A Sparkling Tornado takes readers on one woman’s journey through the whirlwind of living with bipolar disorder, tumbling from the bleak darkness of depression to the highs of mania. After surviving the first of several suicide attempts, Sandra takes us along as she travels through both extremes. Along the way, impulsive decisions like launching a quirky flowerpot painting business infuse humour into the turmoil. From the rock bottom of hospitalizations and electric shock treatments, Sandra commits to therapy and medication, clawing her way toward healing through motherhood, a career in fitness, and divorce and remarriage. After 23 years of stability, her bipolar disorder rages again and she finds herself back in "grippy socks" on the Psych ward. Writing becomes part of her recovery, and with each word she finds healing and her way back to mental health. A Sparkling Tornado is part memoir, part workbook. Each chapter concludes with an essential tool Sandra uses to maintain her stability, from Cognitive and Dialectic Behaviour Therapy strategies to exercises that will be helpful not just for those with bipolar but for anyone who wants to maintain good mental health. Throughout her story, heavy topics are peppered with the occasional laugh. Because if we can’t laugh, we might cry, and Sandra would rather you keep her book free of teardrops. "A hard story, beautifully told. An essential read for anyone who has or loves someone with bipolar disorder.." Anne Bokma, author of "My Year of Living Spiritually" "As a clinician and educator, with over 40 years of experience in the field of mental health, I see Sandra's story as an authentic representation of the ups and downs associated with Recovery. Her experiences demonstrate the effectiveness of the hard work required to promote personal transformation and so empowerment. The links and resources she shares relate directly to the critical role of self-knowledge and effective use of tools and resources. The importance of the support from family and friends is clear. Sandra's story is one of wellness and hope." Kathryn Storey; RN, MEd, PhD As someone with bipolar disorder, I related to Sandra's struggles. Her story gave me hope that while it is a lifelong illness, it can also be a manageable illness." Sheryl M. Sandra Steiner has risen above the challenges of multiple mental health hospitalizations to become a successful fitness professional, motivational speaker, mother and advocate living with Bipolar. Embracing herself as a bipolar warrior, Sandra considers herself to be thriving-ish. Never out of the woods, but always walking, or pedaling her bike on a sunny path on the edge of forest.