America Tonight with Kate Delaney: Dr. Linsey Willis, “Be There: My Lived Experience with My Sister’s Bipolar Disorder”
by ReadersMagnet | October 15, 2025 | radio interview | 0 Comments
A Powerful Conversation on Love, Mental Health, and Resilience
When Kate Delaney welcomed Dr. Linsey Willis to America Tonight, she called Willis’ memoir Be There: My Lived Experience with My Sister’s Bipolar Disorder “a very powerful book you need to hear about, get, and share.”
The interview quickly became more than a book discussion. It was a heartfelt exchange on love, resilience, and mental illness. Willis’s memoir, interwoven with her sister Betsy’s story, offers an honest yet tender reflection on family, compassion, and the enduring impact of bipolar disorder.
A Story Rooted in Family
Betsy, diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her early twenties, exhibited behaviors that Willis recalls vividly. “We always knew that she demonstrated kind of bizarre behavior, like bringing books to the beach, changing clothes all the time, just being manic, manic, manic, going, going, going.” Yet behind the energy was pain—Betsy self-medicated with drugs and battled through cycles of mania and depression.
The diagnosis gave the family a name for what they were experiencing, but it didn’t ease the weight of stigma. “At the time, people didn’t talk about it,” Willis explained. “My parents hid it in a closet until 1988.” That secrecy is something many families of mentally ill loved ones will find strikingly relatable, as silence often compounds the isolation.
Choosing Love Over Abandonment
One of the most moving parts of the interview was Willis’s candid reflection on the complexity of loving Betsy. “She was very abusive and mean to me when I was growing up,” she admitted. “And people say, how could you have taken care of her for so many years? Because you forgive. You love somebody. You’re not gonna just dump them, throw them on a heap of garbage.”
This theme – choosing compassion despite hardship – is at the heart of Be There. Willis made it clear that her book is as much about coping and caregiving as it is about her sister’s struggle. Her words serve as a reminder that supporting a loved one with mental illness is often a lifelong act of resilience.
The Four C’s: A Framework for Care
Willis highlighted what she calls “the four C’s” in her book, a powerful takeaway for readers and listeners alike:
- You cannot cure it.
- You didn’t cause it.
- You cannot control it.
- But you must cope with it.
Adding that fourth “C” was her way of offering hope to families who feel helpless. “To have nothing to do with a person unless they’ve threatened your life – that’s one thing. But to discard that person is very cruel.” This framework will resonate with caregivers who are searching for both clarity and comfort in their roles.
Betsy’s Voice Lives On
What sets Be There apart from many memoirs is its inclusion of Betsy’s writings. Willis’ preserved letters that her sister wrote throughout her life – sometimes poetic, sometimes heartbreaking – that bring readers directly into Betsy’s world. “The letters validate part of what I’m writing,” Willis explained. “So people could read the book, and they say, Oh, this person could be making this up. No. Here’s a letter she wrote me.”
These letters, combined with family photographs and even archival material tracing a genetic link, deepen the authenticity of the memoir. They also allow readers to see Betsy not only through her sister’s eyes but through her own words.
Coping and Healing
Dr. Willis was candid about the toll her sister’s illness took on her own life. She turned to marathon running and triathlons as a way to release stress and restore balance. “Running is like a drug,” she said. “It can mellow you out a little bit.” Her honesty about self-care adds another layer of relatability, reminding readers that caregivers also need healing practices of their own.
She hopes that readers walk away with empathy and a renewed sense of compassion: “If I can help out in the community center, assisted living facility, maybe I will. Or maybe I can help a friend who I think has problems. And if you’re a family member, you can take away ideas on how to cope with it and heal yourself.”
A Mission Beyond the Memoir
Perhaps the most inspiring part of the interview was Willis’s vision for using her book as a catalyst for change. Through book signings, wine-tasting fundraisers, and partnerships, she is channeling proceeds toward mental health organizations. “The more money I raise from these events, as well as book sales, that money will go into the foundation… and I want it to go worldwide.”
Her commitment echoes the book’s title: to “Be There” – for her sister, for other families, and for those living with mental illness who too often go unseen.
Final Reflections
Dr. Linsey Willis’ interview with Kate Delaney was more than a promotion for her memoir – it was a call for understanding, empathy, and action. By weaving Betsy’s letters with her reflections, Willis has created a book that not only tells a deeply personal story but also gives a voice to countless families facing similar struggles. Get a copy of the book online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit https://betherebook.com/ to learn more about Dr. Linsey Willis and her work. Listen to her full radio interview with Kate Delaney on ReadersMagnet’s official YouTube channel.
