Customer Reviews

Listening to Depression: How Understanding Your Pain Can Heal Your Life

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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.

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.

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!

I bought this book after seeing Dr. Honos-Webb speak on a different topic (parenting). She spoke with such wisdom and insight, and addressed some of the most important questions and fears regarding parenting today -- and she did it in such a simple way. I am a lifelong lover of learning and I can honestly say that I have never seen a speaker come at a topic so directly yet so intimately. It was a life-changing talk.

It made me want to hear more of Honos-Webb's take on the world - so much more that I went home and ordered all of her books (which is a lot to say for a single mother watching every dime!): The Gift of Adult ADD: How to Transform Your Challenges & Build on Your Strengths, The Gift Of ADHD: How To Transform Your Child's Problems Into Strengths, The Gift of ADHD Activity Book: 101 Ways to Turn Your Child's Problems into Strengths (Companion) as well as this one.

Her books are more than I had hoped for. Honos-Webb approaches depression, ADD and ADHD in a uniquely positive way. There are new insights and food for thought on every page. She is also a wonderful writer. I am a writer and an editor myself and I was continually impressed with not only the beauty of the ideas she expresses but the beauty of her words as well.

Honos-Webb sheds extraordinary light on these topics. Her books should be required reading for everyone who cares about the human mind.

PS And if you ever get a chance to see her speak, seize the opportunity. This woman should have her own TV show! (Could she be the next Oprah????? We can only hope.)

Poetically written and gentle, this book offers an insight into a different way of looking at a "diagnosis."
Holistic and pragmatic at the same time, offering inspiration to those who need it the most.

Dont know where to start, if you have had counseling and treatment for depression you may benefit the most from reading this book.

Especially the concept of why would you want to be returned to a mental state prior to the onset of depression for it was from that point you got depressed to begin with.

But the book is a valuable reference to review in light of our own lives, and asking ourself the questions that naturally occur, or reviewing the images we think about as we read it.

I admit this book may have had more value for myself for it validates a lot of what my work in counseling had suggested for years. This time it stuck and had the most meaning, and it was most likely been the timing.