Giving Voice to Depression: Real Stories & Expert Support for Depression and Mental Health

Many people living with depression carry hidden wounds from their past. In this powerful episode, Renee shares her deeply personal journey of surviving childhood sexual abuse, struggling with depression, and ultimately finding hope and healing. Through years of trial and error with therapists, medications, and risky behaviors, Renee discovered that the key to her recovery wasn’t just treating depr...

Staying productive at work while living with depression or anxiety can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , we continue our conversation with writer Sarah Fielding , author of Nine Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work When You’re Struggling Mentally (Healthline). Sarah shares practical tools and mindset shifts that can help you: Build momentum on hard days Reset your ene...

Motivation can feel impossible when you’re living with depression or burnout. In this practical and compassionate episode, New York-based writer Sarah Fielding shares nine realistic strategies for getting things done—even on the tough days. From creating manageable to-do lists to changing your environment or checking in with yourself, Sarah and the hosts explore flexible, doable ways to honor your...

How do you cope with depression and anxiety when life feels unbearable? Season 8 of Giving Voice to Depression brings together powerful stories of resilience, creativity, and healing. In this season recap, Bridget and Terry revisit conversations with guests who shared openly about suicide prevention, stigma, and the different ways people navigate their mental health journey. Highlights include: A...

What happens when someone in the public eye chooses to open up about their depression? In this special Ripple Report, Milwaukee news anchor Ted Perry shares his deeply personal journey with depression—how he first resisted therapy, the impact of his father’s illness and death, and what finally helped him find healing. Ted reflects on the stigma that kept him silent for years, the regret of lost re...

Season 10 was filled with powerful stories of resilience, survival, and hope. In this special review episode , Bridget and Terry revisit highlights from the past ten episodes — sharing the voices and experiences of people living with depression, battling stigma, and finding their way toward recovery. Whether you’re new to the podcast or looking to catch up, this is the perfect place to hear the be...

What happens when someone survives a suicide attempt and chooses to share their story out loud? In this powerful episode, Jeannine Rivers opens up about her experience with depression, bipolar disorder, and a suicide attempt that nearly ended her life at 19. She reflects on the voices—both dark and life-saving—that shaped her choice to keep living, and the gratitude she feels today for surviving....

In honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month , Jeannine Rivers shares her powerful journey of living with depression since childhood, battling toxic voices, and finding strength through faith, self-love, and music. In this candid conversation, Jeannine reflects on growing up in a restrictive religious environment, enduring verbal abuse, and discovering her gift of music. She opens up about how a...

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , Stacey shares her story of living with chronic pain and major depressive disorder —a difficult combination that millions face every day. She opens up about how years of fibromyalgia, depression, and exhaustion left her struggling to keep going, until therapy helped her reframe her life with mindfulness, acceptance, and self-compassion . We explore ho...

When Oregon high school students successfully fought for the right to take mental health days just like sick days, it sent a powerful message: depression and anxiety deserve to be taken seriously in schools. In this episode, Derek, one of the teens behind the new law, shares how burnout, anxiety, and depression motivated his advocacy. Then, Carly — a social worker and former student who used menta...

When someone you love is struggling with depression, it’s natural to want to help—but knowing how to help can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , Elliot vulnerably shares the questions he wishes he’d asked years earlier while navigating his partner’s depression. With insights from clinical social worker Mike Stens, we explore: Early warning signs of depression in a l...

In this episode, Duff the Psych and Terry explore how constant exposure to negative news stories affects our mental and emotional health. They discuss the balance between staying informed and protecting your well-being, the different ways news can impact people with heightened empathy or existing mental health conditions, and strategies to set healthy boundaries around media consumption. Listeners...

Grief and depression can look remarkably similar — sadness, fatigue, loss of motivation, changes in sleep — but they are not the same. In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , Jennifer Bartolotta shares her deeply personal story of losing her husband, renowned restaurateur Joe Bartolotta, and how she learned to distinguish between normal grief and clinical depression. Jennifer discusses how...

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , Jennifer shares her powerful journey living with treatment-resistant depression —an illness that has followed her since childhood. Despite trying nearly every class of antidepressants, she continues to fight for relief while also offering support to students in her role at a high school counselor’s office. Jennifer speaks candidly about the impact of...

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , John shares what it’s like to live with untreated depression for decades , held back by stigma, fear of judgment, and the belief that asking for help was a sign of weakness. He describes depression as “an attack in your own voice” —a relentless inner monologue that erases self-worth and fuels despair. His story illustrates how stigma not only delays...

What does it mean to survive bipolar depression—and even find hope in it? In this moving episode of Giving Voice to Depression , poet and mental health advocate Kristen Roedl shares her lived experience with bipolar II disorder and recurring severe depression. She describes how depression has taken her to the edge of survival, yet also pushed her toward creativity, empathy, and resilience . Throug...

In this powerful episode, Philip Roundtree, a therapist, powerlifter, and mental health advocate, shares what it’s really like to live with depression as a Black man. From confronting daily suicidal thoughts to challenging stigma in the Black community, Philip’s story shines a light on survival, faith, therapy, and the importance of support systems. If you’ve ever wondered how to help someone with...

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , we talk about how to recognize when depression is getting worse — and what you can do to act before it becomes a crisis. Guest Corinne shares her personal journey through depression during pregnancy, including a pivotal moment when calling a suicide prevention hotline saved her life. She introduces the mental health scale , a simple but powerful tool...

What happens when you stop whispering about depression and start living out loud? In this episode, Sarah , a 28-year-old actress, trainer, and teaching artist, shares her raw and unfiltered journey with depression, suicidal ideation, and recovery. She talks about moving from shame to authenticity—being “loud and proud” about her mental health struggles—and why honesty matters in breaking stigma. S...

How do you cope with depression and anxiety — and how can we better prevent suicide among teens, students, and adults? Season 9 of Giving Voice to Depression explored critical topics like why teens don’t share suicidal thoughts with parents, how schools can create safe spaces for mental health, and why even NFL legends and doctors struggle with depression. In this recap, Bridget and Terry revisit...

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression , we spotlight the Crisis Text Line —a free, 24/7 support service available by text message. For many, especially younger people or those unable to make a phone call, texting provides a private and immediate way to reach out in moments of crisis. Guest Ashley Womble , Head of Communications at Crisis Text Line, explains how the service works, who uses...

What happens when a doctor becomes the patient — and faces treatment-resistant depression? In this powerful episode, trauma surgeon Dr. Michael Weinstein shares his deeply personal battle with depression that no medication or therapy seemed to touch. Diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression , Michael reached the point of hospitalization and was recommended electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) — a...

Doctors save lives — but who saves doctors when they’re struggling with depression? In this eye-opening episode, trauma surgeon Dr. Michael Weinstein shares his personal experience living with depression inside a profession where stigma is often strongest. Despite having the knowledge and resources to recognize mental illness, Dr. Weinstein — like many physicians — felt depression was a personal w...

What happens when one of the NFL’s toughest players admits he was fighting suicidal thoughts behind the mask of strength? In this milestone 100th episode of Giving Voice to Depression , Brian Dawkins , NFL Hall of Famer and former Philadelphia Eagle, opens up about his battle with depression, suicidal thoughts, and the silent pressure of unspoken pain. Nicknamed “Weapon X” for his fearless play, D...

When teens struggle with suicidal thoughts, too often they confide in peers instead of parents—placing an impossible burden on young shoulders. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Stacy Friedenthal, author of Helping the Suicidal Person , and Dr. Jennifer Shavina, a Wisconsin school psychologist leading a district-wide effort to address student mental health proactively. Through programs like Signs...