My #BeReal guest today is Kitt O’Malley.

Kitt is full of surprises and I have had the honor of seeing her lovely face on twitter quite often.  She is a supportive member of the mental health community online and I am super glad she is participating in this series.

Thank you for sharing your real with us Kitt.

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Q: Who am I really?

A: On my About Me & This Blog page, I describe myself as a minivan-driving wife and mother, who unlike most of my suburban neighbors, lives with bipolar disorder. My struggle with mental illness has given me a sense of purpose. What is that purpose? I find out daily as it unfolds. For now, I blog, keep active on social media, share mental health resources with others, and dip my toe into volunteer work. Honestly, though, I’m a diva who belongs on stage preaching her message.

1) What does it mean to you to be real?

Honest with myself and others, most importantly with my loved ones. Not raw, but open.

2) What do you think most people think about you by just seeing your picture?

Left-hand image: middle-aged, fat, plain, sex-less. Right-hand image: white privileged bitch.

3) What would people be most surprised to learn about you?

I’ve rafted white water and jumped out of a plane. I love to dance. I made my wedding dress. I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years as a young girl.

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BIO

Kitt O’Malley is a mother and wife who lives with bipolar disorder and blogs at kittomalley.com

Kitt has a California license as a Marriage and Family Therapist, but hasn’t practiced psychotherapy in over 20 years. For a decade after falling apart at 30 years old, she worked in commercial real estate. Trying to juggle work, mothering, and bipolar disorder, she ended up spending two weeks at Laguna Beach’s finest psychiatric facility. Her room even had a view of the ocean. Ever since that hospital stay and months of partial hospitalization, she has been, in effect, a stay-at-home mom coping the best she can as she continues her journey of mental health recovery.

BRAGGING RIGHTS

Kitt has a bachelors in legal studies from UC Berkeley, a masters in psychology from New College of California, and has attended Fuller Theological Seminary. Her career path has included working as a legal assistant, psychotherapist, and commercial real estate professional. Obviously, she can’t stick to one thing for very long.

SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCES

http://kittomalley.com

http://twitter.com/@KittOMalley

http://www.facebook.com/kitt.omalley.public

http://plus.google.com/+KittomalleyMentalHealth

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kittomalley

http://kittomalley.tumblr.com

http://instagram.com/kittomalley

http://www.youtube.com/user/kittomalley

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If you like the idea of the #BeReal campaign, and want to share your views on it, please link up with us. You can help make this a bigger, brighter movement than it already is.

All opinions welcome – it’s about being real, after all!

To help spread the message, read and share one another’s posts.

And remember – be YOU! #BeReal.

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