Although we all experience changes in our moods, sometimes these can be severe and cause difficulties in our lives. This booklet uses cognitive behavioural principles to help understand what causes and maintains these mood changes.
Although the title of the booklet mentions bipolar disorder, the booklet is designed to be useful to anyone who would like to better understand their significant changes in mood and learn strategies to manage. The strategies provided give tried and trusted cognitive behavioural guidance and tools which can, particularly when used in an ongoing way, reduce extreme mood changes, reduce persistence of low mood, manage behaviour when mood is high and achieve a more balanced mood. The methods outlined here can be used alone or with support from another person such as a therapist.
Rachel Manser is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with OCTC. She has worked as a therapist in a range of setting and particularly with people experiencing psychosis and/or mood swings. As well as providing CBT, and supervising and training other therapists, she works on the Postgraduate Certificate in CBT: psychosis and bipolar disorder that OCTC runs in collaboration with the University of Oxford.
Helen Close is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist working within Oxford Health. She has over twenty years of NHS experience working with people with a range of difficulties. Specialist interests include working with people who experience mood swings and people experiencing psychosis. Her roles include leading a Psychological Therapy Team, supervising and training other staff, offering consultation and working with people both individually or in groups using CBT and 3rd wave CBT approaches.
