Depression

When life hurts us, we respond by retreating and protecting ourselves through disconnection. In the short term, this saves us from pain, however, in the long term, it imprisons us as we lose access not just to our pain, but also our joy. This leaves us isolated and closed to life and friends, Just existing is a struggle!

Depression is an inability to express our hurt and a break in connection to our life force and to others. The healing for this requires a nurturing, sensitive relationship with someone who can support us to unravel this deep sadness and find the core of our emptiness. We need to work with someone who can help us to find our way back to ourselves.

Long term depression stops our engagement with people and community. Our nervous system, at a point in our life, needed to mobilise the protective wall of shutdown when emotional pain is too great. However, if we don’t process our pain, we don’t heal and we stay shut in a protective but isolated and empty space.

Healing requires an empathic connection with someone safe. Someone who is simply able to be there and never give up on us, who can listen not just with their ears but also their heart. This empathic relationship is what allows someone to heal and start to find their way out of a desolate and frightening place.