Battles of a Bipolar Buddhist, is an independently published Buncombe County-wide memoir contest winner that reads like a compelling novel. As a child, Kitty Richards struggled alone with the frightening aspects of mental illness. Writer, healer, activist, poet, musician and composer, Kitty reveals her journey to survive atrocities in psychiatric facilities as she speaks out for the voiceless in a mental health system where people are still enduring such abuses.

Amidst confusion and demoralization, Kitty discovers a spiritual truth that guides her during her battles to triumph, not just for herself, but also for the woman to whom she owes the greatest debt. Lastly, in its epilogue, Battles discusses different perspectives on mental health challenges, including that of the Icarus Project (which sees these as dangerous gifts to be cultivated and cared for) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (which emphasizes recovery). Included are approaches to healing and wellness through alternative therapeutic practices and ways of combating personal shame, stigma and abuse.