Overview:
Not all bipolar presentations look like bipolar. Many clients show up with depression that doesn’t respond to antidepressants, mood instability that doesn’t fit neatly into a diagnosis, and no clear history of mania. These are the clients who get stuck — cycling through treatments that don’t work because the underlying bipolarity was never identified.
This 6-hour training gives you the clinical tools to recognize bipolar spectrum presentations, even when mania never shows. Learn how to use brief screening tools to identify possible bipolarity, navigate diagnostic uncertainty with confidence, and explain complex mood patterns to clients in a way that builds insight and trust. Understand the critical role of sleep in bipolar conditions and gain practical skills in bipolar-specific psychotherapy and medication management across the mood spectrum. You’ll also learn how to support clients through antidepressant tapering when appropriate and explore emerging research on low-dose lithium for cognitive decline prevention.
Designed for licensed mental health professionals who work with depression and mood instability and want to stop missing bipolar spectrum presentations.
Objectives:
- Use a brief screening questionnaire to identify possible bipolarity in clients presenting with mood concerns.
- Explain to clients how depression can be bipolar without the presence of mania.
- Navigate bipolar-related diagnostic challenges and manage clinical uncertainty with confidence.
- Deliver at least one bipolar-specific psychotherapy intervention.
- Describe how bipolar medications are used across the mood spectrum.
- Support clients in understanding options for tapering antidepressants when clinically warranted.
- Discuss emerging research on low-dose lithium and its potential role in preventing cognitive decline.
Scope and Limitations Disclosure
This training provides clinical education in bipolar spectrum diagnosis, mood dysregulation assessment, and evidence-informed approaches to bipolar-specific psychotherapy and medication management. While designed to enhance participants’ clinical knowledge and diagnostic skills across mood presentations, it does not substitute for supervision, psychiatric consultation, or specialty training when working with complex or high-risk mood disorder presentations. Medication-related content, including antidepressant tapering and lithium use, is intended for psychoeducational purposes and does not replace the clinical judgment of a licensed prescriber. Participants are responsible for applying all material within their scope of practice, licensing regulations, and professional ethical standards. Completion does not confer independent certification or advanced credential beyond any certificate of completion issued by the sponsoring continuing education provider.
Commercial Support Disclosure
Dr. James Phelps has authored published books on bipolar spectrum diagnosis and treatment, developed educational websites including DepressionEducation.org, and maintains a YouTube channel on mood disorders that may be referenced during this course. No purchase of these or any additional materials is required to complete this training or receive continuing education credit. Outside of this disclosure, Dr. Phelps has no other relevant financial relationships to disclose, and this training has received no commercial support from any external organization or entity.
Course materials are only available to enrolled students.
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Jim Phelps, MD
Dr. Phelps focused his psychiatric practice on complex mood disorders for over 20 years. His first website about the spectrum of bipolar disorders in 1999 led to books for patients, families, and professionals. As a self described “closet academic”, he has been lead author of over 20 peer-reviewed articles, and served on International Society for Bipolar Disorders’ Task Forces regarding Bipolar Diagnosis and Chronotherapy. In semi-retirement, he has turned his books and articles into 50 short YouTube videos, written a new patient education website, and is working with a bipolar “Learning Health Network” of academic and clinical centers around the U.S. He appears in BrainStormTheFilm, a documentary about bipolar disorders for public television.
National Approvals
eCare BHI, as the accredited and approved sponsor, maintains responsibility for all the programs and must abide by each board’s continuing education guidelines.
Professional Counselors — The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute has been approved by NBCC as an approved Continuing Education Provider. ACEP No. 6703. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Addiction Professionals — NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute is officially on file with NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) as an Approved Education Provider. They are formally known as NAADAC Provider #139138. Please note that E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Social Workers — Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute, #1706, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 06-03-2026 – 06-03-2029
CE Broker
CE Broker is a continuing education tracking system in which licensees track their compliance and report their completed CE hours credit (CE Broker Tracking #50-33336)
Notice: We are currently experiencing a technical issue with CE Broker that will cause a delay in reporting CE credits for Ohio-Licensed Social Workers (OH CSWMFT). We are actively working to resolve this and will notify you once credits reporting is available
State Approvals
States that Accept ASWB-ACE Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois |
| Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
| Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio |
| Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee |
| Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | ||||||
States that Accepts NBCC Approved Courses: | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Indiana |
| Iowa | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Missouri | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New Mexico | Ohio | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota |
| Tennessee | Texas | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | |
Notes:
- Nevada CPC’s and MFT’s accept ASWB-approved training
- North Dakota Board Of Counselor Examiners LAPC and LAPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council LPC and LPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Utah Division of Professional Licensing – CMHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Washington State Department of Mental Health MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Wisconsin Council on Mental Health LPCS accepts ASWB-approved training
States that Accept NAADAC Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | Delaware | Hawaii | Indiana |
| Kentucky | Maine | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Montana | Nevada | New Jersey |
| New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Oregon | Rhode Island | Tennessee |
| Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
States that Accept APA Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Delaware | District Of Columbia |
| Florida | Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas |
| Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri |
| Montana | Nebraska | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | Tennessee | Utah | Vermont | Virginia |
| Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | |||
Note: Please note that Individual Board Rules are subject to potential changes. The approval and acceptance details we furnish are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of documentation.
Should you have any inquiries or uncertainties not addressed by the provided information, it’s advisable to consult your State Regulatory Board. Ultimately, the decision of whether your license renewal credit hours are accepted or denied rests with you.
Georgia Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (ADACBGA) #19-12-17-1212.
Florida Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Florida Certification Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (FCB) #5387-A.
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling: The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
Oklahoma Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (OBLADC) #20220136.
Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure: E Care BHI is an approved CE provider for LPC & LMFT
Ohio Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (OCDP)#50-29024
The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
Note: We are currently experiencing a technical issue with CE Broker that will cause a delay in reporting CE credits for Ohio-Licensed Social Workers (OH CSWMFT). We are actively working to resolve this and will notify you once credits reporting is available.
VA Mental Health Employee: E Care BHI VA COMMERCIAL VENDOR # 81-3353387-01
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP): E Care BHI is recognized by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) Provider Number OS-22-344-0526
Connecticut Certification Board CCB Approved): E Care BHI is recognized & approved by the Connecticut Certification Board.
Texas Certification Board (TCB): E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Texas Certification Board as an approved education provider. Number 2041-19
South Carolina E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board as an approved education provider Provider #4628
New York (MHC) E Care Behavioral Health is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0277
New York (SW) E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0745 LA-ADRA – E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by Louisiana The Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority as an approved educational provider AEP #E122



