Dr.B,
This class proved the previous subjectivity of my “knowledge”. It has stripped me bare, leaving me vulnerable to my self reflection and seeking a fullness. Fortunately you have given the tools, the data along the way to heal the rawness with education and a place to “come home to” in the discomforting moments of cognitive dissonance. It was a hell of a kick-start to open the course with the topic of mental health, and for only my god knows why, I felt this was the platform and the appropriate time in my life for my own coming out. Having bipolar was neither known by others or accepted by my self. Perhaps I was not the one that embraced cognitive dissonance, maybe it was it that kicked the shit out of me and I had no choice but to love it back, for fighting it was a losing battle at the cost of being able to look at myself in a mirror. Maybe that’s parallel to the climate of our country. Maybe after feeling beaten and defeated by marginalization, maybe by feeling others marginalization through osmosis, (DATA) and maybe through you, did I come out of the biggest and hardest lessons on the other side feeling triumphant. This has not been a course in sequence, not three credits, not degree seeking. This has been a life class. One I’ll never forget, and one I’ve never learned so much from. I have you to thank Dr. Bridges. And maybe yell at a little;)
On a very personal note,
It was in fact the opening content of HR that I came out to my friends, family, sig. other that I have bipolar, (they apparently knew:). I admitted the lack of efficacy in my medication and self care plan. I disclosed the diagnosis to my employer and filed for FMLA. I made the call to the disabilities office at BSU. Biweekly visits to my therapist, psychiatrist, two med changes, several very dark silent spots, and a few manic outspoken moments later… I may now be learning what education looks like. Needed to self start first.
DLiTER