ForLikeMinds

My name is Katherine Ponte. I am happily living in recovery from severe bipolar disorder. It was inspired by the experiences of Katherine Ponte.

I am passionate about helping caregivers and their loved ones reach mental illness recovery. ForLikeMinds is a free online peer support community for people living with or supporting someone with mental illness to share hope and inspire recovery. Katherine, BA, JD, MBA, CPRP is the founder of ForLikeMinds, BipolarThriving: Bipolar Recovery Coaching, and Psych Ward Greeting Cards and a lawyer. She is also an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. Katherine has been living with severe bipolar I with psychosis and extended periods of suicidal depression for 20 years. She is the author ForLikeMinds: Mental Illness Recovery Insights, Your Mental Health Recovery Workbook: A Workbook to Share Hope and co-author of Loving Someone with a Serious Mental Illness and a contributor to the NAMI Blog and Psychology Today Blog. She is on the Board of NAMI-NYC and a member of Fountain House. Her life’s mission is to share her hope and inspire others to believe that mental illness recovery is possible and help them reach it. A native of Toronto, Canada, Katherine calls New York City and the Catskills home. See more:
katherineponte.com
ForLikeMinds.com
BipolarThriving.com
psychwardgreetingcards.org

This page is dedicated to the memory of my beloved Frenchie, Max who was with me during the initial years of my recovery, which are the hardest. She will always be with me, in my heart.

01/16/2026

Making a medication decision is rarely simple. It’s about thoughtfully weighing the risks and the benefits. We often focus on the cons - side effects and the trial and error often required to find the right dosage. And we should. But we need to remember the pros as well - which is what it’s all for in the end. Relief, stability, clarity, and the ability to show up for your life are meaningful outcomes. You deserve informed choices, compassionate support, and hope at every step.

01/13/2026

Let this be your reminder. Hope is the best way to start the new year. Thank you to Joanne of WI for these beautiful reminders.

01/09/2026

When we fight changes we can’t control, we often end up fighting ourselves. That battle leaves us drained, angry, and defeated. Acceptance doesn’t mean surrender—it means minimizing what holds us back and embracing what makes us stronger. It’s incredibly hard, but we keep going and hope for the best.

01/08/2026

Happy Birthday and Belated Happy Birthday to all the January birthday ladies and gents. Wishing this year is your best year ever.

01/01/2026

A New Year isn’t a fresh start. It can be better. It can build on what we have done and learned - from prior successes and challenges. A New Year offers new opportunity and fresh possibility. One year ending and a new one starting is a time to recognize this change, I will make 2026 a time for a better me - more self-care, patience, self-confidence and hope. I hope your better you shines in 2026 too. Thank you so much for being part of this community.

12/31/2025

Thinking about you. You are not alone. You will never be alone.

12/24/2025

Dear friends: HO, HO, HO! I hope, hope, hope you are feeling holiday cheer. And if you’re not that’s ok and it’s okay to share with others too. I know it can be hard this time of year, particularly when we face mental health challenges, but there is good reason to hope. This community can help gives us happiness and health. These are the greatest gifts to receive and to give. And these are the times to appreciate the gifts we have every day in each other. Thank you for enriching my life. My wish is that you share in these gifts everyday as well.

12/19/2025

My thanks…Psych Ward Greeting Cards – I’ve been a busy little elf putting together eight holiday packages (with the invaluable help of my fellow elf, my spouse Izzy) to help unite those of us on the outside with those on the inside who need us more than ever. I also had the pleasure of visiting 4 hospitals this week to meet well over one hundred patients directly. It’s a lot of work, but I honestly can’t think of a better way to spend my time. None of this would be possible without our kind and generous card donors—always inspired by our brave, courageous, strong, and resilient peers—and our wonderful hospital partners… and maybe a little bit of me, too.

12/15/2025

Happy Hanukkah from our wonderful card donors: Janis of WA, Fiber Design Group of NY and Michael of NY and our community to all those who celebrate.

12/11/2025

It's not enough to wish and to hope to get better you have to work at it. Get the best treatment possible, take care of your physical health, accept help, be a part of a community of friends and family. It's not easy, but where it leads you to may be better than where you're at now.

12/04/2025

Always a necessary reminder especially during the holiday season. You are not alone. You will never be alone

12/01/2025

A big happy birthday to all the December boys and gals. Wishing you this is your best one yet.

Address

New York, NY

Website

https://www.katherineponte.com/

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Our Story

ForLikeMinds.com is the first online peer support community dedicated to people living with or supporting someone with mental illness, substance use, or a stressful life event. It allows members to anonymously connect and communicate one-on-one and in groups based on shared conditions, events, and a broad range of demographic attributes. Members may also create open or password protected groups. This person-driven approach facilitates more relevant and relatable connections. Members in similar circumstances share their lived experience to rekindle hope, inspire, and inform each other’s recovery journeys. The recovery journey starts with hope and is nourished by the support of like minds sharing their lived experience.

ForLikeMinds - Our Work

Bipolar Thriving (www.bipolarthriving.com) - helping families and their loved ones reach recovery together through mentoring and coaching based on lived experience. We have Lived Experience Expertise in Bipolar I and II, Psychosis, Depression and Major Depressive Disorder.

Bipolar Thriving - Testimonials