Giving Voice to Depression

Mental health conditions like depression and bipolar disorder make our every "failing" or "weakness" seem huge, pervasive and permanent. Negative self-talk is so familiar, that sometimes it's just easier to believe than the reality that we are making progress, accomplishing things and moving closer to the goal of being mentally stable or healthy. This 23-minute episode features Rebecca Lombardo wh...

Rebecca Lombardo fights a battle inside her mind every single day. But she doesn't fight it alone. In this 19-minute episode you'll hear from both Becca and her husband Joe, as they share some of the lessons they've learned in their marriage; lessons about communication, boundaries, love, and Bipolar 2 Disorder. www.rebeccalombardo.com/

There is magic in the words "I've been there. I understand." Especially when speaking to someone who is in a bad place mentally, whether that's high anxiety, a depression, or a mental health crisis. To be the living example of an "other side" to a seemingly hopeless situation is both a privilege and a responsibility. This 19-minute episode is Jordan's story. But it's also a version of lots of peop...

"Who You Callin' Crazy" is a 25-minute podcast episode that features practical therapy tips for the "little ways" we can make big differences in changing the perceptions, misconceptions and stigma around mental illnesses. Our guest, National Board Certified Counselor and therapist Juliet Kuehnle believes that as the needle shifts on stigma (which Covid helped with,) "we need to learn to embrace th...

Fighting "the stigma of mental illness" is not an academic pursuit. It's both a social justice and public health issue. Welcome to the 3rd of our 4-part look at the stigma of mental illness. In this episode, we'll hear from several past guests about the actual real-world, real-life benefits of reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness. Those benefits include promoting mental wellness and redu...

The phrase "stigma of mental illness" is at once overused and misunderstood. What does it really mean? Why does it matter? Why should I care? In the second of four episodes in our monthlong look at how negative associations with mood disorder diagnoses negatively impact those of us who live with them, we ask a number of past guests if stigma is evident to them, and if so, in what ways. www.mhanati...

Mental illness is a subject that is often stigmatized and misunderstood. The silence around it can make us feel like we're the only one experiencing it- that we are uniquely flawed. By sharing our stories, we can empower each other and break the stigma. In this podcast episode, we explore the power of personal stories in combating mental illness stigma. We will hear from Dr. Patrick Corrigan, one...

We buy all kinds of insurance to protect ourselves. A Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) is "emotional insurance." It can help us recognize when/why we are in a Good Place, and warn us if/when we (or our minds) start to wander into Less-Good Places. A WRAP can also protect us and give us some control in a mental-health crisis. In this episode our cohosts, a licensed psychologist and certified pe...

We plan for all sorts of events and emergencies. We buy insurance. If we know we live in an area prone to tornadoes or hurricanes or floods, we have a plan for how to handle those potential crises. We can (and it's a very good idea) plan for potential mental health challenges and even crises too. Who do you want to help and support you? Who do you not want involved? What are your early warning sig...

We are encouraged to "do the work" to manage our mental health. We're told to #beheretomorrow. And those are powerful messages! But how often do they include the reminder that we deserve to recover, heal and live for ourselves and not just for others? That distinction is discussed in this 24-minute episode with our guest, Ari Cohen.

After losing his father to suicide as a child, an adult Sebastian Slovin embarks on a journey of recovery and discovery. What starts out as an investigation to understand his father's death, ends up providing a deeper understanding of how to live a truer life. This 23-minute remix is a powerful reminder of the fact our lives are intertwined and that even our worst and most-painful experiences may...

Stigma, shame and the fact depression is still (too) often seen as a weakness or failing, cause many people with the common illness to hide their struggles and pain behind a mask. While in moderation this can be a healthy coping mechanism, it can also be dangerous as it prevents us not only from living as authentic human beings, but also from getting the help and support we need to live healthy, c...

Depression "is a persuasive and persuasive condition that completely dominates your thinking." And it lies. Consistently and convincingly. When we accept depressive thoughts as truths, there's no motivation to move forward. Understanding the "illogic of depression" can help us recognize and challenge those lies and to live healthier and fuller lives. Learn some ways to do that this 23-minute episo...

