EP 29: Healthy Boundaries for Bipolar Caregivers with Suzanne Catlett

The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to Wellness

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In this insightful conversation Suzanne Catlett, the mother and caregiver of a daughter with bipolar, shares:

• Her story of her daughter’s symptom onset and diagnosis with bipolar,
• How therapy helped her understand how to have realistic, healthy expectations for her relationship with her daughter,
• What helped her finally accept her daughter’s diagnosis and develop compassion,
• The tips that helped her not dwell on the stresses of her daughter’s bipolar right before bed in order to facilitate healthier more restful sleep,
• How acknowledging for the potential challenges of her daughter’s bipolar symptoms helped her prepare to make better decisions in stressful situations,
• The process of identifying and setting healthy boundaries improved her relationship with her daughter, and
• Her top tips for loved ones and caregivers.

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LinkedIn: Suzanne Catlett

Bio:

Suzanne Catlett is a 49-year-old mother of 4 in a blended family that added 4 more. She's always been an entrepreneur in business like real estate and insurance along with her creative endeavors as a wedding cake designer. She's also worked as an Operations Director at a youth residential behavioral treatment center in her small town of Escalante, UT. The last 10 years of living there she has been active in the community on the Chamber of Commerce and Travel Council Boards as well as serving on the Student School Community Council.
Her (2) oldest children, who are now ages 32 and 31, have mental health conditions. For the conversation today she'll be focusing on the sudden onset of Bipolar with her daughter. (Son has been struggling with Major Depressive Disorder for 14yrs and a late diagnosis of schizo-effective Disorder)
Suzanne is currently working on her first book. Its working title is "Keeping Your Healthy Mind While Your Loved One is Losing Theirs". It's her story of how mental illness affected her family, what she learned along the way, and how she overcame a state of crisis to be healthy and hopeful. By sharing that with the world and by visiting with me today, she hopes to positively impact the lives of those who are navigating the precarious journey through life when mental illness steps in and disrupts life and changes everything.

FREE Mood Cycle Survival Guide: https://myupsideofdown.com/emergency-response-plan/
FREE Facebook Group for Moms with Bipolar: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bipolarmomslivingwell
blog: https://myupsideofdown.com/
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myupsideofdown/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myupsideofdown/