The Rest Is Politics: Leading 167. Faith, Depression, and Finding Calm in the Chaos (Professor Mark Williams)
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Dec 22, 2025 Mark Williams, a clinical psychologist and ordained Anglican minister, shares insights on navigating chaos and grief, especially during the festive season. He discusses the misconceptions around mindfulness and its benefits, revealing how practical techniques can combat depression and prevent relapse. Mark highlights his experiences introducing mindfulness to MPs, showcasing its positive impact on mental health in high-pressure environments. He reflects on faith, vulnerability, and compassion, emphasizing the importance of being present during challenging times.
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How Depression Repeats Itself
- Depression recurs because our problem-solving mode of mind keeps getting entangled with negative mood.
- Mindfulness helps by teaching people to step back and treat thoughts as thoughts rather than facts.
Try An Eight-Week Mindfulness Course
- Do an eight-week mindfulness course if you have recurrent clinical depression to reduce relapse risk.
- Commit to practice without high expectations and test whether it helps you over the course.
Why Cognitive Therapy Prevents Relapse
- Cognitive therapy works less by changing belief strength and more by teaching people to treat thoughts as testable hypotheses.
- That decentering process is what reduces relapse risk in depression.