Natasha Goulbourn Foundation sets Mental Wellness in the Family workshop

MANILA, Philippines - The spotlight is on bipolar disorder,  the disease that has long been shrouded in mystery. You can count Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bill Clinton, Britney Spears, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Mel Gibson, Robert Downey Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt among those afflicted with bipolar disorder. Yes, the biggest names in show business and in politics have had their share of ups and downs in battling this often misunderstood disease, ready with their stories — shedding light to the millions who are afflicted and to those who care for them, paving the way for true understanding which is essential to foster real recovery.

Understand it, learn from an expert.  The Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF) presents a day of “Mental Wellness in the Family” with special guest Dr. Terence Ketter, chief of Bipolar Disorders Clinic from Stanford School of Medicine and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. 

Dr. Terence Ketter obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto and had internship and residency training in psychiatry at the University of California in San Francisco. He had subsequent fellowship training in brain imaging and psychopharmacology research methods at the Biological Psychiatry branch of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland.  His research interests include the use of brain imaging methods such as positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to better understand the neurobiology of mood disorders and to explore the possibility of using these techniques to more effectively target treatments for patients with bipolar disorders.

Dr. Ketter will tackle the subject “Understanding Bipolar Disorder in Teens & Adults.”

Other special lectures are:  “Positive Life Skills to Beat Depression” by Dr. Christine Lagman, “Mood Swings in the Golden Years” by Dr. Joel Eleazar, “Sleep Therapy” by Dr. Jo Bilasano, and “Nutrition & Brain Food” by Dr. John Reyes.

The science involved in understanding this disease has brought relief to millions in the United States. Research and development in the field of bipolar and depression psychiatry have reached new heights and are now made available to be utilized. With suitable treatment and proper lifestyle practices, recovery is ensured.

The all-day Mental Wellness in the Family workshop will be held tomorrow, Feb. 27, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  at the Dasmariñas Village Pavilion, Makati.  To reserve your seats, call 812-3335, 893-0215, 09272914916, 09178245020, 09178236738. 

The workshop is sponsored by the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation, whose advocacy is to promote understanding of depression through education and communication.  Depression is treatable — call the HOPE lines at 804-HOPE (4673), 0917558-HOPE, or 2919 toll free for Globe and TM subscribers.