At 60, my father was diagnosed with clinical depression and later as having bipolar disorder. When this happened I moved in with my parents to help them navigate through the health care system, and do what I could to help. It felt natural to have my camera and continue to photograph as usual, sometimes if only to create a temporary shield.
Later when I shared these pictures, I felt a strong response and connection from people who had gone through similar situations with their loved ones, and a shared frustration of the stigma of having a "mental" illness, as well as the difficulties of the health care system and finding helpful treatments. My parents were very generous sharing their story for this ongoing project and I will always be grateful.
