Getting Your Life Back: The Complete Guide to Recovery from Depression

This is an excellent book, honoring the WHOLE person (body, mind and spirit), down-to-earth and very respectful of the different ways people deal with their personal distress. I am very surprised at the Publisher's Weekly review, as I found the book to be just the opposite of that assessment. In fact, this is the only book I've read whose authors, in fact, DID seem like they knew from experience the dark maze of depression. I have shared the book with others and will continue to recommend it. I discovered the book by accident at a bookstore one lonely gray day and read it three times. It truly is a life-changer.

This was a very informative book, written in plain English for those who are depressed and their families. There are many good exercises besides the profound text it provides. It covers the many forms and facets of depression in a very user-friendly way and I will not hesitate to use it and pass it one to others who may need it. It contains all the keys plus suggestions on how to put them into action and if that alone is not enough, how to talk to your doctor about medications. It gives life coping strategies that anyone can use. I couldn't put this book down.

I am quite grateful for this book, which actually helped me organize my thoughts, get them down on paper, and turn them into a plan for action for working on my depression. The book's focus on taking action was really the key for me, as I imagine it could be for other people experiencing depression. For many years, I was mired in thoughts of my depression and loneliness and felt completely stuck. Within a few days of reading the book and completing the exercises in the opening chapters, I was able to accomplish a few small things that had been really worrying me, and I gradually started to make progress in getting my life back together again.Like another reviewer, I was also surprised by the Publisher's Weekly review posted above and disagree with much of the author's assessment of the book. If you are depressed and feel like you've been going around in circles about daily issues like paying the bills or larger issues about finding meaning in the life you lead, this book might also help you find a way to assess your situation and begin to relieve symptoms of depression. While no book is a cure and any approach to addressing depression requires a strong personal commitment, the authors of this book have really helped me, someone who has suffered from depression for more than 10 years. I thank them very much.

As a person with long-standing problems and treatment of depression, I found this by far the most thorough and useful discussion of depression ever. It is excellent writing from warm, caring, down-to-earth-sounding professionals who do not seem to feel that they are All-Powerful. The authors certainly give the readers all the tools needed to help themselves and to seek and follow professional help when needed. In my opinion, this book should be a textbook for all medical students, whatever their specialty, as well as psychology students, seminary students, and anyone in the "helping" professions.

After reading your Publisher Weekly's Editotrial review, I felt compelled to write my exprerience with this book which was totally different than what your reviewer suggested. I found that "Getting Your Life Back" provided me with a number of personal insights, and a better understanding of the many paths and simple tools that can be used to fight depression. It is any easy read and is also particulary helpful for someone who must deal with a family member or loved one who suffers from this terrible condition. Mike Wallace's endorsement and past history with depression led me to purchase this book.