Date: Oct 30, 2009

The Challenges of Living with Bipolar II Disorder

Free Lecture Presented by the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center

Wednesday, November 11, 8:15 a.m., Hofstra University Club

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY … The Psychological Evaluation, Research and Counseling (PERC) Clinic of Hofstra University’s Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center presents Susan Shelly, who has lectured widely on the challenges she and others face living with Bipolar II disorder. This lecture will take place on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, at 8:15 a.m. at the Hofstra University Club, north campus.

This event is free and open to the public but advance reservations are required. For more information or to register for this lecture call (516) 463-6535.

Hofstra’s Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center, includes four clinics – PERC, Speech-Language-Hearing, Marriage and Family Therapy and Reading/Writing Learning – and the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute, a fully licensed early childhood program. The Center supports high-quality educational and practical experiences for Hofstra University students, and provides services to Hofstra University employees and to the community-at-large.

About Susan Shelly

Susan Shelly, 46, is a wife and mother of two living with Bipolar II disorder. She is also a writer, teacher, conference speaker, and consultant to patients and their families who seek to successfully confront mental illness and create meaningful lives. A graduate of the University of Maryland and Rider University, Shelly holds degrees in both Family Studies and Education and has lectured widely throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Her illness first came to light in 1997 after the stress of a divorce brought about symptoms of severe anxiety, depression, and periods of hypomania. She spent the next four years being misdiagnosed and improperly medicated. As a result, there were many times when she struggled to maintain emotional stability for herself and her children.

Shelly was finally properly diagnosed, and with the help of a dedicated counselor she has come to understand the nature of Bipolar II disorder and learned how to face and overcome everyday challenges. She has since dedicated herself to speaking and advocating on behalf of people living with bipolar disorder.

Shelly brings her pain and perceptions of Bipolar II to life in a riveting, interactive program that speaks with equal eloquence to patients, educators, and mental health professionals.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services; and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.