Bipolar Disorder

It’s normal for people to experience mood fluctuations, but these should only last a few hours.

For those with bipolar disorder, these intense emotional swings last days to weeks and are accompanied by dangerous behaviour changes and difficulty with daily routines and social interactions.

Signs + Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Depression

  • Unaware of the negative consequences of their action
  • Irritable
  • Feeling excited, euphoric and full of energy
  • Feeling jumpy and experiencing racing thoughts
  • Unpredictable behaviour
  • Impaired judgement
  • Impulsivity
  • Reckless decisions and unusual risks
  • Use of alcohol or drugs
  • Hallucinations or symptoms of psychosis

Mania

  • Difficulty falling/staying asleep or sleeping more than usual
  • Overwhelmed with everyday activities
  • Feelings of loss, personal failure or guilt
  • Feeling helpless
  • Loss of energy
  • Sense of feeling slower than usual or persistent restlessness
  • Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Trouble concentrating, focusing and making decisions
  • Thoughts of death, dying or suicide
  • Changes in appetite or weight

Goals of Bipolar Therapy

  • Learn strategies to manage stress
  • Develop a stable routine with healthy lifestyle habits
  • Re-engage with social, familial and occupational roles
  • Reduce drug or alcohol misuse
  • Bring the individual back to a stable mood
  • Improve ability to identify and intervene early with warning signs of recurrences
  • Increase acceptance of the illness

Therapeutic Approaches

We will do an assessment of your specific situation and goals, to come up with a targeted and individualized approach to therapy that draws from a variety of the listed modalities

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Change unhelpful and problematic ways of thinking got change unwanted or unhealthy behaviour

Mindfulness-Based Therapy

Utilized techniques like meditation, stretching, and breathing to increase awareness of our thoughts, feelings and actions

Dialectal Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

Develop healthy coping strategies and mindfulness skills like living in the moment to improve relationships and regulate emotions

Book With...

Mental Health Therapist – Peace River
Registered Assessment Psychologist
Registered Psychologist EMDR Certified
Master’s Psychology & Social Work Registered Social Work – Direct Billing
Master of Counselling Student Counsellor
MACP – Master of Counselling