Bipolar Disorder Therapy
With Cecily Anders
I am not intimidated by complex therapy cases — I've spent my career working with people living with bipolar disorder, including in hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and outpatient settings.
Are mood shifts making it difficult to maintain relationships, work, or the routines that matter most?
Are you exhausted from periods of racing thoughts, little sleep, or feeling like you've lost yourself after an episode?
Bipolar disorder disrupts your sleep, creativity, motivation, relationships, and sense of control. Many people feel ashamed after an episode or worry they're always waiting for the next one.
Whether you're newly diagnosed or have been managing bipolar disorder for years, we'll build a plan that helps you gain more stability and confidence.
Clients Come To Me When They Experience:
Racing thoughts
Trouble sleeping
Irritability
Relationship conflict
Regrets after episodes
Obsessive racing thoughts
Trouble focusing
Feeling out of control
Depression
Whether you're taking medication, considering medication, or choosing another path with your psychiatrist or physician, my therapy helps you build daily structure that supports stability.
“I’m a therapist who’s not scared off by people experiencing intense symptoms.”
How Bipolar Disorder Therapy With Me Works
It's about creating enough stability that you can enjoy your life without feeling like you're constantly reacting to your moods.
Together, we'll identify your patterns, recognize early warning signs, and build routines that support your mental health. Therapy is collaborative and practical. We'll focus on the strategies that fit your life instead of trying to force a one-size-fits-all approach.
Modalities I Use
-
ACT helps you step back from racing or painful thoughts and focus your energy on the people, activities, and values that matter most.
-
DBT builds skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and responding thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively.
-
Bipolar disorder affects the people closest to you. When appropriate, couples therapy helps improve communication, strengthen support, and reduce conflict at home.
Throughout therapy we'll also focus on:
Building daily structure
Improving sleep routines
Recognizing mood changes
Returning to meaningful activities
Strengthening relationships
Creating sustainable habits
Many of my clients work in creative professions. I understand the fear that treatment will somehow take away your creativity.
In reality, many people discover they become even more productive when they're no longer whipped around by the extremes of mania and/or depression.
Build A More Stable Life
Therapy won't remove every challenge, but it can help you feel more steady, prepared, and in control.
After Bipolar Disorder Therapy With Me, Clients Report:
Better sleep
More consistent routines
Improved relationships
More enjoyable days
Greater motivation
Better self-care
Returning to valued activities
More confidence
My goal isn't to change who you are. It's to help you build enough stability that your creativity can thrive.
About Cecily Anders
Working with bipolar disorder has been part of my career from the very beginning. Before graduate school, I worked at the Golden Bear Sleep and Mood Research Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, helping assess participants experiencing sleep problems related to bipolar disorder. Since then, I've continued working with individuals living with bipolar disorder across hospitals, residential facilities, and outpatient settings.
Clients often describe me as encouraging, practical, and genuinely invested in helping them succeed. I'm also a creative person, which means I enjoy tailoring therapy to each individual rather than following a script. Although therapy can be hard work, I believe there's room for laughter along the way.
Many of my clients are artists, musicians, writers, and other creative professionals. As a writer myself, with a husband who is a pianist, I understand how important creativity can be to your identity.
When I'm not working, you'll usually find me writing or spending time with my Goldendoodle, Lucky.
Availability: I provide in-person therapy in Ithaca, NY, and virtual therapy via telehealth for clients across New York, Colorado and Pennsylvania.
Education, Credentials, and Trainings
Golden Bear Sleep and Mood Research Clinic, University of California, Berkeley
PsyD, Baylor University (2016)
Research, Baylor University Couples Conflict Lab
Internship, Hutchings Psychiatric Center
Postdoctoral Training, Soho CBT + Mindfulness Center, New York City
Training at the Veterans Administration, an adolescent residential treatment facility, juvenile detention, outpatient clinics, and inpatient psychiatric settings
Additional experience at SUNY Upstate Medical University Counseling Center
Supervisor of graduate psychology students in CBT and psychological assessment
3 Steps To Get Started
-
Complete my contact form and tell me a little about what's been happening. I'll personally get back to you.
-
We'll have a brief consultation to discuss your goals and determine whether we're a good fit.
-
We'll build a treatment plan focused on creating more stability, healthier routines, and a life that's no longer controlled by mood swings.