An open letter
to Christine
Dear Christine:
It is with great
respect and admiration that I read your book, Juggling your Bipolar Life: New,
Successful Ways of Treating and Dealing with Bipolar Disorder. You have captured
such wisdom in your writing! You have used your experiences, both positive and
negative, to educate others in a thoughtful and constructive way. What a gift
of hope that you have given to other people with bipolar disorder and their families!
You have given an incredible view from the standpoint of a patient who recognizes that bipolar illness is a chronic
disorder that it requires management on a day to day basis. This is a gift for
everyone, including therapists and physicians.
Most poignantly,
you capture the importance of evaluating the longitudinal course of mood symptoms for anyone who suffers from depression. A diagnosis of bipolar disorder always must be considered. So often, bipolar disorder is accompanied by substance abuse, as it was for you. Your vivid descriptions
of the stressors you encountered, such as domestic violence and rape, are painful to read, as indeed they should be. Your very personal revelations allow readers to separate you (Christine) from the
illness (bipolar disorder). The wonderful human being you are is not the illness.
The discussion
of self-care, such as exercise, regular daily rhythms, sleep, nutrition and eating habits is impressive. You made the choice to find, as Dr. Turkin summarizes, the right diagnosis, right treatment and right attitudes
and behavior. You made a commitment to work toward wellness. Surgeon General David Satcher stated: “mental health is fundamental to health.” Thank you for sharing your journey, which is a testimony to this powerful fact of life, with us all.
Sincerely,
Katherine L.
Wisner, M.D., M.S.
Professor of
Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Epidemiology and Women’s Studies
Director, Women’s
Behavioral HealthCARE
Andrea Fagiolini’s Book Review
Andrea Fagiolini’s comment about “Juggling Your Bipolar Life.”
I am an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh
School of Medicine and the medical director of the study at the Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians.
This is an interesting, useful, and pleasant-to-read
book, with an abundance of useful information for patients with bipolar disorder and their families. The author correctly
points to the importance of tracking the changes in symptoms and affective states as a way to take control over the bipolar
disorder and improve its course and its prognosis. The medication and
symptoms tracking charts that are presented in the book are very useful aids to accomplish this goal. Also,
they are an excellent way to track (and then report to the treating therapist and psychiatrist) the symptom fluctuations between
one visit and another.
Mark Stoltz - Therapist LCSW
Christine is living proof that every person is unique. I have personally been inspired to see Christine work
through the highs and the lows of her illness and come up with a workable management plan. If you, like Christine, have been
diagnosed with bipolar disorder, please know that you are much more than a bipolar person. Instead, like Christine, you are
a special and unique individual, with your own talents and purpose in life. My belief is that this book can be one tool in
helping you on the journey of becoming who you are meant to be.
Dr. Scott Turkin’s Book Review
I have been a psychiatrist for over a decade, and my interest in the brain and its disorders precedes that by
many years. For over two years now, I’ve had the pleasure of being the principal site investigator in DuBois, Pennsylvania
of a large and several-year study called the Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians (BDCP), centered at the University
of Pittsburgh. The principal investigators are David Kupfer, MD and Ellen Frank, PhD, and the medical director for the study
is Andrea Fagiolini, MD. All are very well-known experts in this field. We have enrolled over a hundred patients in our site
and are deep into the second year of monitoring their progress.
It
is with great satisfaction that I can assist my patient, Christine Schloder, in her quest to share her story of struggle and
recovery, in the hope it can be both educational and inspirational for others. I think the key aspects of optimal management
of this illness can be divided into what I call the three “rights”: right diagnosis, right treatment, and right
attitude and behavior. Having known the author during some of her highest peaks
and most dismal valleys, I can enthusiastically endorse this book as an inspiring tale of one woman's successful and ongoing
recovery from bipolar disorder. As a practicing psychiatrist and researcher in this field I can also recommend this book Juggling Your Bipolar Life as an excellent addition to the very
important genre of literature to empower and educate those with bipolar disorder and their loved ones.
Scott R. Turkin, MD, FAPA
Medical Director, Behavioral Health Services
Dubois Regional Medical Center
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
University of Pittsburgh
Principal Site Investigator
Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians
information on DRMC Behavioral Heaith Center & Dr. Scott Turkin
ABOUT
CHRISTINE:
Feb. 2006: Christine published a self- help book titled “Juggling your Bipolar Life,
New successful Ways of Treating and Dealing with Bipolar Disorder”.
2007 Christine wrote a new program called Juggling Your Bipolar Life Recovery Presentation this program was
developed to help consumer get on and stay on the road of recovery. . Through her program and book
consumers can become familiar with her ground breaking symptom-charting system. This program can give consumers the necessary tools to create
a happier, healthier life. 1995: she began the S.H.E.P. Programs, (Self Help Educational Prevention Education
Programs). Her programs were established to teach and promote self-help skills. 1997: Christine wrote, produced, and stared
in a children’s video titled “What about Self Esteem and Setting Goals”, The video was sold throughout
the USA, teaching life skills to help children grow into successful adults. Christine
has many talents to bring to her programs since 1982 she has worked on and off as an entertainer, professional Juggler, puppeteer,
and ventriloquist.
Currently Christine sits on the Board of the Anti-Stigma Education Group through Western Region CSP in Butler,
PA as well as a member of Local CSP of Elk/Cameron Counties. She is enrolled in a Bipolar Study held by WPIC, under the direction
of Catherine A. Kalas and is a Participation in a “Bipolar Study” through UPMC, under the direction of Dr. Scott
Turkin, DuBois Behavioral Health Center, DuBois, PA.
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