Happy August. I see this majestic plant on my daily walk, taller than me and overflowing onto the sidewalk. I’m totally in awe.

My original intention with starting this monthly email was to have it as a place to share my art projects. To be honest, it has felt tedious and boring. Besides drawing and painting I know that some of my work to do in this world is to talk about topics that can be lonely and complex. As some of you know, I made a book sharing my experience with grief. In that book I also talked about an eventual diagnosis of Bipolar 1 that came in the aftermath of my mom’s sudden death.

Over the years people have told me that they appreciated that I shared my experience with Bipolar in that work. I have thought off and on about making a book it since it can be isolating and scary, but due to the complexity of the topic I thought I had written it off forever, I became so clear that I threw out most of my notes, sketches, and research as a way to have finality in that decision.

Alas, over the last few weeks, on multiple occasions people have reached out looking for advice, support, and connection around bipolar. So I’m going to write about it in these emails until I have enough to make a book or zine.

Every month I will share writing, drawings and resources around bipolar. If you know anyone who this might be supportive for, you can forward this email or share this link to sign up. *The emails are free.

Below is a drawing I was working on when I first started making the project in 2019 (I would add a lot of things if I were to re-drew it now).

I’ll leave you with this-

A few days ago I had what felt like a mini manic episode and a very dear friend offered permission for me to talk freely through the feelings of ‘pressured speech.’ I will talk about it in more detail next time I write, but until then, if you have a loved one experiencing that part of mania, a gift to them could be to verbally offer permission for them to say anything and everything they want to say, as fast as they want to say it, with no judgement. It deeply lightened the overwhelm and containment I was feeling.

*Pressured Speech: ”When you have pressured speech, you have an extreme need to share your thoughts, ideas, or comments. It can be difficult for others to understand and may indicate a manic episode. Pressured speech is commonly seen as a symptom of bipolar disorder.It’s often a part of experiencing a manic episode. The speech will come out rapidly, and it doesn’t stop at appropriate intervals. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand what’s being said during pressured speech. It’s not always possible to carry on a conversation because the person with pressured speech might not stop long enough for another person to speak.” -Healthline.com/Bipolar

With love. xo Chelsea

*Below is a chart I found helpful when I was first experiencing this new way of being.