Eryn Harnesses Creativity and Passion (Bipolar)

When schools are made better for neurodivergent individuals, they become better for everyone. This series profiles current international school leaders who identify as neurodivergent — including those with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, bipolar disorder, and hypersensitivity. We explore how their neurodivergence has influenced their leadership: the unique strengths it brings, the challenges they’ve navigated, and what schools can do differently to ensure these leaders are supported and empowered. For several of those featured, this marks the first time they’ve spoken publicly about their neurodivergence — a courageous step in a world where stigma still lingers, and a meaningful one in helping all school communities move toward greater inclusion and understanding.

Eryn Sherman, a committed curriculum leader in an international school in Europe, learned about her bipolar diagnosis while in her first year at university, as she worked through deep emotions following the deaths of her father and a very close friend. With the support of her mother and a skilled therapist, Eryn took up the challenge of understanding herself and how bipolar impacts her life. The presumptive diagnosis came quickly - during her first counseling session - followed by a full year of work to fine-tune her mental and emotional balance. In the 17 years since, Eryn has continued leveraging aspects of her neurodiversity to stand out as a valued educator and leader at a series of international schools.

But is bipolar disorder, officially classed as a mental illness, a form of neurodiversity? In one word, yes. Multiple credible organizations, including those formed specifically around neurodiversity or bipolar disorder, support this idea. And it makes sense: bipolar brains work differently than neurotypical brains. The diagnostic hallmarks of bipolar disorder include extreme moods, from manic (animated, impulse-driven, ambitious) to depressive (low moods and low energy). It is these moods which Eryn had to learn to master, and it is within those moods that Eryn finds the particular skills and attributes which make her so skilled at designing curriculum and instructional experiences.

From the very beginning of her career in education, Eryn recognized the importance of building and managing relationships. She wanted the loving support of good friends to stand by her in life, and she recognized the role that strong relationships play within schools, as teams grapple with difficult scenarios and deep questions. Simultaneously, she recognized that some of her attempts to connect, filtered through her bipolar tendencies, were clumsy and poorly received. Eryn successfully recalibrated her skills, mainly by slowing down in her approaches, and as a bonus discovered the deep value of leveraging feedback. To this day, Eryn remains committed to actively seeking, considering and applying insights from feedback given by those she values. She maintains a stable of trusted mentors and coaches, and seeks their counsel regularly. As a leader in international schools, this combination of relationships, openness to feedback and introspection serves Eryn well in both personal growth and in meeting the needs of her school. More than most educators, Eryn always has an extra set of eyes ready to offer valuable insights that move an idea from good to great, ensuring her curriculum designs are elegant and unique.

Eryn’s favorite aspects of her personal bipolar constellation are passion and creativity; these stars shine brightly as she works with teams and designs instruction to meet students’ complex and changing needs. People with unmanaged bipolar disorder often stand out for passion and creativity, but generally without the impetus to follow through on their grand ideas. Eryn is the opposite, cherry-picking these valuable attributes and putting them to work, deliberately, step-by-step. She sees many possibilities where others may see only a single solution. She roots herself in realism to hone those possibilities into sharp ideas. As one example, Eryn is adept at working with teams to develop simultaneous instructional units for younger learners. Working with disparate concepts such as poetry and physical forces, she envisions complementary learning activities and assessments to replace traditional single-focus units. The synergy she designs brings tangible benefits, making learning deeper and more interesting for both students and teachers. For Eryn, this work is fun.

Eryn still finds that some aspects of bipolar can be challenging, and she is active about applying solutions. At times, she finds that she “comes in hot,” with more speed and energy than others are ready to match. She gets ahead of this by being honest with her colleagues that this sometimes happens, and letting them know they have the right to ask for a pause as needed. She also leaves physical reminders for herself - notes - to delay answering emails when her brain is at high speed. Eryn’s awareness of her own differing levels of energy has also made her very aware of others’ varying levels, which is why she starts almost every meeting by bringing the team together with strategies that invite everyone to be at a similar level.

As Eryn says, at her current school, “I have a space.” Her school is respectful and open about mental health, and she feels supported. Colleagues know about her neurosignature; they work together to meet everyone’s needs. For Eryn, this includes making sure that her colleagues know that they have permission to say when she is being “too much”, and that they can ask questions. Eryn says it is her responsibility to be clear in her communications about her needs, and it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that the school’s non-negotiables are met. Everyone’s job requires them to get certain things done, and Eryn is ready to manage her bipolar so that requirements are taken care of, rather than expecting anyone to move around those requirements to suit her (or anyone else).

How can schools support bipolar leaders? First, recognize the tremendous strengths they bring, chiefly in areas around creativity and passion, though often also in empathy – all attributes that, when managed effectively, can help leaders and schools truly thrive. Second, let go of the hard stigma that people with bipolar are imbalanced or unsafe. You probably already know multiple people with bipolar disorder - both personally and through the media. Many people with bipolar manage the condition very well and might never exhibit any behavior to draw attention to the condition. With your colleagues who are open about their diagnosis, recognize that what you see is actually the skilled application of coping strategies, rather than the absence of challenge. Allow your colleagues room for a little ebb and flow, extending the same grace for any mismatched energy that you would like for your own occasional foibles. Doing so will allow everyone the opportunity to put feedback, creativity and passion to deliberate, productive, amazing use!