through the valley of depression

a while ago, one of our commenters referred to depression as “the big valley” and “heaven and hell.” referring to medication for depression, he also said that “there are no revealed mysteries in micrograins of medicine.” in order to be “close to free”, he “had to do it without buffers. It has been hard, but revelatory beyond description.”yes, depression is a valley, quite literally, “an area completely or mostly surrounded by higher land”, according to dictionary.com.

i am reminded of the pioneers in the old wild west, taking long, slow treks through a vast, unknown landscape, mountains to the left, mountains to the right, not quite knowing whether they’ll make it through the day. it’s scary, it seems endless, the landscape bleak or terrifying, it’s uncomfortable, it’s boring, you just want to get it over with – and at the same time, there are moments of great awe and of deep communion with the land.

when i have clients who experience depression in that way, the worst thing i can do is try to hurry them through. yes, sometimes they may exclaim, “i hate this, someone get me out of here!” but whenever i am naïve enough to take that at face value, they are not happy when i propose to bring in the rescue troops.

thankfully, i have learned to listen to my clients and to ask them for feedback; they will almost always let me know what they need. and invariably, after reflection, they will tell me that what they need is someone to walk with them. they want to know that as lonely, confused and in the dark they may feel, there is someone walking with them, marveling at this strange valley of depression, open – and yes, that means awake and vulnerable – to “revelations beyond description.”

isabella mori
moritherapy
counselling in vancouver

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