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.

11/20/2025

it's the progress you don't see nor feel that is often the greatest. never lose hope.

11/14/2025

Stigma hurts all of us. When people with mental illness are prevented from living their full potential, their loved ones—and our entire community—are affected. We all lose.

11/12/2025

Psych Ward Greeting Cards – words cannot express the warmth I felt when I opened Cheryl of MA’s big box of beautiful bookmarks. In the psych ward there can be few things that can bring you comfort like books. It’s an escape we all want. Cheryl’s bookmarks add special meaning to reading and comfort. She made about 300 bookmarks in a beautiful assortment of colors and designs for us – enough for all of our hospitals. Why did she do it? In her words: “I came across these bookmarks and immediately thought of you and all the wonderful things you do that helps to bring hope to so many to include myself. I truly enjoy reading myself and just wanted to help spread a little love, warmth and gratitude during this holiday season!!” and Cheryl will be doing just that. A big heartfelt thanks to you.

11/06/2025

Sometimes things start to happen when you've nearly given up. So if you've reached this point don't lose hope recovery can still happen for you.

11/01/2025

A big happy birthday to all the November birthday girls and boys. Wishing this year is your best year yet.

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween Everybody. Stay safe. Thank you to our wonderful card donors Jan of WA and Bipolar Barb of NY.

10/29/2025

HONORED TO BE HONORED. I was deeply humbled to receive NAMI-NYC’s Ending the Silence Award last night. I dedicate this award to those who inspired me when I was living without hope — my peers and the peer specialist community. They showed me that recovery wasn’t just possible, it was probable. They showed me that life was worth fighting for, and that the battle could be won. For me, it all began in the psych ward, during a time when I felt completely hopeless and helpless. Then, unexpectedly, I saw someone living in recovery — a living example that shattered my despair. It took fourteen years to see that example. Until then, all I saw was stigma. I used to cry when I watched the news about violent crimes quietly praying, “Please don’t let them blame it on mental illness.” I still do today. Sadly, many of my peers feel the same way. That’s why I say it loud and proud: I am someone living with serious mental illness — and I am in recovery. I want to inspire others just as I was inspired. I want to be that example, too. To begin my journey of sharing my lived experience, I needed to find a safe place — a place free from stigma, filled with love and compassion. I found that place at NAMI-NYC. I found my voice at NAMI-NYC. I will continue doing my best to pay it forward, because when we do, we save lives. To everyone living with serious mental illness in recovery: share your story. Someone out there desperately needs to hear it. And I’ll be right there with you.

10/23/2025

you deserve it!

10/21/2025

Psych Ward Greeting Cards – Every so often we are surprised with gifts. This one was fabulous!

10/16/2025

the best wins are the small ones. there are so many more of them. they can keep you going day-by-day and i need those so badly sometimes.

10/13/2025

Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians here and my friends and family. Wishing you peace and harmony.

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