Giving Voice to Depression: Real Stories & Expert Support for Depression and Mental Health

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  What to Do If Your Friend Is Suicidal: A Teen's Guide to Getting Help and Saving a Life 15.09.2026 14dk

  What would you do if your best friend told you they were thinking about suicide—and begged you not to tell anyone? For many teenagers, this isn't a hypothetical question. In the final episode of our three-part Suicide Prevention Month series, suicide prevention expert Dr. Stacey Freedenthal explains why keeping suicidal thoughts secret can place an overwhelming burden on another young person—and why telling a trusted adult is an act of courage, not betrayal. She offers practical guidance for ...
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  Teen Suicide Prevention: How to Respond When Your Child Talks About Suicide 08.09.2026 15dk

  When a teenager tells a parent they're thinking about suicide, it's one of the most frightening conversations a family can face. How do you respond without minimizing their pain—or overwhelming them with your own fear? In Part 2 of our conversation with suicide prevention expert Dr. Stacey Freedenthal, we explore five more reasons many teens hesitate to tell their parents they're having suicidal thoughts, along with practical ways adults can respond that build trust instead of shutting down c...
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  How to Help a Suicidal Teen: Why Kids Don't Tell Their Parents They're Struggling 01.09.2026 17dk

  One of the greatest fears many parents have is learning that their child was struggling—and never told them. Why do so many teenagers share suicidal thoughts with friends but keep them from the adults who love them most? In this important conversation, suicide prevention expert Dr. Stacey Freedenthal explores the reasons many teens stay silent and offers compassionate, practical guidance for parents who want to create safer, more supportive conversations. Drawing on both her professional expe...
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  LGBTQ+ Depression: Coming Out, Mental Health, and Finding Hope Through Authenticity 25.08.2026 25dk

  "How are you?" Instead of giving the automatic answer—"Fine"—Nick paused. Then he said something most of us rarely admit: "Actually, I've been really struggling." That honest response became the beginning of this conversation. In this deeply personal episode, Nick shares how years of hiding his sexuality contributed to clinical depression, why coming out brought an unexpected sense of relief, and how learning to understand his own patterns has helped him navigate depression with greater aware...
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  Part 2: How to Stay Productive with Depression: 5 Practical Strategies for Work and Burnout 18.08.2026 12dk

  When depression affects your concentration, confidence, or energy, staying productive can feel like a constant battle with yourself. But working harder is not always the answer. In the second half of this practical conversation, Terry and Bridget continue speaking with writer Sarah Fielding, author of the Healthline article, “Nine Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work When You’re Struggling Mentally.” Sarah shares five additional strategies for navigating work while living with depression, anxiet...
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  Part 1: How to Get Things Done When You're Depressed: Overcoming Lack of Motivation and Getting Started 11.08.2026 16dk

  When depression steals your motivation, even the smallest task can feel impossible. Getting out of bed. Answering an email. Folding laundry. Starting a work project. From the outside, it may look like procrastination or laziness. From the inside, it can feel like trying to move through wet concrete. In this practical episode, Terry and Bridget welcome writer Sarah Fielding, whose article on staying motivated while struggling with mental health inspired a conversation full of realistic, compas...
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  How to Ask for Help with Depression: Finding Support, Therapy, and Hope 04.08.2026 18dk

  Hundreds of thousands of people know Shannon for making them laugh. Her videos have gone viral. Her social media is full of humor, energy, and outrageous comedy. What most people didn't see was that behind the camera, she was learning one of the hardest lessons of her life: she couldn't heal from depression alone. In Part 2 of Shannon's story, she shares the biggest changes she's made since seeking treatment—and why asking for help became one of the most powerful tools in her recovery. She ta...
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  Complex PTSD Recovery: From Suicidal Thoughts to Healing, Hope, and Self-Worth 30.07.2026 26dk

  Nearly a decade ago, Davey shared one of the darkest depression stories we've ever featured on Giving Voice to Depression. He was living with relentless depression, frequent suicidal thoughts, and believed he simply couldn't do life anymore. Today, he comes back with a very different story. After years of searching for answers, one conversation with a physician led to a diagnosis of Complex PTSD (CPTSD)—a discovery that completely changed how he understood his depression, his childhood, and, ...
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  How to Cope with Depression: Daily Routines, Medication, and the Healing Power of Humor 28.07.2026 21dk

  Instagram creator ShannyPants has built a community of hundreds of thousands of followers by making people laugh. But while millions of people saw the funny videos, very few knew she was quietly living with depression. In this episode, Shannon shares what depression really looked like behind the scenes, why she finally sought treatment, how antidepressants and therapy changed her life, and why humor became one of the tools that helped her heal. In today's podcast episode, you'll hear about: &...
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  Healing from Childhood Trauma: Understanding Complex PTSD, Depression, and Self-Worth 21.07.2026 26dk

