Our problems are the portals through which we access transformation. -Brooke Sprowl
In her newest book, Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown prudently writes, “We need hope like we need air” (p. 97). To be without it is to feel like we are suffocating. To be without it is to deprive the soul of its oxygen.
Sometimes, we must relearn how to breathe.
Lately, I have been thinking about the impacts that feelings of depression and hopelessness can have on our lives. Today, I want to talk about what causes depression and some ways in which we might choose to relate with it that can open up the space for transformation.
A singular root cause of depression is difficult to identify because it is often caused by a variety of factors, including genetic predispositions. These predispositions make us more vulnerable to the stressors in our lives and can activate feelings of hopelessness. Depression is debilitating, bearing with it layers of trauma. When we go to such dark depths, we can begin to develop a distrust in our own bodies and our abilities to navigate our own lives.
Often, depression can be a result of being cut off from authentic parts of ourselves. We lose touch with vital aspects of our emotions, authenticity, and vulnerability because we have, in various implicit and explicit ways, been taught that they are not acceptable. When this happens we can lose touch with our sense of vitality, aliveness, and authentic self-expression.
But when we relate to our feelings of depression as an invitation to explore which aspects of ourselves have been exiled, then we can begin to call them home.
In this sense, depression can be an invitation to change―an invitation to let go of what isn’t working and step into a new way of being. As crippling as depression can be, it is also a process by which we can deconstruct our former self that is not the full and authentic expression of who we are and begin to create a new and truthful way of being in the world.
There are many research-proven modalities that can help us navigate depression, including neurofeedback, CBT, functional medicine, and other forms of psychotherapy, such as somatic therapy and psychodynamic therapy (and many others you can learn about on our site). In the video below, learn more about what can cause depression and what we might be able to do about it:
At My LA Therapy, we approach depression as the multifaceted issue it is. Just as there isn’t one singular cause, there isn’t just one path to healing it. We offer a multitude of different tools, techniques, modalities, services, and interventions to aid your healing journey. If depression and hopelessness have been weighing heavy on you, find resources. Check out our FREE list of mental resources here, and book a free, initial phone consultation with a therapist at My LA Therapy. We can help identify the root cause of what you’re struggling with, help create a roadmap for your healing journey, and help reteach the soul, finally, how to breathe.
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Writer Bio
Brooke Sprowl is the Founder of My LA Therapy, a concierge therapy practice, and My Truest North, a cross-disciplinary coaching and consultancy firm specializing in mission-driven entrepreneurs seeking greater integrity, spiritual awakening, and deeper ways to actualizing their higher purpose through collective service. With 15 years of clinical experience as an individual, couples, and family therapist, she is trained in a wide-range of approaches, from evidence-based therapy practices to peak performance and flow neuroscience techniques. Brooke is also the host of the podcast, On Living with Brooke Sprowl. She is passionate about writing, cognitive science, philosophy, integrity, spirituality, effective altruism, personal and collective healing, and curating luxury, transformational retreat experiences for people who are committed to self-discovery and using their unique gifts in service of the world.