If you're a parent with a mental health condition (i.e. depression)you can't hide it from your children. They will notice when you pull away and isolate. They'll notice when you're sad. And when you're angry. And, without a clear, medical explanation, they will often blame themselves for your "mood." This 43-minute episode "Explaining Depression to Children" is an extended version of #255 "Sometim...

Depression is hard to explain. To ourselves, to others, and especially to children. When we're sad or angry and we isolate or lash out, they are likely to be afraid and to think they've done something wrong-- that they caused, or at least contributed to our mood and behaviors. A father who lives with depression and ADHD and is in recovery for addictions wrote a book to help start those needed conv...

You may know Darin Olien from his bestselling book SuperLife or his Emmy-award winning Netflix series Down to Earth with Zac Efron. His passion is wellness. And in both his own life, and his parents, he recognizes the fact that mental health and physical health are inextricably intertwined. In this extended interview, Darin dives into the many ways we can manage and protect our overall (which, of...

If you live with a mental health disorder, you know it has physical symptoms. If your focus, like guest/wellness expert Darin Olien is overall wellness, you know that includes mental health as well. The two cannot be divided. Darin, co-host of the Emmy Award Winning, #1 Netflix docu-series, Down to Earth with Zac Efron and author of the bestselling book SuperLife shares his unique perspectives in...

As a teen, Michelle was told that getting professional help for her mental illnesses would be a stain on her "permanent record" that would prevent her from getting into a prestigious college or worse (in her parents' minds) from finding a husband. So, her bipolar disorder and anxiety went undiagnosed and untreated for decades. Michelle's story is one of stigma, unnecessary pain and ultimate recove...

Michelle knew something was wrong. That she was "different." At times she could not distinguish reality from her troubled thoughts. She begged her parents to bring her to a professional to get help. But they were afraid a diagnosis of mental illness would prevent her from getting into a good college or from "finding a husband." So, because of stigma, ignorance and fear, Michelle suffered. Michelle...

The idea of telling a stranger what we're thinking and feeling can be scary. Or liberating. When is it time to make an appointment? How do we "shop" for a good fit? (Did you know you can often get a free mini-session to ask questions and get a feel of the therapist?) How honest do we need to be (about both ourselves and our relationship with our therapist?) What is ok to say to a therapist? These...

When your depression is long-lasting it can be easy to believe that since nothing has helped much yet, nothing ever will. Then hope becomes a very difficult thing to hold onto. In the months between our first interview (episode 248- When You Feel Unfixable) and the conversation summarized in this episode, our guest Lori went to a 3-week treatment facility. She learned some new ways of thinking, fo...

You hear it all the time: Hold on. Like storms, your depression will pass. But what if it doesn't. For millions who experience persistent depressive disorder (PDD,) formerly known as dysthymia, depression can last for months or years. Symptoms of PDD are similar to major depressive disorder (MDD,) but are milder and persistent (chronic.) People with this condition may also have bouts of major depr...

One of the many things depression and other chronic or invisible illnesses steal from us, is our energy. In this 17-minute episode, we discuss Christine Miserandino's Spoon Theory as a way to both manage and explain our often-limited resources. The theory is a metaphor describing the amount of physical and/or mental energy that a person has available for daily activities and tasks, and how it can...

In his 16 seasons in the NFL (13 with the Philadelphia Eagles and three with the Denver Broncos) Brian Dawkins earned the nickname "Weapon X" and a reputation as one of the league's hardest hitters. Yet when depression was his opponent, Dawkins nearly lost the fight. He retired recently to become a mental-health advocate and philanthropist. He joined GVTD co-host Terry for a candid discussion abou...

In last week's episode we met singer/songwriter/guitarist Matt Weedon, whose honest description of his depression and anxiety was made music, and a hit song at that, by his band The Tors. We focused on the song's first verse and Matt's description of keeping his room dark to match his mood, and about how a dear friend supported him by phone so he knew he wasn't alone. Today, we focus on the second...