Press Release

AUTHOR/SPEAKER ANGELA GRETT RECEIVING ACCLAIM
FOR NEW BOOK MY MOTHER’S BIPOLAR, SO WHAT AM I?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (2007) – Angela Grett has overcome the difficulties of being the child of a bipolar parent to become a nationally known author, consultant and speaker. Now she is helping others by telling her own story with an educational presentation based on her new book, My Mother’s Bipolar, So What Am I?.

Grett’s heartfelt story reveals the emotional, physical and mental toll this complicated disease takes on the children of bipolar parents. She shares the personal difficulties caused by her mother’s disorder. Her book also features unforgettable stories from adults who grew up in a bipolar household, common challenges born out of their childhood experiences, concrete medical information for healing, compassionate advice for coping, and research that provides hope for a better future.

The Nashville professional has developed an educational talk that is specially tailored for mental health support organizations, employee support groups, and businesses of all kinds. The 30- to 45-minute audiovisual presentation features a speech, question and answer session with discussion, and Power Point. Recent appearances include the Palette Gallery (Mental Illness Awareness Week) in Nashville, the All About Women conference in Nashville, and NAMI chapters in Nashville, Memphis, Las Vegas, Metropolis, Ill., Crossville, Tenn., Dothan, Ala., and Hendersonville, N.C.

“My mission is to bring families together through education and to reduce the stigma attached to bipolar disorder by informing people about the realities of the condition,” said Grett, who has future speaking engagements across the nation. “It’s estimated that more than two million people have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Because it’s been misunderstood by most people, we attach a stigma to the illness. I want to bring hope to those who have been searching for answers.”

For more information or to book Grett for an upcoming event, call (615) 309-0326, send an e-mail to Angela@ChildrenofBipolar.com, or visit www.ChildrenofBipolar.com.

According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, bipolar disorder is a treatable illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior. It is not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. The disease is also known as manic-depressive disorder because a person’s mood can alternate between mania (highs) and depression (lows). This change in mood or “mood swing” can last for hours, days, weeks or months.

“Thanks to celebrities like Patty Duke, Carrie Fisher, Jane Pauley, Linda Hamilton and Ted Turner, we can now associate well-known faces with this mysterious disease called bipolar disorder,” Grett added. “Healing comes through understanding. I believe there are many people suffering with this illness because they have not been diagnosed or treated.”

Grett begins the book with her own story. She felt her world “crumble” at age 4 when she was taken away from her mother with no explanation. She found herself in a strange town not knowing if she would ever see her mother again.

“I believed that if I took good care of my mommy, she would never go away again,” Grett continued. “I lost my childhood that day. It’s not that I never played or had fun again, but my idea of fun changed. My new perception was that my role was to take care of myself and my mother.”

The author’s childhood experiences have earned her the self-designated degree of CBP: Child of a Bipolar Parent. For her book, Grett interviewed her brother, sister and mother, as well as dozens of adult children of bipolar parents. She also received invaluable insights from mental health experts across the country. She said she found a thread of common behaviors woven throughout their stories: health problems, bad choices, and unclear roles for parent and child.

“I discovered that every parent’s path was unique and every child’s pain universal,” Grett said.

Grett is a corporate executive and founder of Ascynd, a business consulting firm. After spending more than 20 years in the corporate arena, she made the challenging transition into the world of speaking, writing and educating. She is active in the Depression-Bipolar Alliance Speaker’s Bureau.

My Mother’s Bipolar, So What Am I?, which retails for $15, is featured in the Ingram Book Catalog and available through bookstores and Internet retailers such as Amazon.com.

“We are very grateful to Ms. Grett for coming to Memphis to speak at one of our NAMI meetings,” said Kent Usury, a spokesperson for the NAMI Memphis Chapter. “Her presentation sparked much conversation during and after the meeting.”