Dear Editors and Reporters:

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Phyllis Elliott was no stranger to the symptoms of bipolar disorder when she began to have sleepless nights and racing thoughts at age 44. As a counselor for mentally ill adults at a residential program, she was teaching practical daily living skills to clients, including some who also experienced the mood swings from depression to mania that characterize bipolar disorder.

After initially denying to herself what she knew to be true – that she too had bipolar disorder – Elliott sought professional help. Her new book,Thriving on the Bipolar Roller Coaster: How To Succeed With Bipolar Disorder details her journey from wife, mother, student and counselor to patient and the recovery that brought her back to her former roles.

Thriving on the Bipolar Roller Coaster provides advice, examples and anecdotes for managing life with bipolar disorder. The practical, proven suggestions are based on Elliott’s own struggles, her work with her patients and the lessons learned from family members who also struggled with mental illness.

The 76-page handbook also includes symptoms checklists, ways to chart your strengths and goals, tools for the families of children and teens with bipolar disorder, questions to ask when choosing a mental health professional, coping strategies for the family of the person with bipolar disorder, and even a few words for the professionals who treat them.

Elliott went on to earn her master’s degree in social work from Fordham University after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She has 10 years of experience in private practice and is the manager of a resource center for families with children who have social, emotional and behavioral challenges. Now 57, she lives in New York State with her husband and is the mother of three children and the grandmother of four.

Phyllis Elliott is available for interviews and speaking engagements.