Ep. 19 - Working Through Depression Shame

The public movement to reduce stigma around mental health is important, but it won't matter what society thinks if you don't honestly address your own stigma about your own mental health.
.
I've been transparent about my own past struggles with depression on this podcast and in my Instagram feed, and often talk about how daily mindset work has changed my life.

A recent episode of depression showed me that despite all my work on self-compassion, I still harbored some shame when I felt depressed, particularly as a mindset coach. It was an eye-opening lesson in the role of shame in depression, and how so much of our suffering is caused by our own judgment.

Now that I'm on the other side, I see how much mindset work actually helped me work things through. Rather than hide my recent struggles, I realized that sharing my recent experience, including processing my own shame, might help someone else going through similar feelings.

In this episode I let you inside my brain. Reading from journal entries and adding commentary when necessary, I walk you through how I used mindset work and tools to process the thoughts and fears that came up for me during my most recent depressive episode.

My hope is that doing so will help others notice and release any stigma they may be holding onto surrounding their own depression or other mental health-related struggles.

Finally, please know this episode offers thoughts and tools based on my own personal experience with depression but is not meant to serve as a substitute for therapy or guidance from a medical professional.  If you have depression, please know I understand everyone's experience is different. What helps me may help some, but may not be the right path for you right now, and that's okay. There are so many different healing modalities. Keep looking until you find one that suits you and your needs. The important thing is that you get the help you need. Everyone deserves to be happy and to suffer less, including you.

If you find this episode helpful, please share. You never know who you may help by doing so. Thank you so much.

------

IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING, PLEASE KNOW HELP IS AVAILABLE.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 160 crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 1-800-273-8255. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

------

Resources cited in this episode:

Episode 16: Using Music in Mindset Work
Episode 18: Foundational Mindset Work

Coaching with Nerijus
Website: www.rewirewithme.com
Instagram: @rewire.with.me

------

Original intro/outro music by JMW.

------

To learn more about what I do, my coaching philosophy and how to work with me, email me at [email protected] or visit my website at https://kariwatterson.com.

------

For more mindset thoughts and tips, follow me on social media:

Instagram: @kari_mindsetcoach
Twitter: @KaWatterson