Waukesha Parent Group

Thursday, June 1st, with the Waukesha parent group W.A.S.S.U.P. was one of the most interesting and intriguing speaking events to date. It was a mixture of parents with teenage children and parents whose children had or showed signs of bipolar disorder. We sat around a group of tables together in a large, lobby-cafeteria type room, in a very relaxed setting. I gave my normal presentation, but shared my story as it related more to my experiences as a teenager and how my life was affected with bipolar disorder. There were a couple parents crying and while I never want to see anyone that way, I was really moved to know that what I was sharing touched someone on a personal level. I actually got goosebumps when I saw that. What was really great about the night and discussion was that the conversation and questions were so engaging by everyone. Parents shared some very personal and traumatic experiences about their children and people were on the edge of their seats wanting to listen, ask questions, and share similar struggles of their own. In the same breath there was no loss of a sense of humor and we laughed as much as we shared situations and dialogue. We were fortunate to have two psychologists in attendance and they too offered a tremendous amount of value to the discussions. The one foundational message I left with that night was that sharing experiences with other parents and people who are struggling with a variety of issues is an absolute positive, no matter how difficult the situation. People need to know there are others who are going through some of the very same things as they are. Sharing those experiences brings objectivity to the situations and people can see more clearly how to approach resources and people who can help them. My sincere thanks to Stacey and Katrina at W.A.S.S.U.P. for having me as their guest speaker. It was once again a wonderful and rewarding experience.