Bipolar Disorder - New Directions Support Group
New Directions Support Group, Inc. for people with depression, bipolar disorder, and their loved ones, is an award-winning support group, which attracts an average of 50 people per meeting at the Abington Presbyterian Church, 1082 Old York Road, in Abington, PA 19001, on the first and third Tuesday nights of the month from 7:30 to 10 pm. After a brief intro, we divide into small group discussions so every person has a chance to talk. Members then give on-the-spot problem-solving strategies.
Led by trained group facilitators, we encourage our participants to exchange phone numbers and call one another in good times and in bad. New Directions saves lives! All members must be diagnosed and under the care of a physician. Family members are strongly encouraged to attend. Led by a family member, they meet in a separate room.
New Directions was founded in 1986 by psychotherapist and award-winning writer, Ruth Z. Deming, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1984. She formed the group to help herself and to answer her question: Is there life after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Yes, indeed!
Ruth learned that by helping others, we help ourselves. She shares with the group her Keys to Recovery, which include: Find the best possible psychiatrist and work with him or her as a partner; remain in the workforce, if possible; educate yourself about your illness and your medication; do frequent aerobic exercise, such as power-walking; get plenty of light in the wintertime; eat nutritious foods, and do things you enjoy doing. You are so much more than your illness. And, please don’t say, “I’m bipolar.” Say, “I have bipolar disorder.” This is a physical illness of the brain. Many family members do not understand this, so we urge them to attend and educate themselves.
On the third Tuesday of the month, we have a guest speaker. These include topnotch psychiatrists, employment specialists, nutritionists, cognitive therapists. We ask our members for feedback, as we are always striving to do our best. We also maintain a list of Top Doctors and Top Therapists, and have a Crisis Plan should someone be contemplating suicide.
Ruth Deming is also a therapist in private practice and enjoys doing home interventions, where she goes out to meet the family and talk to them. She loves making personal appearances to local civic organizations such as Rotary Groups, local nursing schools, and was a featured guest on a 5-minute CN8 Comcast interview.
Her message is, “For every terrible story you hear about someone with bipolar disorder or depression, there are thousands of success stories.”
She’ll be happy to speak at your organization. Email her at .
For more info, visit our website at http://www.newdirectionssupport.org or call 215-659-2366, ext. 1 to register to attend.