Identify a support system outside of therapy. Friends and family can be allies but not always. Figuring out who to trust and sharing my diagnosis with them was tough for me. Not everyone has to know you have bipolar - in fact most people don't need to know. If you really have someone in your corner, it can be a good idea to have them come to an appointment (with pdoc or T) so that bipolar can be explained to them and to answer their questions.