Our Story
Welcome! I’m Joni and I help people with mood disorders live more joyful and stable lives. I have an amazingly supportive husband, David and we have 3 kitties, Cookie Monster, Tough Guy, and River Song. My hobbies include learning new things, making lists, and watching Doctor Who. My big dreams include giving a TED Talk and running the Boston Marathon one day.
For over 20 years, I have struggled to maintain stable moods. In my mid-twenties, after dealing with recurrent depression since my childhood, I was finally diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Because of my disorder, I’ve struggled to hold a job for more than 3 years at a time, and even spent 4 years on disability. In my search for emotional wellness, I’ve tried everything from Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), to genetic testing to find the best medications for me. Finally, after spending 6+ months in bed with depression for the last time, I knew I had to try something different. With the help of my psychiatrist, I checked myself into a holistic treatment center, that focused on the whole person, not just the medication aspect of things.
While at this treatment center, I began to truly internalize the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that I had studied years earlier and began learning about Positive Psychology. I adapted the mood chart back in 2012, to track my moods, medications, etc. Being a former teacher, I like to see connections in data, such as how sleep affects my moods. I tried tracking everything I learned at the treatment center, but could not find a planner that would let me accomplish that. That is when I created the Ganbatte Planner.
"Since using my Ganbatte Planner, I felt more at ease. I had a better idea of my everyday habits and mood swings, and was able to feel more confident going into social situations. My favorite part of Ganbatte was writing down “Todays’ Wins”. It made me focus more on the things I had accomplished than things to be anxious or ‘down’ about. I think that this is probably the best planner for people trying to make a significant change in their life."
— Sarah P.
Even though I created the Ganbatte Planner for my personal use, the more I used it, the more I saw how easy the specialized planner made it for me to keep my moods stable and catch myself when things start to go amiss. It quickly became clear that I was onto something; something that can help others like me who need a way to cross-reference which meds, habits, and behaviors affect their mood.
I Love my Ganblatte Planner and know that you will, too. It is truly life-changing.