I was riveted by Berger’s moving, honest journey as one faced with bipolar illness. As one who has faced similar challenges, her experiences are both haunting and hopeful in that she overcomes the worst of her condition and triumphs in the face of incredible adversity.

A must read for not only those personally impacted by mental illness, but by caregivers, loved ones, or anyone wanted to grasp knowledge of this disease.

I found the stream of consciousness writing style in 'The Bipolar Therapist' to be quite engaging. The narrative's immersive first-person view during Marcia's manic episode brought about a steep change of pace that took me on an emotional rollercoaster, heart pounding and mind racing.
One aspect I particularly appreciated was the opportunity to delve into Marcia's mind and emotions. However, I couldn't help but wonder if readers unfamiliar with neuroatypical experiences might struggle to fully grasp the narrative's depth. While the book succeeded in allowing me inside her head, I felt that more descriptive passages could have provided additional context and understanding, especially for those seeking education rather than just immersion.

This was a powerful read. It was very descriptive and truly gave the reader an authentic firsthand account of what it is like for one to experience a manic episode. I felt like I was right there with Marcia as she shared her family history, her childhood, and her search for self understanding.
It was beautiful to see her accept that she would may never have all of the answers as to why things happened to her as they did but the fact that she was able to put down the shame and find true happiness was priceless and I believe worth the journey.

4/5 Stars!!!

Marcia Naomi Berger did a wonderful job detailing the experiences of working in the field of psychology as someone who has a mental health disorder. This memoir was powerful and inspiring as someone who suffers from mental health disorders trying to navigate their 20s and find a suitable career. By sharing her stories and experiences Berger helps decrease the stigma that surrounds mental health, but unlike other books - she does it in a way that keeps the reader engaged through humor and excitement.

Outside of academic life, I have read very few memoirs - as I have found them to be redundant and boring; however, that is not the case with this memoir. There were times when she was describing things that I was just giggling away in my chair because she was that funny.

I suggest anyone interested in the field of psychology or mental health to check this book out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Memoirs written by people who have mental illnesses are always tough to read. The parts where the author talks about her manic episodes were hard to read because it's so scary to be out of control of your mind. Marcia writes with such bravery and honesty. I'm so glad she wrote this book. One more step in destigmatizing mental illness.

This memoir by Marcia Naomi Berger was nothing like I expected it to be. IT WAS SO MUCH BETTER. I tend to be hesitant with memoirs, because they don’t tend to draw my interest other than the conclusion up to where their life is at the end of the book, but from beginning to end, I felt like I NEEDED to know more about Marcia. To hear personalized history of how handling mental health, especially bipolar, compared to the practices now, was so beautifully worded. As someone with Bipolar ii I often spend time wondering what life would have been like if I didn’t have the resources before. This book is beautifully written, and feels like a best friend is sitting and telling you a story. Couldn’t recommend enough.