It’s the illness, not you.
Hi, I'm Amanda. I help people who struggle with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety stop feeling at the mercy of their mood swings, constant worry, and deep despair.
My clients struggle like you do. Despite trying their best to manage the complexity of their moods and impulses, the swings and waves still feel unexpected, confusing, and detrimental.
When they first come to therapy, they're exhausted from trying to control and understand the cycle of disruptive symptoms. The constant struggle is wearing them down, making it harder to function. Medication helps, but doesn't solve everything. Many have lost trust in themselves. They struggle to distinguish between who they really are and what the illness makes them feel or do. The feeling that they aren’t good enough, can’t handle what others can, and feel ashamed of their behaviors is pervasive. Even in areas where they earn accolades, have success, and are loved and respected, it doesn’t feel real.
They struggle with relationships, and when there is conflict, they backslide into hopelessness and overwhelm. And when they can’t keep it together, or after a mood episode fades, no one on Earth is harder on them than they are on themselves.
They are usually pretty good at masking their pain. On the outside, they appear successful, juggling work, family, and life. But on the inside, it is a much different story; there is guilt, shame, self-doubt, and pain. A few select people see their struggle and want to help, yet may not know how to. Sometimes the nature of the illness leads to strained relationships and burned bridges, which takes a toll on them.
They want to feel more level, more often. They want confidence that they can handle the hard stuff. They want to avoid acting out of character and not harm their families or themselves. They want to prevent full breakdowns. They want to find acceptance—that their illness does not define who they are. They want to be successful and proud of who they are.
I get it. I truly get the pain my clients feel. And I know ways out. It really is possible to live a meaningful life.
Like my clients, you deserve to have a good life. A stable life. A consistent way of handling the maze of bipolar, depression, and anxiety cycles.
You deserve to go about your day with the ability to recognize triggers and early warning signs and prevent them from escalating. You deserve to know what to do and when to do it, and to have the right tools to match your current state. I want you to know how to handle the inevitable stress that life brings.
I want you to go about your day feeling focused, balanced, and grounded— knowing that your mood or anxiety ‘disorder’ is not your fault and doesn’t define who you are.
If you want to feel steadier and in control, I’d love to help you get there. It’s immensely helpful to have space and a person to talk to about all of it.
Reach out today. You don’t have to suffer so much. I can help.
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Healing from the past is possible, and therapy can help you repair old wounds.