  For years, Davey believed he had depression. What he didn't know was why. After nearly a decade of living with severe depression—including years of suicidal thoughts—a conversation with a physician changed everything. Within minutes of hearing Davey's childhood story, the doctor wrote two words on a piece of paper: Complex PTSD (CPTSD). That diagnosis became the beginning of a completely different healing journey. In this follow-up episode—nearly ten years after his first appearance on Giving...
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  How to Cope with Depression: Small Steps, Daily Tools, and Hope That Lasts 14.07.2026 26dk

  What do you do when depression makes even getting out of bed feel impossible? Davey knows that battle firsthand. After years of pushing through exhaustion and believing something was physically wrong, he was eventually diagnosed with major depressive disorder. What followed wasn't a quick recovery—it was a daily commitment to learning everything he could about depression and building a toolbox of coping strategies. In this deeply practical conversation, Davey shares the lessons that have help...
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  Living With Depression: 10 Lessons About Stigma, Therapy, Medication, and Finding Hope 07.07.2026 16dk

  Why do so many people wait years before asking for help with depression? For award-winning television journalist Ted Perry, the answer was simple: stigma. In this candid conversation, Ted shares why he kept his depression hidden for years, how grief after his father's death intensified his symptoms, and why finally accepting therapy and antidepressant medication changed his life. He also reflects on the relationships depression affected, the shame that kept him silent, and the hope that ultim...
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  How to Help Someone with Depression: What Actually Helps (and What Makes It Worse) 30.06.2026 17dk

  How do you help someone with depression when they believe they're a burden? Pam knows that feeling all too well. After years of suppressing depression, childhood trauma, and overwhelming life stress, she experienced a severe depressive episode that lasted more than three years. During that time, she was hospitalized four times, survived a suicide attempt, and struggled to believe she would ever experience joy again. Today, Pam shares not only how she recovered, but what family members, friend...
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  EFT Tapping for Depression: A Self-Help Technique for Stress, Anxiety, and Emotional Relief 23.06.2026 20dk

  What if there were a free, portable tool you could use almost anywhere to help reduce stress and emotional overwhelm? In this episode, Terry and Bridget explore Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) — commonly known as tapping — with EFT expert Brad Yates. Tapping combines gentle stimulation of acupressure points with focused attention on thoughts and emotions. Supporters of the technique describe it as a way to calm the body's stress response while creating space for emotional healing. Brad expl...
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  Father's Day Special: When Dad Has Depression — Helping Children Understand Mental Health 16.06.2026 19dk

  How do you explain depression to a child? For Todd Rennebohm, that question became deeply personal. After years of living with depression, anxiety, ADHD, alcoholism, suicidal thoughts, and multiple hospitalizations, Todd found himself facing one of the darkest nights of his life. What began as a desperate attempt to leave something behind for his children eventually became Sometimes Daddy Cries, a children's book designed to help families talk openly about mental health. In this Father's Day ...
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  Suicidal Thoughts vs. Suicide Planning: How to Understand and Manage Daily Ideation 09.06.2026 19dk

  What does it mean to live with suicidal thoughts — and not be actively suicidal? In this powerful episode, Wally shares what it’s like to experience daily suicide ideation while actively managing their mental health. With the increased visibility of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, conversations about suicide are more public than ever. But there’s often confusion: Does having suicidal thoughts automatically mean someone is suicidal? As this episode explains, suicide ideation exists on a...
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  Reasons We Deny Our Depression: High-Functioning Depression and the Signs We Miss 02.06.2026 24dk

  Can you be depressed and not even realize it? Psychologist, author, and TEDx speaker Dr. Margaret Rutherford joins us to explore a powerful and often overlooked topic: high-functioning and perfectly hidden depression. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, we unpack why so many people deny their depression — even to themselves. Dr. Margaret explains the difference between: Classic depression (observable changes in mood and behavior) High-functioning depression (still produc...
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  High-Functioning Depression and Denial: Signs You’re Depressed But Don’t Know It 26.05.2026 20dk

  Can you be depressed and not even realize it? Psychologist, author, and TEDx speaker Dr. Margaret Rutherford joins us to explore a powerful and often overlooked topic: high-functioning and perfectly hidden depression. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, we unpack why so many people deny their depression — even to themselves. Dr. Margaret explains the difference between: Classic depression (observable changes in mood and behavior) High-functioning depression (still produc...
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  How Talking About Depression Reduces Stigma and Helps People Feel Less Alone 19.05.2026 17dk

  What happens when people speak openly about depression? In this Ripple Report episode, we hear how honest conversations about mental health create real-world change — from classrooms to hotlines to theater stages. A New York theater director shares how listening to personal stories of depression helped her manage anxiety during a major life transition. She describes how having voices in her ear “held her hand” during a difficult travel day and prevented her from spiraling. Her theater ensembl...
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  How to Manage Depression and Bipolar Disorder: CBT Tools, Relapse Prevention, and Support Strategies 12.05.2026 12dk

  What does a bipolar depressive episode actually feel like? In this early archive episode, 28-year-old Brooklyn artist Ben shares candidly about living with bipolar disorder and depression — including what happens when medication changes trigger a rough patch. Ben describes: What a “code level orange or red” depressive episode looks like The emotional contradictions of depression (lonely but avoiding people, hungry but not eating) Why changing medications can tempor...