Giving Voice to Depression

Have you ever wished for a simple, understandable way to communicate your energy and depression levels? This episode introduces a practical and relatable way to describe and navigate the often invisible energy drain of depression using spoon theory. Originally created to explain life with chronic illness, the concept translates easily to mental health by offering a simple unit—“spoons”—to represen...

In this gentle, insightful episode, Eric shares his raw and powerful story of living with a lifelong depression he once imagined as an invisible boulder crushing his spirit. Instead of continuing the exhausting quest to eliminate his pain, Eric began to befriend it—shifting from analysis to emotional healing. Through Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, he discovered that the boulder symbolized...

 In this episode, JJ Singleton shares what it’s like to live with terminal cancer and depression. He talks about how his mental health changed after his diagnosis, the dark moments he faced, and what helped him stay. JJ didn’t grow up talking about emotions, but through therapy and support, he learned that speaking up made a difference. He discusses the pressure to hide pain, especially as a man,...

This episode explores how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be a useful, hands-on approach for managing depression and anxiety. Dr. David Jacobi explains how our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are closely linked—and how working on the things we can control, like changing negative thinking patterns or taking small actions, can shift how we feel over time. Listeners will learn how to apply C...

This podcast episode pulls back the curtain on what it's really like to see a therapist , and trust us, it's not all about lying on a couch talking about your parents! Dr. Anita Sanz, a seasoned therapist, tackles the big question: when should you seek mental health support?  She makes a compelling case for treating our mental well-being with the same care we give our physical health, or even our...

A single conversation can change the course of your life. A single person stepping in to say "You are not yourself. I am worried about you"  can change the course of your life and recovery. That's the story Chloe shares in this remixed episode. The school year may be ending, but the need to tune in, step in and care most certainly is not. https://recovery.com/ https://givingvoicetodepression.com/...

What does it feel like to experience true happiness after the lowest lows of depression? In this moving and deeply honest episode, Cara McErlain from Belfast, Northern Ireland, offers a rare and powerful glimpse into the lived experience of depression—and the unexpected joy that can follow. Cara speaks with unflinching honesty about her darkest moments, the numbness and hopelessness that once felt...

Did you know depression doesn’t just bring sadness—it can steal your memories of joy? In this 30-minute episode, we explore the deeply disorienting and isolating experience of how depression alters memory. Not through scientific jargon, but through lived experience. Writer and mental health advocate Natasha Tracy joins us to discuss how depression can convince you that you’ve never been happy—robb...

"You’re supposed to be happy." That’s what Isabelle kept hearing when she was pregnant. Married, financially stable, expecting a deeply wanted baby — her life looked “perfect” from the outside. But inside, she was fighting an overwhelming darkness that few people talk about: antepartum depression , or depression during pregnancy. In this honest and powerful conversation, Isabelle joins Terry and B...

 Trina Kennedy joins Giving Voice to Depression to share her experience growing up in a household where emotional needs were often dismissed or misunderstood. She reflects on how unacknowledged pain shaped her early struggles with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts—and how therapy, connection, and time allowed her to begin unpacking the emotional weight she carried. Through the lens of tra...

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, guest Ari Cohen shares her powerful and deeply personal mental health journey. Diagnosed with depression at the age of 11, Ari describes how her identity was once entirely wrapped up in her diagnosis. Initially, her motivation to get better was externally driven—whether to attend summer camp, to avoid causing pain to her family, or to meet others' exp...

In this episode, Giving Voice explores how mental health conversations—especially those aimed at men—need a major rebrand in order to be more effective and approachable. Their guest is Ethan Getchell, a former business student whose career path took a sharp turn after the loss of his brother to suicide. That moment of grief reshaped Ethan’s values and inspired him to pursue a career in mental heal...

After nearly a decade of feeling “stuck halfway out of depression’s pit,” Lori bravely took a step she never thought would help: she tried one more treatment option. In this powerful follow-up conversation, Lori shares the subtle yet transformative shifts that began to open her mind, soften her shame, and let in small but meaningful glimmers of hope. Through heartfelt metaphors—like the difference...

