Carter, a licensed psychologist who has appeared on national television and radio, leads general readers through an accessible yet detailed overview of bipolar disorder basics, symptoms, treatment, and practical coping methods. Using as few technical terms as possible, the book defines essential terms, describes stages and subtypes of the disorder, outlines types of talk therapy, and explains professional credentials of therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists. Some other issues explored include dual diagnosis, creating a treatment plan, legal and insurance issues, and damage control. A section for families tells how to get help for a bipolar family member, and gives advice for parents of teens and pre-teens. The reader-friendly layout contains boxed definitions, red flags signs and symptoms, research boxes, and quotes from real people with BP. A glossary is included. Dempsey has written about the experience of having a bipolar child. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)