Some people who experience clinical depression also have periods of euphoria, elation, sleeplessness, excessive energy, and/or excitement known as mania. Bipolar disorder is the result of chemical imbalances in the brain and classic psychotherapy has not been effective for these patients. Nevertheless, many newer approaches are proving to be very helpful. 

• Therapists can educate patients about the disorder and its treatments and help them comply with drug regimens.
• They can monitor the patient's on-going status and intervene early in manic and depressive episodes to reduce the severity of the attack.
• They can help patients adjust to the reality of the illness and to understand the negative consequences of mania. (This is particularly important for patients who avoid treatment because they consider their mania to be positive, creative, and exhilarating.)
• Just as important, therapists can help patients cope with feelings of guilt and remorse that occur in response to their actions during mania.
• Professionals are important in helping patients deal with feelings of imperfection and despair when they acknowledge their illness. These feelings would be difficult enough in a healthy individual, but accompanying depression, which places the patient in danger of suicide, often compounds them.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be very effective in treating bipolar disorder. Typical goals of CBT include learning how to recognize manic episodes before they become full-blown and changing behaviors during an episode, and learning how to endure depression by developing behaviors and thoughts that may help offset the negative mood.