Living at 60% : A Raw Look at Persistent Depression In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode, Terry and Dr. Anita Sanz explore Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) —a lesser-known but profoundly impactful form of chronic depression. Unlike major depressive episodes that ebb and flow, PDD lingers, casting a long, gray shadow over daily life. You’ll meet Lori , a woman who has lived with chro...

In the podcast episode, we explore the crucial distinction between feeling sad and experiencing clinical depression:  Sadness is a common emotional state often triggered by specific events. Depression is a pervasive mental illness that significantly impacts daily life and can last for extended periods. The episode features insights from three experts: Dr. Robert Duff, who clarifies that clinical d...

In this podcast episode, our guest, Jessie, shares her journey, revealing how growing up in a family open about mental illness, yet burdened by it, influenced her understanding of her own struggles. Through candid conversations with her parents about their battles, she learned early on that mental illness is not a secret or a fault but a condition to be managed. Our discussion spotlights the signi...

In this practical, inspirational and bittersweet episode, co-host Dr. Anita Sanz, a therapist with over two decades of experience, shares three life-changing questions that she has refined over the years to help people navigate depression and challenging situations. These questions, deeply rooted in neuroscience and psychology, are designed to shake up the mental patterns that keep us stuck. Toget...

In this real and hopeful episode, we continue our conversation with Matt Weedon of the Tors, the UK-based indie band behind the hit song Anything Can Happen. Written in the wake of Matt’s struggles with depression and anxiety, the song has struck a deep emotional chord with millions worldwide—its raw lyrics capturing the weight of mental illness and the slow, steady journey toward healing. In this...

We'd love to hear your feedback! There's a saying: "When you're happy, you enjoy the music, but when you're sad, you understand the lyrics." That sentiment resonates deeply in this episode as we sit down with singer-songwriter Matt Weedon of The Tors, the UK-based indie band behind the hauntingly beautiful song, Anything Can Happen. Matt opens up about the song’s unintentional origins—written in t...

We'd love to hear your feedback! In this powerful 30-minute continuation of last week's conversation, Johnny Crowder—vocalist for the metal bands Dark Sermon and Prison, as well as a dedicated mental health advocate—shares how he navigates life with multiple mental health diagnoses. From severe anxiety and OCD to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Johnny reflects on how these conditions intertwin...

We'd love to hear your feedback! What happens when everything falls apart at once? Musician and mental health advocate Johnny Crowder recently faced that exact reality—losing his home, his band, and his relationship (with the woman he expected to marry,) all within days. In this 25-minute episode, he talks about the depression that followed ("a bear he has wrestled many times before,") and the min...

We'd love to hear your feedback! If you live with a partner, children or friend with depression, odds are you could use some practical tips for how to care for both them and  yourself. This 28-minute episode offers both.  Gwen shares openly and articulately about the challenges and strategies she uses  to maintain hope and connection when depression affects her household. Gwen shares how she and h...

We'd love to hear your feedback! This Giving Voice to Depression episode explores the challenges and complexities of supporting a loved one with depression, focusing on the experiences of caregivers. The episode responds to a listener, Margaret, who shared her struggles in last week's episode about often feeling disconnected in her marriage due to her husband's treatment-resistant depression. To p...

We'd love to hear your feedback! Episode 346 - How Do You Do It? (Rerun) In this deeply personal episode, we hear from Margaret, a GVTD podcast listener who bravely shares the challenges of parenting and maintaining a partnership with a spouse living with treatment-resistant depression. With honesty and vulnerability, she speaks about the loneliness, the frustrations, and the love that keep her se...

We'd love to hear your feedback! In this impassioned, 22-minute episode, we continue our conversation with Chris Coulter, a father who tragically lost his teenage daughter, Maddy, to suicide. Chris speaks candidly about his growing frustration with the systems that are supposed to support struggling kids—schools, communities, and even parents who may not recognize the urgency of addressing mental...