From Failing to Faculty: A Bipolar Journey
Personal Perspective: I'm bipolar and nearly dropped out of undergrad. Now, I'm faculty.
Updated May 16, 2026 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan
“You are not sick, Emily!”
My therapist, Sherrie, stared at me wide-eyed from behind her trendy glasses, looking as wise as an owl. It had been a long slog with bipolar disorder , and quite frankly, I didn’t believe her. And, I felt that I had evidence: I had been shuttled back and forth to the psychiatric hospital on Busch Campus at Rutgers University at least ten times, many right during my college semesters. I rode a bus to intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) from my sorority house at least a dozen times, while I tried to maintain some semblance of “normalcy” during an otherwise tumultuous existence. I hated my life, and I certainly felt like I was sick.
But, Sherrie and I had one goal together—to get me through college, despite the disruption and the constant withdrawals from classes due to bipolar symptoms such as psychosis , mania , deep depression , suicidal thoughts, and panic attacks. And to get me towards this goal, Sherrie was attempting to get me to understand that bipolar disorder was one part of me, but that there was a healthy part of me, as well.
Mental health conditions affect college students at alarming rates. Like me, many of them are attempting to graduate against incredible odds. Also like me, they are sitting up nightly trying to write papers, despite seeing and hearing things that aren’t there; despite falling into depressions so deep that they don’t want to get out of bed. They are attending class despite the stigma that still exists, thanks to the media scapegoating people with mental illness every time a tragedy happens in our society. They are trying to value themselves, despite the self-stigma and the constant comparison to students who don’t have this disorder who are succeeding in school and going on to start their work lives or pursue further education .
Back to my story: I was able to graduate from college and slowly come to a place of recovery. It was not overnight, and involved everything from meditation to medication to intensive therapy . Yes, I had resources, which put me ahead of the curve relative to my peers who lived in poverty and were battling bipolar disorder. I acknowledge my privilege in this area, and I’m aware that it has given me a tremendous advantage. However, there are many who, even with all the privileges in the world, do not make it through mental illness. We need only look as far as celebrities to understand this point.
The ingredient that most helped me was grit and resilience . My family motto is “Nos Grossmani nunquam desperamus,” which is Latin for “We Grossmans never give up.” And I never gave up—I went on to pursue my master’s degree and become an educator, peer support specialist, and finally, a trainer of mental health providers—imbuing hope that mental health recovery happens to professionals at the provider level, so that it trickles down to their clients.
And today? I have been appointed to be a faculty member in the psychiatric rehabilitation department of the very university that I contemplated dropping out of 30 years ago when I began my journey with bipolar disorder.
People with lived experience of mental illnesses like bipolar disorder have a lot to bring to universities as faculty members. We understand students’ struggles on a different level. We know that for some, it means clawing their way through every class, despite constant mental health symptoms. Some are thinking of giving up on school in the best-case scenario, and at worst, giving up on life. We can prevent both situations from occurring with empathy and understanding, both of which people with lived experience have in spades because they have been there.
Additionally, people with lived experience have much to contribute to research on what truly works for mental health care. Innovations such as mental health peer support, dialectical behavior therapy, and wellness recovery action plans were all developed through research that began with a person with lived experience.
As for me, my life’s work and passion is mental health peer support. People with lived experience make wonderful providers of mental health services, as the research has already shown. But innovating in the peer support space is my deepest passion. I want to research how we ensure that the next generation of peer supporters are effectively trained to have the tools to help the people that they serve bring about lasting change, symptom remission, and, of course, recovery.
Being on the faculty at a major research university is a dream come true, but it doesn’t only represent a “win” for me. My hope is that it breaks through a glass ceiling around hiring qualified candidates with lived experience of mental health conditions, not only in academia, but also in boardrooms in every industry. We are innovators, and we are change-makers.
Finally, I hope that students with mental illness everywhere will read this post and believe it’s possible for them, too. There is a healthy part to you just waiting to come out, and with the right support, along with deep grit, determination, and resilience, you can do it. After all, mental illness is only a part of who you are. You are not sick. And you are not fully formed yet. There is much to learn, and much opportunity to grow internally and recover.
If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7, dial 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
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Emily Grossman, MA, CPRP, is an award-winning peer life coach, author, and speaker. Her book, Unlocked , chronicles her bipolar journey and offers readers 25 keys to recovery.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.