Spirituality/Healing & Coping

Depression is no fun. One of the most difficult aspects of depression is that God often seemsso far away, or, even more, he seems not to care. Sitting still is excruciating, praying seemsimpossible. This sense of being disconnected from God may lead one to feel guilty, angry,and hopeless.

The Surviving Depression Journal is a step-by-step creative guide to reconnecting you withyourself, with your dreams, and with your God. It can be used together with the best-sellerSurviving Depression: A Catholic Approach or by itself during tough times as a gentle com-panion on the road to hope and healing.

Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, is a member of the Congregation ofthe Daughters of St. Paul. She works in the Acquisitions Office forPauline Book & Media Centers, and is the author of SurvivingDepression, Prayers for Surviving Depression, Making Peace withYourself, Beginning Contemplative Prayer, and The Journey Within.She has an M.T.S. from Weston Jesuit School of Theology.

$12.95

Praise for the best-seller, Surviving Depression:

“A deeply spiritual and contemplative Catholic guide to those afflicted with depression.I highly recommend this beautiful book, which reminds us that God is with us in ourdeepest and darkest struggles.”

— Daniel T. Lukasik, Esq.Lawyer and creator of the website Lawyerswithdepression.com

“This is not a book you will read once and put back on your shelf. The author’s recom-mendations are comforting and practical. This book has been invaluable to me as aEucharistic Minister working with cancer patients.” — Maryann Toth

Milltown, NJ

“This book’s unique contribution is to combine medical information, psychologicalinsight, and ways to pray about the many challenges that depression brings to faith.”

— John Peteet, MDPsychiatrist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

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Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

CHAPTER 1

What Does Depression Look Like? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

CHAPTER 2

“If Only You Tried Harder” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

CHAPTER 3

“Why Doesn’t God Heal Me?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

CHAPTER 4

“How Do I Start?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

CHAPTER 5

“I Just Want to Feel Better” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

CHAPTER 6

“I Can’t Stop Crying” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

CHAPTER 7

“I’m Going Crazy!” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

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CHAPTER 8

Start Humming in the Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

CHAPTER 9

“Don’t Look the Other Way” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

CHAPTER 10

Healings Are Not “Success Stories” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Some Symptoms of Depression. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Suggestions for Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Basics for Surviving Depression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Breath Prayers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

A Prayer to Jesus, My Inmost Counselor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

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CHAPTER 5

“I Just Want to Feel Better”

Spiritual Directions

From my journal:“Scared. What is it? I’ve felt so good lately—focus, attention,

performance, creativity.... Then like a spaceship hurtling throughbombs, problems and projects, I’m breaking up and falling apart. Ican’t stand still. I can’t sit still. I can’t pray. I can’t do anything.Someone please help me. I don’t know what to do. The world isracing by and no one cares. I’m bad. I’ve lost everything. There is noone to help me. Please, someone, please help me. I’m so tired. Sovery tired.”

Do you have a journal entry that captures one of your lowestmoments?

Copy this phrase below: The Lord is my Shepherd. He takes care of me.

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Moment of Contemplation

Picture yourself at one of your lowest moments. How has some-one reached out to you? Or how do you need someone to show youthey care? What would it be like not being alone with your pain?

Sit quietly. Rest. Wait. Journal your thoughts, feelings, desires.

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Holy Darkness

As the legend goes, She-who-flies-swiftly was known by all in theforest for her swift flight, and the magnificent color of her feathersmade her the joy of all the animals that watched her fly above thetrees. One day she broke her wing, and she found safety underneatha tree. The Creator visited her, picked her up, passed his hand overher wing, and placed her gently back under the tree. She-who-flies-swiftly began to sing in her sorrow until her song, which usheredfrom her broken heart, filled the forest with its hauntingly beautifulmelody. She-who-flies-swiftly never flew again, but the healing touch ofthe Creator had given her the miracle of song and a new directionin life. Healing comes in many different ways.

What would you like to say to God?

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Humming on the Journey

Personal Pages Between God and You

God says, “I will be gracious to you when you call out, and I will answer youquickly. I will give you the bread you are hungry for and the water you arethirsting for. I will not hide myself from you any longer but with your owneyes you will see me, your Teacher. And you will hear from behind you myvoice which will say, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’ On that day I will heal allyour wounds.”

(cf. Is 30:19ff.)

Sometimes we grade God’s love for us by how we feel aboutourselves. When we are depressed we can feel lousy—even if wepray a lot for some kind of miracle. God proves his love for us by hisfidelity to us: that no matter how alone, sick, or crazy we feel we are,God still breathes us into life. We might think this to be a cruellove—God should let us die and end it all—but I have found thatdepression yields most beautiful pearls if we have help to walkthrough the night. Becoming “better” probably is your code wordfor becoming as you were before your depression. Instead, Goddreams something more for you.

Do you know of someone who has developed new qualities ofcharacter after an illness? What are some qualities you desire todevelop in yourself?

What is a new path God may be pointing out to you?

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doodles • hopes • fears • lights • prayers • mercies • words • dreams • tears • joys

joys • tears • dreams • words • mercies • prayers • lights • fears • hopes • doodles

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