Structured group and individual therapy several days a week, useful during a rough stretch or while a new medication plan is finding its footing. You live at home throughout.
What we treat
Bipolar treatment
in Houston
The highs that feel limitless, the lows that flatten everything, and the worry about which is coming next. Bipolar disorder is real, and it is treatable. We help you find steadier ground and the kind of care that holds up over time.
Outpatient care in Montrose, Houston. Most major insurance accepted.
Understanding bipolar disorder
More than ordinary mood swings
Everyone has good days and bad days. Bipolar disorder is different: it brings distinct episodes of elevated mood, called mania or hypomania, and episodes of depression, each lasting days or longer and reaching well beyond the ups and downs of daily life.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 2.8% of U.S. adults have bipolar disorder in a given year, and roughly 4.4% will at some point in their lives. It often first appears in the late teens or twenties, and it responds well to treatment once it is correctly understood.
Bipolar disorder also takes more than one form. Bipolar I involves at least one full manic episode, often alongside depression. Bipolar II involves hypomania, a milder high, together with episodes of depression that can be severe. Cyclothymia brings chronic, lower-grade swings over a long stretch of time. Naming the form matters, because the right treatment depends on it, and bipolar II in particular is often mistaken for depression alone.
What it feels like
Common signs
and symptoms.
Bipolar disorder is defined by the swing between two poles. Most people recognize some of these on each side, along with the unsettling sense of not knowing which is next.
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During a high (mania or hypomania)
Racing thoughts, fast speech, a sharply reduced need for sleep, restless energy, and an outsized sense of confidence. The drive can spill into impulsive spending, risk taking, or decisions that are hard to walk back.
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During a low (depression)
Heavy sadness or emptiness, fatigue, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, trouble concentrating or sleeping, and at times thoughts that life is not worth living.
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The pattern over time
Moods that shift between these poles, sometimes with steadier stretches in between and sometimes blending into one another. The cycle can feel unpredictable, and that unpredictability is itself part of what wears people down.
When to reach out
When it may be time
for more support.
Bipolar disorder exists on a spectrum, and the right level of care changes with it. These are signs it is worth reaching out, and signs it cannot wait.
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The episodes are running your life
Mood swings are disrupting work, school, or relationships, and the steadier stretches between them are getting shorter or harder to find.
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A high is turning risky
Going days with little sleep, spending or acting in ways that put you or your finances at risk, or feeling invincible in a way that worries the people around you.
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A low is getting heavy
Depression that will not lift, hopelessness, or pulling away from the people and routines that usually keep you grounded.
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It is an emergency
A manic episode with a loss of touch with reality, or any thought of harming yourself, needs help right away. Call or text 988 or go to the nearest emergency room. Once you are safe, outpatient care can take over the ongoing work.
Our approach
How we treat
bipolar disorder.
At The Lovett Center, bipolar treatment is built around you and meant to last. Care begins with a careful psychiatric assessment, then we match the medication, the therapy, and the level of structure to what you actually need.
The National Institute of Mental Health describes bipolar disorder as a condition that usually calls for ongoing treatment, most often a combination of medication and psychotherapy. That is the approach we take.
Mood stabilizers and related medications are usually the foundation, so medication management sits at the center of care. Our psychiatrists, including Chad Lemaire, MD, work with you to find a plan, track how it is working, and adjust it as life changes. Alongside it, therapy helps you read the early signs of a shift and protect the routines, especially sleep, that keep moods steadier.
Because bipolar disorder is a long-term condition, we build for the long term: not just getting through an episode, but staying well between them.
- A thorough psychiatric assessment
- A medication plan, monitored and adjusted over time
- Therapy and steady daily routines
- Care for any co-occurring conditions
Treatment options
Where bipolar treatment
can start.
Bipolar disorder is treated successfully on an outpatient basis, with the intensity matched to the moment. More structure during a hard stretch, a steadier pace once things settle. If you are not sure where to begin, we will help you figure it out.
Regular individual sessions and medication management at a steadier pace. For many people with bipolar disorder, this is where long-term stability is maintained.
Our most intensive outpatient level: full days of structured treatment, with the freedom to go home each night. A way to stabilize without an inpatient stay.
How we work
Therapies we use
for bipolar disorder.
Medication leads, and therapy makes it stick. These are the approaches we most often combine for bipolar disorder.
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Medication management
For bipolar disorder, mood stabilizers and related medications are usually the foundation of care. Our psychiatrists find the right plan, monitor how it is working, and adjust over time.
About medication management -
Psychodynamic therapy
Depth-oriented work that helps you understand the patterns beneath the mood cycles and stay connected to care between episodes, the foundation the rest of your treatment builds on.
About psychodynamic therapy -
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Helps you recognize the early signs of a shift in mood and build practical routines, especially around sleep and structure, that keep episodes from gathering momentum.
CBT for bipolar disorder -
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Skills for steadying intense emotion, tolerating distress, and staying grounded when a high or a low starts to pull.
Explore DBT -
Family therapy
Bipolar disorder affects the whole household. Family sessions help the people closest to you understand the condition, spot warning signs early, and support recovery.
Explore family therapy
Common questions
Bipolar disorder treatment,
answered.
Treatment starts with a thorough psychiatric assessment to understand your history and the type of bipolar disorder you are living with. From there we build a plan that usually combines medication management with therapy. Care is delivered on an outpatient basis through our outpatient program, intensive outpatient program, or partial hospitalization program, depending on how much structure you need right now. You live at home throughout.
For most people, medication is the foundation of bipolar treatment. Mood stabilizers and related medications help even out the highs and lows so that therapy and daily life become workable. We pair medication with therapy and steady routines rather than relying on any one piece alone, and our psychiatrists adjust the plan as your needs change.
About medication managementBipolar I involves at least one full manic episode, which can be intense enough to need urgent care, usually alongside periods of depression. Bipolar II involves hypomania, a milder high that does not fully disrupt daily life, together with episodes of depression that can be just as severe. Bipolar II is often mistaken for depression alone, which is one reason a careful assessment matters.
Bipolar disorder is a long-term condition, so there is no cure in the sense of making it disappear. It is, however, very manageable. With the right medication plan, therapy, and support, many people with bipolar disorder lead full, stable lives. The work is ongoing, and we stay with you for the long haul rather than just the first few weeks.
In many cases, yes. The Lovett Center is in network with major insurers including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, Magellan, and TriWest, and we also work with out-of-network benefits and self-pay. Coverage varies by plan, so the surest way to know is to verify your benefits with us.
Verify your insuranceThey can be, and it often helps. Bipolar disorder affects the whole household, and the people closest to you are often the first to notice a shift in mood. Family therapy helps loved ones understand the condition, learn the early warning signs, and create a home that supports staying well.
Explore family therapyYou are not alone
Steadier ground is
within reach.
What you are feeling has a name, and it has a way through.
When you are ready, a real person at The Lovett Center will listen and help you find the next step. No pressure, no commitment, just a conversation.
Every conversation is confidential. In a crisis, call or text 988 any time to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.