Bipolar is a mental illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy, and behaviour. It is widely believed that bipolar is incurable despite its cause being unclear.

Bipolar Type II is less severe than Bipolar Type I. For 30 years, I experienced Bipolar Type II as days or weeks of hypomania, months of depression, and periods of stability (euthymia).

The Black Dog Institute, BPHope, and the International Bipolar Foundation are helpful sources of information and support.

Bipolar Type II was the symptom, not the root cause of my suffering.

An intensive period of self-development with an exceptional Integrity Coach, following two years of deep reflection and analysis as I wrote my memoir, addressed the real issues and effectively “rewired” my brain. This concept refers to neuroplasticity: the ability of the brain to form and reorganise synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury.

Clinical recovery feels as unequivocal as complete recovery from a physical break: I was suffering with multiple fractures and now I can run.

Many bipolar memoirs focus heavily on orthodox medication and hospitalization – this was not my experience.

With the support of my psychiatrist, GP, and integrative health practitioner, I chose not to treat Bipolar Type II with a commonly prescribed mood stabilizer. Instead, I benefitted from a tailored course of nutritional supplements, which helped me to manage bipolar without side effects, alongside a supportive lifestyle.

Coaching that focuses on honesty and personal integrity comes under the umbrella of life coaching. Dr Martha Beck, author of The Way of Integrity describes life coaching as “working with people to take them from where they are in life to the best they can possibly be”.

In Dr Beck’s experience, the most effective coaching strategies are “those that help people see where they’ve abandoned their own deep sense of truth and followed some other set of directives.”

As Dan Munro explains in his book The Naked Truth, divergence from our true self commonly stems from cultural conditioning and “people pleasing”, and associated emotions like fear and shame. The result is poor self-respect, low self-worth, and limited confidence, which undermines our potential, negatively impacts our quality of life, and can affect our mental health.

People benefit from Dan’s coaching in many ways, and he offers support for all budgets. As well as individual and group coaching, he has books and online courses, and shares a lot of content for free.

Integrity coaching with Dan cost me very little financially, but the process required serious commitment and courage, and I invested considerable time and effort.

Dan Munro specialises in coaching heterosexual “nice guys”, but he is available to help any “people pleasers” committed to being more authentic.

Dan’s style of coaching was a good fit for me, but if you’re looking for alternatives (particularly if you are LGBTQ as I am), I suggest checking out honesty coach Lindsay St. Antoine.

Life coach training programs, such as those run by Dr. Martha Beck, and the Radical Honesty Institute, provide an online directory of certified coaches.

In addition to those mentioned here, an online search will find life coaches focused on honesty and integrity, and life coaches who specialise in bipolar recovery. Many offer online services internationally.