Thank you for these informative and inspiring stories about depression and bipolar disorder. Ms. Lerer is to be highly commended for turning to help others, even when she herself has health concerns. I hope that her story and her support group will help many, many more of those living with these all-too-common illnesses.

Thank you for an article that will provide hope and help to so many people who are either battling mental illness themselves or are close to someone else who is. With so many people in this country affected by mental illness, it's about time that all of the issues surrounding it get brought out of the closet and people get educated. I commend Ms. Lerer for her bravery in the face of her own illness and her resourcefulness in getting her support group going. I hope she can serve as a role model for others in similar situations to make a positive out of a negative situation.

Having had family members with bipolar disorder I really appreciate hearing Ms. Lerer's story first-hand. I consider her a role model for liberating those afflicted with mental illness... especially around the shame people feel. It is the shame that keeps people stuck and isolated and prevents them from seeking help. Ms. Lerer's support group and others like it seem like the key [for people with mental illness] to living a life of dignity, hope and joy.

Thank you for such an informative article. Katherine is a very brave woman. She has the love and support of her family and friends and the strength to continue her venture. God bless you!

My compliments to Ms. Lerer for bringing bi-polar out of the darkness and offering help and support to others. Probably not easy to do when you suffer from the disorder, but all the more valuable to those whose lives she touches. She is indeed an inspiration!

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for publishing this article! Your publishing decisions result in education for the Mid-Peninsula community so that more people learn about mental illness. Readers need to know that bi-polar disorder, like other mental illnesses, is a scary, serious illness sometimes resulting in lengthy disability, but also often amendable to treatment. Many a patient can find successful treatment (meds and/or psychotherapy) and eventually reach his or her potential and fully participate in life. Thanks again for spreading the word about how people cope with and control their mental illness symptoms. Ms. Lerer is a great example of this!

Stephen

Thank you for publishing this honest interview with Katherine Leher. Stigma still surrounds mental illness and therefore, the shame exists. When people are educated about what mental illness "is" and "is not", there is more hope of getting rid of the stigma. There was a time when cancer & aids were stigmatized. People who are affected by mental illness and their families need compassion and concern in order to deal with the trauma it brings. Your article is a step in that direction. Katherine Leher is truly a courageous person. The help she provides to others is so very important!

Thanks to Sue Dremann for writing this excellent article and thanks to Katherine Lerer and individuals in her support program for their willingness to be the subjects of the article.

Unfortunately, those suffering from biological brain diseases such as bipolar disorder, clinical depression, and schizophrenia are still subject to much stigma, prejudice, and discrimination. Perhaps more than any other group in our society.

As an example of this problem, those who suffer from the biological brain disease known as Alzheimer's are usually treated with respect and concern, but those suffering from the biological brain diseases that are collectively known as severe mental illnesses are subject to reduced insurance coverage and to reduced support by county medical facilities around the country.

Recent studies have indicated that those suffering from serious mental illness have an average life span approximately 25 years less that other Americans.

Articles such as this one play an important role in educating the public about mental illness, and I hope that this is only the first of a number of similar pieces by the Weekly.

Thank you for publishing this beautiful story. It tells a tale of personal courage that all of us can learn from. Simply told yet insightful. Your tag line, "A Phoenix Rising" really applies.

I appreciated your positive presentation about mood disorders and the support groups that mean so much to those afflicted.

Barbara Tyler

What an inspiring article offering hope and inspiration to everyone suffering from mental illness. The more we come out of the darkness and into the light, the more we can break the stigma and get the support and help to all of those feeling hopless desparation. Living with a family member that has suffered for years I know intimately the daily pain which affects the entire family unit. Ms. Leher is a brave woman and I applaud her candidness and willingness to share her compelling story to save lives and bring hope and courage in their lives. Thank you Sue for writing this article.

Thank you for publishing this article about the depression and bipolar disorder group! I am a member of the group, and I KNOW how important a support group can be to someone with a brain disorder. I have been a member for over 6 years and recognize the vital role that it plays in maintaining my stable life.

Katherine is a wonderful advocate for the mentally ill. She is an awesome group leader and success story. I look forward to many more years of discussions and shared support among the members of the community.

Dear Sir/Madam:

Thank you for publishing this article. I am a member of this group, and very proud to be. It is important the we get this information out there, so that more people may be helped. This group contributes to my wellness every week. The people in the group are wonderful beyond words. It is so important to come together as a community.

