Michael Schneider Speaks
My Journey From Struggle to Purpose
Organizations book me because ownership changes behavior - not just understanding.
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My work as a speaker helps professional audiences move past insight alone and into consistent, responsible action when supporting individuals living with bipolar disorder. I focus on the point where recovery most often breaks down - and on the shift that allows it to hold.
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That shift is ownership.
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Ownership works because it changes behavior - not just understanding.
Why This Perspective Works
In my own experience living with bipolar disorder, I learned firsthand that insight, education, and even motivation are not enough to produce stability under pressure. Progress only became durable when ownership replaced explanation - when responsibility for decisions, routines, and boundaries became explicit.
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That lesson now forms the foundation of my speaking work. Ownership is not about blame or shame. It is about clarity, follow-through, and behavior that holds up when stress is high and support systems are stretched.
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This is the lens I bring to professional audiences because it reflects what clinicians, care teams, and families actually see - and what they need language for.
What My Experience Allows Me to Do for Your Audience
Because I have lived both before and after ownership, I am able to speak credibly about:
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Why insight often fails during periods of instability
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Where responsibility quietly erodes progress
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How overfunctioning and rescue undermine recovery
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What changes when ownership becomes explicit
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Why boundaries reduce burnout and improve outcomes
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Audiences leave with clearer expectations, stronger boundaries, and a shared language that reduces crisis-driven conversations and increases follow-through.
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After these talks, teams spend less time managing breakdowns and more time supporting consistent, owned behavior.
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This approach is frequently requested by clinical teams, conferences, and professional organizations because it produces relief - not disruption.
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This approach is frequently requested by clinical teams and professional organizations seeking better follow-through and reduced burnout.
How I Work as a Speaker
I approach speaking with the same responsibility I advocate.
My talks are:
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Educational and non-clinical
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Structured and audience-aware
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Grounded in real-world application
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Designed to reduce burnout, not add emotional burden
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I respect professional boundaries, organizational context, and the seriousness of the work my audiences do. The goal is not inspiration for its own sake, but practical clarity that supports recovery and protects the people providing care.
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From Experience to Expertise
My lived experience is not the focus of my talks - it is the qualification behind them.
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Ownership is the framework I bring to professional audiences because it is the lever that turns support into stability, insight into behavior, and good intentions into outcomes that last.
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This is why the work resonates - and why it works.
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The Veil
I am the author of The Veil, a candid account of living with bipolar disorder. The book is often referenced in my talks as context for understanding the internal experience of the illness - without romanticizing it or minimizing risk.
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Rather than a story of triumph, The Veil reinforces the same principle at the center of my speaking work: recovery begins when ownership replaces avoidance.
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Let’s Confirm Availability
If you’re already considering this work, the next step is simple.
Speaking at an event
My Journey
Key Milestones
The Diagnosis
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 18, after a senior year in deep depression and a summer of constant conflict.
From Valedictorian to Inmate
Went from top of my class to incarceration in just 3 months. Spent 3 days wandering Stanford campus before being involuntarily hospitalized.
The Struggle
Spent my late teens and twenties in and out of hospitals and jail. Kicked out of Stanford four times.
The Turning Point
After experiencing homelessness, found support through the 12 steps of AA. Stopped blaming others and took ownership of my illness.
Recovery Begins
The moment I assumed accountability was when I stopped having episodes. A new chapter began.
25 Years Episode-Free
Stanford graduate, successful tech career with multiple exits, happy family in San Francisco. Living proof that recovery is possible.
What I Stand For
Core Values
Authenticity
I share my real story, including the messy parts. Vulnerability is the foundation of genuine connection.
Accountability
Taking ownership of my illness was the turning point. I help others find that same power in accountability.
Hope
25 years without an episode proves transformation is possible. Your story isn't over.
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Service
I'm committed to giving back the hard-fought lessons I've learned with bipolar disorder.
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