Do you ever imagine what life will be like for your child in 5, 10 or even 15 years from now? Sometimes it’s hard to shift focus off of today or even tomorrow. At the same time, worries creep in about the future. That’s why I’m always eager to gain insight from the people who’ve been there.

I recently had the opportunity to read Shannon Flynn’s book, Spin Between Never and Ever. Shannon is an art therapist, counselor, mental health advocate and researcher. While that’s an impressive list of accomplishments, it’s not why I’m telling you about her or her book. You see, while Shannon was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during her teen years, she can remember having symptoms stretching all the way back to childhood.

Shannon gives a personal account of her symptoms, perspective and life. She tackles such topics as self-injury, stigma, hospitalization and suicide. She talks about her struggle with self-doubt-- despite her long list of accomplishments. She also reflects on times that she regrets disclosing her illness and how it affected her in the workplace. Now as a woman who works in the mental health field, Shannon talks about her feelings regarding children, marriage and her family.

While Shannon still struggles at times to make sense of some of her symptoms, I found her account interesting and insightful. Thank you, Shannon for allowing us to share your journey, and hopefully learn something along the way!

Click here to read an excerpt from Shannon's book.