with my first (of many) client who
was struggling with bipolar. I was a little bit afraid because
I only had a basic knowledge of the problem and even less
understanding of effective treatment plans for the disorder.
The first three sessions I had with this bipolar client I
simply let her talk. I asked questions as a method of gaining
information, but I barely gave any tidbit of counsel or
direction. Why? Because I didn't know what to say. I had never
experienced someone in my years of preparation and internship
for counseling who was so clearly up and down and almost living
two different lives.

Each day after I met with my first bipolar client I shut myself
in my office and spent the day pouring over books and other
credible resources that would help me learn about the disorder.
I called up a few friends that were specialists on the topic and
I did ever possible proactive thing to be more prepared for my
client by the next week.

The things I have learned in the fifteen years since that first
close encounter with someone struggling with bipolar are things
I never expected to learn. I have become so intrigued with the
subject that I have conducted a series of clinical research
studies aimed at bringing further understanding of bipolar into
the medical and psychological communities. Studying and aiding
people with bipolar truly has become my life's work and
passion. In the strangest way it snuck up on me and became all
I could focus on. It has been my privilege to receive
certification as a "bipolar needs specialist" and to begin
teaching other counselors how to aptly deal with the problems
of bipolar.

If you or someone you know struggles with bipolar disorder,
then my advice is simple: learn more. Educating yourself on
this important topic is the most important thing you can do.
There is much to be learned and much victory to be gained in
this area as more people learn the truth.


About The Author: Triston Huntsmin is a counseling psychologist
who now specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar
patients. See http://www.allbipolar.info for more information
on the disorder.