How I Became "Suicidal Kids" Therapy Supervisor, with Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT)

How I Became a Therapy Supervisor, Part II

I went to Amherst College, and I majored in psychology —because the brain was interesting. Took every senior neuroscience seminar I possibly could to avoid going to medical school. I didn't take any pre-med requirements because I was scared. This is part two of three, describing how I became a Mentalization-Based Treatment supervisor —who specializes in working with suicidal individuals, including kids. Part one is here. Of note, the conversation this article is adapted from happened in 2017.

I have bipolar disorder.

It was not good for a very long time, for years and years and years. Like clockwork every fall— I would have a depressive episode. Winter would usually bring some kind of mania in my first 24 years. Summer could have it as well. Spring would have another depressive episode. The real “clockwork” time for depression was th 2nd and 3rd weeks of October.

Circadian Rhythms Matter in Mood Disorders

For depression, it turns out the reason is that the time when the change in sunl…