Listening to Depression: How Understanding Your Pain Can Heal Your Life [Paperback]

Lara Honos-Webb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

What does it really mean to be depressed? You know depression as a collection of symptoms-fatigue, listlessness, feelings of worthlessness-and the source of more than a little pain. But depression is also a signal that something in your life is wrong and needs to be healed. Too often, though, we try to cut off or numb our feelings of depression instead of listening carefully to what they are telling us about our lives. Listening to Depression offers insightful ways to reframe depression as a gift that can help you transform your life for the better.

Each chapter discusses a different aspect of depression as positive opportunity for growth or change. Depression can be the start of a reorientation in life, a step in the search for meaning, or a chance for letting go of hurtful aspects of the self. It can also be a chance to deal with grief and loss and learn to expand your potential. The book concludes with a section of advice about when it is important to defend against depression and how best to go about it when the need arises.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This much needed addition to the literature is a must-read for all who are struggling with depression.
—Mira Kirshenbaum, author of The Emotional Energy Factor and Everything Happens for a Reason

If depression could talk, and if you could listen, it would jump up and down, saying, "I'm trying my best to tell you something. Please listen to me!" If you let this book show you how to listen, you and your world can be so much better! This is my gift to you!
—Alvin R. Mahrer, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Ottawa, Canada, and author of The Complete Guide to Experiential Psychotherapy

Is depression a gift? This book by Honos-Webb makes a strong and provocative case that despite its accompanying pain, depression provides an opportunity to take stock and start anew. Written with sensitivity and intelligence, The Gift of Depression is both important and accessible. It deserves the careful attention of all.
—Christopher Peterson, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and author of A Primer in Positive Psychology

The Gift of Depression is one of those break-through books that can profoundly alter your view of yourself. If you have ever been depressed-or are even now feeling confused or uncertain about what to do next-this book has the potential to turn on the light of understanding-maybe even of inspiration!
—Carol Adrienne, Ph.D., author of The Purpose of Your Life

From the Publisher

The best-selling author of The Gift of ADHD offers cognitive behavioral and mindfulness strategies for transforming depression into a tool for growth; exploring how depression can point us towards important truths about our selves; and discovering how to use our depression to change our lives in meaningful ways.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 1 edition (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572244437
• ISBN-13: 978-1572244436
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a psychologist, author, speaker, mother and wife. My areas of expertise are ADHD, Depression, Balance in Motherhood and mind-body connection in physical illness. My first book, The Gift of ADHD was featured in Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, Publisher's weekly as well as newspapers, radio and tv across the country. My due date for my second book, The Gift of Depression is October 2006.
I have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and did my postdoc at the University of California San Francisco.

Learn more about my work at www.visionarysoul.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving Beyond Symptoms - Listening and Finding Meaning in Depression, December 4, 2006

By 

M. A. Celentana (Lawrenceville, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Listening to Depression: How Understanding Your Pain Can Heal Your Life (Paperback)

This well-written, thoughtful book tackles the issue of how to reorient your thoughts and behaviors to make bouts of depression opportunities for self-growth and discovery. Typically cast as a condition best avoided, Lara Honos-Webb presents a compelling argument that depression is a message from us, to us, and about us; however, you must be open to listening to that message (not always easy to do). As a mental health professional, I particularly appreciate how she argues that re-casting depression as an asset requires both active engagement (e.g., journal writing) on the part of the individual with reverence for the pain people often exhibit during dark moments of depression. If you enjoyed Dr. Honos-Webb's first book, The Gift of ADHD, you will take comfort in her ability to pull away the veil of depression and inject optimism where only pessimism previously resided. This book is appropriate for all adult audiences, though it is probably most useful for those "protecting against" or trying to learn more about themselves before the onset of a depressive episode; that is, before the most troubling aspects of depression have set-in. If you have interest in learning more about what your depression is trying to communicate to you, I highly recommend this book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking free of your depression and despair to be the best you can be!, February 28, 2008

By 

K. McCoy (Lake Forest Park, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Listening to Depression: How Understanding Your Pain Can Heal Your Life (Paperback)

If you are a self-help aficionado like me who has read hundreds of books, but the result has only been an increase in knowledge about a particular problem, but never finding a clear map through the quagmire of self analysis, this is the book for you! This book is tailored to find what works for you and is free of the "one size fits all" type of advice found in many self-help books. The exercises provided in the book pushed me to go beyond treating my symptoms and expand how I viewed the purpose of my life. The exercises were great at pushing me beyond the typical focus on weaknesses and helped me find my unique strengths and make begin to put them into use.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are depressed, here is the way to turn the experience around!, December 10, 2006

By 

W. Shaw (Mountain View, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Listening to Depression: How Understanding Your Pain Can Heal Your Life (Paperback)

Around in 2 ways: Depression can be an opportunity to look at your past and present life for clues as to your "slowing or shutting down." Once you find what's out of balance in your life, you can slowly turn your life around, and start anew. Not easy to do, but this book can help. Easy to understand exercises and personal reviews. I highly recommend this book!