My name is Cynthia, I am a 51 yr. old female. 

I am a 51 year old woman, a psychotherapist/art therapist, wife, mother and grandmother. I grew up with a very dysfunctional mother who suffers with schizoaffective disorder with bipolar episodes. I have suffered all of my life, from a very young age, with depression but was just recently diagnosed with manic depression, type I also with psychotic features (hallucinations, mostly) My husband also has depression but his almost never lifts and is steady, not causing much life dysfunction, but pervasive. I have stopped working as a psychotherapist and now mostly do Christian pastoral counseling out of an office in my home. My manic episodes are very short but intense, disruptive enough to my life that I probably won't be able to go back to working full time. there is hope. I am a Christian and have gotten much healing and relief of my symptoms from prayer and affirming fellowship. My life is very full. I am on low meds and most often am a very happy (not TOO happy) person with a good outlook on life and many friends. There is light at the end of the tunnel! 

My email is: bluemariano@earthlink.net