If you are feeling depressed and hopeless (or terrified or outraged) about the state of the world then you are one of many people. The pandemic, climate change, social instability and injustice, and now Putin's war - it's overwhelming and it's so heartbreaking. And that's all on top of any personal challenges you might be facing in your own life. In this episode I share reflections and tips on how to cope during this difficult time. 

Resources I've mentioned:

• Video by psychotherapist, author and soul-activist Francis Weller on grief. I can highly recommend his book The Wild Edge of Sorrow too.
• Being Well podcast episode by Rick and Forrest Hanson on Supporting Yourself During Difficult Times
• Video by Jack Kornfield A Peaceful Heart in a Time of War 

And if you're looking for more information on my holistic approach to overcoming depression, then head here.

You can read the blog version of this episode here if you prefer.

Sending you love to your corner of the world 🌍 
 

Suffering from depression often means suffering from a sense of meaninglessness. It's incredibly painful- I know from experience. In this episode, I talk about how to create meaning in your life when you're depressed. Grab a pen and paper, and take notes as this episode is absolutely full of advice and journaling prompts for you.  Regaining meaning in your life is possible.

"Don't die with your music still in you (Dr Wayne Dyer)" 

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For the blog version of this episode, head here. 

To arrange a free Zoom chat with me to see if my approach to overcoming depression is right for you, click here. 

Loneliness and depression can go hand in hand. Both bring up so much shame and can trigger big downward spirals. Loneliness is something I see a lot with my clients, and it's certainly something I've profoundly suffered from myself in the past.

So in this episode, I’m taking a deep dive into loneliness. I will be talking about:

• The types of loneliness
• The effects of loneliness on our physical and mental health
• Why so many of us feel lonely
• And what to do to stop feeling lonely

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• Vivek Murthy's book "Together"
• To book a free half hour Zoom call with me
• To find the resources for this episode, head to the blog post version.

Are you struggling with depression and are also just so unbelievably tired all the time? 

Here are 10 top root causes that help explain your fatigue from a holistic and functional medicine perspective.

For more information on how I help people overcome depression holistically, visit:

https://claudiasmithwellbeing.com/

Links I have mentioned in this episode:

• The blog version of this episode
   
• To book a free half hour Zoom call with me
   
• My previous episode on blood sugar imbalances
   
• My post about the link between your gut health and depression
   
• My 12 top sleep tips

When journalist and former depression-sufferer Johann Hari traveled around the world to speak to experts on the root causes of depression, one of his findings was the lack of a hopeful future. And I couldn’t agree more. 

And if you are currently suffering from depression, then a lack of hope is likely something you’ve felt yourself. Often in an overwhelming and very painful way.

In this episode I’m going to dive into the topic of hope: 

• What does hope have to do with our health and happiness?
• Chicken or egg: Lack of a hopeful future and depression
• How to gain hope even when it’s really hard

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Links to resources I have mentioned:

Book a free half hour zoom call with me to explore whether my holistic approach to overcoming depression is right for you

Short video about Hope Theory

The book "Making Hope Happen" by Shane Lopez

This episode is a very practical one: I am sharing my 4 top strategies to help you deal with challenging and dark thoughts. Practical, holistic tips for anyone who feels that their mind is against them. These are the tools I use in my work with clients and they are also very techniques that have helped me in my own journey of overcoming depression.

Links mentioned in the episode:

My 6 month holistic mental health programme to overcome depression

My free half hour Zoom call 

Jon Kabat-Zinn's book "Full Catastrophe Living"

Kristin Neff's book "Self-Compassion The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself"

Depression rates are rising and young people are more likely to suffer from depression than their parents or grandparents at their age (1). And in this episode I want to show you how it may be an evolutionary mismatch of depression that’s to blame. 

What do I mean by that? 

I mean that we human beings are not living life the way we are designed to. Our modern-day living is vastly different to our historical lifestyle. And it is this mismatch that is driving the mental health crisis. 

I explore the many ways in which our modern lifestyles differ from our historical lifestyles. And at the end I provide you with lots of questions to ponder so that you can start living with greater alignment regarding our human biology.

Read the blog instead

For more info on my holistic approach to overcoming depression:

http://claudiasmithwellbeing.com/

And to book a free half hour Zoom call with me:

https://claudiasmithwellbeing.com/free-call/

In this episode I talk about silent meditation retreats: What they are and what to expect. Plus, how my own experiences at these kinds of retreats have helped me to overcome depression. 

I touch on the benefits of silence, solitude and community. I talk about what meditation can add to our lives and how learning the art of compassion can be truly transformative.

The lessons I have learned have been nothing but life-changing, so why not go out for a 20 minute walk and listen to this episode!

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Links I've mentioned in this episode:

For info on my 6 month programme, head here. 

Or book the free 30 minute Zoom chat here.

Some of the well-known silent meditation retreat centres:

• Gaia House, Devon, UK
• Sharpham Trust, Devon, UK
• Moulin de Chaves, France
• Spirit Rock, California, USA
• Insight Meditation Society, Massachusetts, USA
• Mindfulness Training Institute, Australia/New Zealand