A Firm Place to Stand

Finding Meaning in a Life with Bipolar Disorder

"A Firm Place to Stand is a significant contribution to building understanding about mental illness in the Christian community." - Harold G. Koenig, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center

An estimated 22 to 23 percent of the U.S. population experiences a mental disorder in any given year, but almost half of these individuals do not seek treatment. In 1999, the U.S. Surgeon General said, "Powerful and pervasive stigma prevents people from acknowledging their own mental health problems, much less disclosing them to others." Today, in 2008, not much has changed. The shame people with mental illness feel often causes more suffering than the symptoms of their disorder.

Canadian writer Marja Bergen's book A Firm Place to Stand: Finding Meaning in a Life with Bipolar Disorder dispels this lingering stigma. In this her second book about living with this painful illness that affects 3-5% of the population she speaks about her struggles in an honest and engaging way, describing what she learned about faith and life as a result of it.

The author traces her forty-two years with the disease, describing her hospitalizations at the psychiatric facility Riverview Hospital and her repeated episodes of depression, mania, and psychosis. She recounts her years of searching for meaning in a life that denied her an opportunity for a career. She always knew she wanted to make a difference, to do something worthwhile. Eventually she found fulfillment in helping others who, like herself, suffer from mental illness.

With the help of her church, Bergen became a pioneer in establishing faith-based support groups called Living Room. She believed in the importance of this form of Christ-centered support and created a website and manuals to help more groups start up. The movement is growing. Soon, only two years after Living Room's founding, there will be nine groups, one as far away as New Zealand.

In the words of John Toews, psychiatrist and author of No Longer Alone, Mental Health and the Church, "Bergen's new book is a gift to Christians who struggle with mental health issues. This is a splendid resource to be read, not only by those who struggle, but by their friends and families, and by counselors and church leaders.

About the book:
A Firm Place to Stand by Marja Bergen
ISBN: 978-1-897373-45-3
Publisher: Word Alive
Date of publication: July 23, 2008
Pages: 220
S.R.P. $19.99

About the author:
Marja Bergen has lived with bipolar disorder for over forty years. She has been helping people who suffer from mood disorders since 1999 when her first book, Riding the Roller Coaster (Northstone), was published. She has counselled and supported both individuals and groups, devoting herself to reducing the stigma attached to mental illness and helping Christians learn how to be supportive. Her articles, written from the perspective of a person who lives with bipolar disorder, have been published widely. She received a second place Fellowship of Christian Newspaper award for a First Person Article published in 2007. Marja lives in the Vancouver area, British Columbia.