Lessons on Coping With Depression: 5 Years of Stories and Hope From the Podcast

After more than 300 episodes and countless powerful interviews, what stands out the most about living with depression? In this reflective conversation, Terry and Bridget share the biggest lessons they’ve learned from five years of cohosting Giving Voice to Depression.

From understanding how depression manifests differently in each person, to seeing the courage it takes for someone to tell their story, this episode offers a heartfelt look at the impact of thousands of conversations. Terry and Bridget also open up about how their personal understanding of depression has deepened, the responsibility of holding others’ stories, and why naming depression can be the first step toward recovery.

This is part one of a special two-part series looking back on five years of learning, growing, and giving voice to depression.

Primary Topics Covered:

• What 5+ years of podcasting about depression has revealed
• Moving from statistics to personal, human stories of depression
• How sharing lived experiences reduces stigma and isolation
• The courage and vulnerability of guests who share their truths
• Different ways depression manifests across individuals
• Why recognizing symptoms earlier can change recovery paths
• The impact of consistent listener feedback and support
• Building a “toolkit” for managing depression over time

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and 311 episodes milestone
 00:33 - From statistics to people: why stories matter
 02:00 - The honor of holding others’ lived experiences
 04:19 - Listener impact: moments of connection and hope
 06:26 - Why Terry and Bridget committed to this work
 08:21 - Key takeaways about depression from hundreds of interviews
 10:25 - How personal experiences shaped their understanding
 11:57 - Depression manifests differently for everyone
 13:05 - Gratitude and depression can coexist
 13:43 - The universal “voice of depression” and its lies
 15:05 - Building a depression toolkit through shared stories

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