Very truly yours,
Alicia DeValliere

Thank you for publishing this article. While well over 2% of the population suffer from serious mental illness we don't often hear much about it and it continues to be surrounded by stigma. Katherine runs the best mood disorders support group I know of in the South Bay. The group maintains a web site at: Web Link

After being a Palo Alto resident for 40 years, we have moved north but retain our love for the City. I worked with Katherine for several years and know how difficult this has been for her. Her courage and willingness to share are truly inspirational. I have forwarded this article to my daughter who has schizoaffective disorder. We are very familiar with the difficulties. I refuse to give in to stigma and talk to people about mental illness frequently. When this happens, one or more of those to whom I am talking mention they have a sister, brother, or some other relative who also has a mental illness. It is all around us and should be treated as just another illness to combat. Those who have this condition (and there are several gradations and types) need our love and help, not to be shunted off or ignored or any of the other myriad ways, they are made to feel "less than". Please keep up the articles!

I have great love and admiration for Katherine, whom I know personally. She is courageous, and has gained personal strength from her dedicated efforts to help others fight these types of illness. I wish her continued success, and hope that she will inspire others to follow her lead.

I met Katherine recently at a Stanford seminar and until she let me know that she had bipolar I would not have guessed that she suffered from this illness. I salute Katherine for her courage in helping to let people know what it is like to have bipolar disorder. Through Katherine, and others, we can see that although we cannot yet cure the illness, there is a basis for hope and inspiration - and that with medicine and therapy, the illness can be tamed and the ill can lead go on to lead good lives. As the parent of a child that has the illness, I can appreciate seeing this kind of progress.

One aspect of bipolar disorder that the writer may expand upon in a follow-up article is to look at how important family and friends are in a patient's journey towards recovery and the value of support groups for these helpers. It is essential for the patient's family and friends to know there are support groups for them too, such as those available through Alliance and NAMI, and that they will need (and deserve) this kind of emotional support.

The initial period before and after a patient's diagnosis are rough, really rough, and there is so much to get to know and to do. Families must learn these things pretty darn fast. There is so much that is happening that defies understanding (including public assistance like SSI, EPS, and emergency 911 types of calls), such as the emotional lows of the depression, the anger, and when these feelings become focused upon those who are trying to help. It's even more difficult for all when there are other aspects of the illness (such as schizophrenia which commonly accompanies bipolar disorder) to also deal with. Parents and family members tend to take these experiences personally, but they need to know that patients don't wish to behave this way, and unfortunately, patients commonly act this way towards those who love them while they are trying to provide help.

If people consider the families and friends that help the ill like a compass to help the ill to navigate their way to wellness, then they should also consider joining a support group to ensure that they stay strong and get the emotional support that they will need to survive the ups and downs they will surely encounter. Support groups for families are as essential to the families as they are for people who suffer from the illness.

Bless you Katherine for all that you are doing to help yourself and to help others. You go girl!

I've known Katherine for many years, before and after her bipolar disorder emerged. I loved and admired her before the illness struck, and I love her and admire her even more now, having seen the courageous way that she's dealt with all of the many difficult aspects of the disease. I'm always amazed that Katherine manages to do all that she does. Indeed, as I've often told her, she takes on more challenges and accomplishes more than most of the people I know who don't have to cope with bipolar disorder at the same time. I've also always been impressed with the good humor and positive attitude with which she lives her life. But most of all I admire her unselfish determination to help others. Having suffered with depression myself, I know how hard it can be at times just to get up in the morning, let alone reach out to others. I also understand the impulse to remove oneself from the world when the pain of depression seems too difficult to handle. But Katherine has done quite the opposite. With her group, her writing, and in her everyday life, she's not only an effective mental health advocate but a truly compassionate and giving human being. I know this first hand because Katherine has always been there for me as a loving and helpful friend even when she herself was suffering. She is always empathetic, supportive, and concerned no matter how difficult her own life may be at the time. I'm grateful that she's my friend, and I'm grateful for the article featuring her story. I hope that you'll continue to publish articles such as this. Mental illness has long been misunderstood and is too often seen as a stigma rather than a condition that many, many people, including Katherine, deserve our respect and admiration for not only enduring but rising above.

Thank you so much for this article. It not only helps to normalize a condition that is stigmatized in our society, but illustrates what a resourceful and giving person such as Ms. Lerer can contribute to alleviate the suffering and isolation of others. She is an emblem of the highest attributes of humanity.

Thank you for your article on bipolar. I will read your article to my daughter who is bipolar and our family which may shed some insight into what our 32 year old daughter is going through. She has gone through some similar things. Please keep writing and informing others there is hope available.
Sincerely, Debbie Miller

Thank you for such a great article on mental illness. How generous of Katherine to share her experiences. She is an inspiration in her willingness to be open about her difficulties and successes. It is so important to help others know that they are not alone and that there is hope for themselves or a loved one.