Giving Voice to Depression

We'd love to hear your feedback!This podcast episode "Start Mental Health Conversations Early" focuses on the importance of addressing mental health with children at a young age, helping to break the stigma surrounding mental illness and instill the understanding that mental health struggles should be treated with the same openness, care and understanding as "physical health" issues.Our guest, T.J., shares his personal journey with mental health, describing his long battle with depression, an...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, we explore the profound impact of generational trauma, particularly within Native American communities. Our guest Mark Powless discusses how historical trauma—stemming from events like land loss, and the forced assimilation through boarding schools—continues to affect Indigenous peoples today.Mark reflects on his upbringing on the Oneida Reservation, where substance abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of trau...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In the podcast episode "How Can We Support Veterans," co-hosts Terry and Dr. Anita Sanz focus on the mental health challenges faced by veterans and how society can better support them. Dr. Donald Sanz, a combat veteran and psychologist, shares insights from both his personal and professional experiences.Key points discussed include:Understanding Veterans' Experiences: Veterans come from diverse backgrounds and face unique challenges upon returning home. Many st...

We'd love to hear your feedback! In the podcast episode "Veterans Mental Health Overview," we explore the mental health challenges faced by veterans, emphasizing the need for societal support and understanding. Our guest, Dr. Donald Sanz, a psychologist specializing in trauma, shares his experiences as a veteran and his transition into mental health care. He highlights the readjustment issues veterans encounter upon returning home, such as social reintegration, job transitions, and the n...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In this episode of "How Routines Can Support Your Mental Health," we explore the transformative power of routines in maintaining mental health, featuring guest Paul Marlow, a former athlete and mental health advocate. Paul shares his journey from a deep depression to recovery, emphasizing how structured morning and evening routines have been crucial for his mental well-being.Paul discusses the importance of starting each day with small wins, such as making his ...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In this episode of the "Giving Voice to Depression" podcast, we introduce guest Paul Marlow, who shares his journey through depression and mental health challenges. Paul, an athletic and confident individual, experienced a significant decline in his mental health after a series of traumatic events starting in 2017. He describes grappling with PTSD, anxiety, and profound feelings of emptiness, detailing how these conditions often went unnoticed by those around h...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In the podcast episode "The Importance of Baby Steps," Terry and Dr. Anita Sanz discuss the profound journey of Jenni, a guest who battled nearly a decade of persistent depression following a series of traumatic life events. The conversation highlights the overwhelming nature of depression, which can make even small steps seem daunting. Jenni recounts her struggles, including chronic pain, the loss of loved ones, and a deteriorating marriage, emphasizing how th...

We'd love to hear your feedback!"Living Every Day with the Monster of Depression" features a candid conversation with guest Didi Hairston, who shares about her lifelong struggle with depression. Didi refers to her depression as "The Monster," a metaphor she uses to illustrate the pervasive and often overwhelming nature of her illness. She discusses her early experiences with depression stemming from childhood trauma, her experience with postpartum depression after the births of her child...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In the podcast episode titled "Recovering from the Trauma of a Natural Disaster," hosts Terry and Dr. Anita Sanz welcome Tara Pyfrom, who shares her harrowing experience during Hurricane Dorian in 2019, which devastated her family’s home in the Bahamas. Tara recounts the terrifying moments when she and her family (she, her wife, their 6-year-old daughter and 5 dogs) sought refuge in their attic as rising floodwaters threatened their lives. Tara has faced signif...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, hosts Terry and Dr. Anita Sanz revisit an interview with Bob, a suicide attempt survivor who shares his profound journey from despair to hope. The episode is particularly timely as it concludes Suicide Prevention Month.Bob recounts his past struggles with depression and a suicide attempt. He describes how he felt like a burden to those around him and how his struggles seemed insurmountable. An impactful turnin...

We'd love to hear your feedback!The podcast episode "Recovery is Worth the Hard Work" from Giving Voice to Depression highlights Renee's personal journey of overcoming childhood trauma and depression through extensive emotional and psychological work. Co-hosts Terry and Dr. Anita Sanz introduce the episode by emphasizing the importance of sharing lived experiences to offer hope for those suffering from depression.Renee, who was first featured on this podcast five years prior, reflects on...

We'd love to hear your feedback!If you wrote a song, in the depths of depression -- about your depression-- what would it sound like?Singer/songwriter Demetra Prochaska wrote a hauntingly beautiful song called "i am not okay," that is both a call for help and a musical tribute to the depths of depression's darkness.Demetra shares her experience with depression, which began in her early teens, coinciding with her parents' divorce. She talks about her struggles, including a ten-month stay in a ...

We'd love to hear your feedback!This episode of the Giving Voice to Depression podcast, titled "Dude, You're Depressed!" features Ted Perry, a television news anchor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sharing his personal experience with depression. Ted initially hesitated to listen to this podcast, fearing it would be depressing. However, after researching it for a story, he began to reflect on his own struggles and the value of sharing our stories. Ted discusses his long battle with depression...

We'd love to hear your feedback!In this episode of the Giving Voice to Depression podcast, hosts Terry and Dr. Anita Sanz explore the topic of postpartum depression (PPD) from the perspective of a partner, Justin, whose wife Kristen experienced PPD after the births of their two children. The discussion highlights how unrecognized PPD can go untreated, as was the case with Kristen’s first episode. The hosts emphasize that PPD is a common but often unspoken condition that can have severe impact...

We'd love to hear your feedback!A psychiatrist who has treated more than 3,000 people with depression, says it's time to re-frame how we characterize, treat and view people with depression. The current way is not only stigmatizing and potentially dangerous, but flat-out wrong in his experience.In fact, Dr. Tim Cantopher says he views depression as "the curse of the strong!"Cantopher writes: "It's strong people who are most vulnerable to it (depression); people whose standards are high, whose ...