“High Tide, Low Tide: The Caring Friend’s Guide to Bipolar Disorder,” by Martin Baker and Fran Houston

[Martin]

No One Is Too Far Away to Be Cared for, or to Care

We all want to be there for our friends, but when your friend lives with mental illness it can be hard to know what to do, especially if you live far apart. Transatlantic best friends Martin Baker and Fran Houston share what they’ve learned about growing a supportive, mutually rewarding friendship between a “well one” and an “ill one.”

With a foreword by best-selling author and mental health campaigner Rachel Kelly, High Tide, Low Tide: The Caring Friend’s Guide to Bipolar Disorder offers no-nonsense advice from the caring friend’s point of view, original approaches and practical tips, illustrated with real-life conversations and examples.

Support your friend and celebrate each other, whether you live on the same street or oceans apart. Learn the skills you need for a successful caring friendship and strategies to support your friend whilst also taking care of yourself.

“This book is a brilliant practical guide to understanding your friend’s diagnosis and symptoms, the reality of treatments and therapies, and how to overcome the challenges of long-distance communication. More than that, it is a book about what friendship means.”

—Rachel Kelly, best-selling author and mental health campaigner, official ambassador for Rethink Mental Illness, Young Minds, Sane and The Counselling Foundation.

High Tide, Low Tide: The Caring Friend’s Guide to Bipolar Disorder, by Martin Baker and Fran Houston (Nordland Publishing, 2016) is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and selected booksellers.

www.amazon.com/High-Tide-Low-Friends-...
www.amazon.co.uk/High-Tide-Low-Friend...
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-tide-lo...

Authors’ website & blog: www.gumonmyshoe.com

[Jay]

Hi Martin, I will check it out, thanks!

[Martin]

Jay wrote: "Hi Martin, I will check it out, thanks!"
That's great to hear, Jay, thank you! May I ask what in particular caught your attention?
~Martin

[Jay]

I am also an author and advocate on mental health, and I like work that looks at things from a not-so-usual perspective- in the case of this book, from the friend's point of view. We always discuss families and relatives of the mentally ill, but it takes a very special person to stick around as a good friend for someone that struggles with these demons. I think it makes for a very interesting and practical read.

[Martin]

Jay wrote: "I am also an author and advocate on mental health, and I like work that looks at things from a not-so-usual perspective- in the case of this book, from the friend's point of view. We always discuss..."

It means a lot to me that you get that aspect of it. The other aspect which is important to us is the fact that we live on opposite sides of the Atlantic - so our mutually supportive friendship grew and is worked out online, via social media, skype etc. As we like to say: "No one is too far away to be cared for, or to care."

I'd love to have you guest on our blog at www.gumonmyshoe.com if you are interested.

[Jay]

A couple of very deep and intimate layers to a real friendship, yes, I like it very much. Even though the book concentrates on the factors of illness and distance, it is, in essence, a how-to guide for anyone that wants to solidify a lasting relationship with someone, no matter the circumstance. Thumbs up! And yes, I would be honored to guest on your blog :)

[Martin]

Jay wrote: "Even though the book concentrates on the factors of illness and distance, it is, in essence, a how-to guide for anyone that wants to solidify a lasting relationship with someone, no matter the circumstance."

Jay, I love how you expressed that! Would you have any objection to me quoting you, because you have captured something really important about our message with the book! I would credit it with your name anywhere we used it, of course.

Re guesting on our blog: there are some brief guidelines on our website: http://www.gumonmyshoe.com/p/contact.... but anything you would like to write about, including your journey with your own book, would be of interest to our readers, I am sure!

~Marty

[Jay]

Hey Marty,

I would be honored if you used my thoughts to spread the message of the book, of course you may use it. I am going to write a post very soon and send it to you for the blog. Thanks again!