Overview

An intimate memoir on living a joyful life with mental illness. Marsha Jacobson was thirteen when her world shifted: Depression hit so severely that she could hardly eat. Once a spunky girl, Marsha became withdrawn, afraid to share her thoughts. Her parents, while loving, were not open to discussing mental illness. Marsha struggled with depressive episodes and anxiety throughout adolescence and at university, but at age thirty, she opened her heart to a different approach: With the understanding that depression and anxiety would always be a part of her, Marsha gave them loving space. She discovered new ways of perceiving her mental health, embracing acceptance rather than shame and self-love instead of self-hate. Her openheartedness replaced a life of secrecy. From these perspectives she created tools like her ""worry waiting room,"" learned to speak directly to her intrusive thoughts, and allowed herself grace to tend to her illness as she would any other. Marsha gained much of her wisdom through raising four children, all of whom live with their own mental health struggles. A refreshing read for those who have grown weary of narratives proclaiming cures, To Depression, With Love offers an accessible, shame-free path to living a happy life alongside mental illness.

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9781964721941

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Reviews

""A thoughtful memoir, To Depression, with Love reflects on the long, unfinished work of living with depression across time, family, and change . . . Details like eating the same egg-salad sandwich every day capture the rhythms of living with depression better than clinical descriptions or abstract reflections ever could."" -Foreword Clarion Reviews ""An honest and insightful work that takes the reader on a journey through the painful grips of anxiety and depression, coupled with the joyous moments of a wonderful life. From the past to the present and back again, we see the shame, stigma, and challenges of mental illness framed within this journey. We join Marsha in a world of discoveries about anxiety and depression, therapy, and the techniques that at times can rescue her. A work well worth reading. Joyous, in a most surprising way!"" -Joe Rich, MSW, RSW, author, and longtime guest therapist on CTV's The Marilyn Denis Show and CHUM 104.5 ""To Depression, With Love is so beautifully written and so poignant. Marsha's story feels intimate, and one can imagine sitting across from her, curled up, cup of tea in hand. Readers will journey with Marsha through her initial shame and need for secrecy toward acceptance and self-love. Unlike many other 'cure-all' themed memoirs, which can be unrelatable to so many, Marsha's memoir will give individuals suffering from depression and anxiety much food for thought, many useful tools and ideas, and above all, the comfort of knowing that they are not alone."" -Jennifer Kolari, child and family therapist and author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise a Great Kid ""Using vivid descriptive language and creative metaphors, Marsha bravely and authentically shares her journey. This is not your typical 'see how I did it so you can too' self-help book. However, the experiences that Marsha shares and the knowledge that she has gleaned from therapists and others closest to her-as a human being, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and mother, in particular-will leave you with loads of ideas about how you, too, can manage your struggle with mental illness. Reading To Depression, With Love will not only be an invaluable and inspirational resource for anyone who feels alone in their struggle, but for those who are walking alongside them on what can be a tumultuous, challenging journey."" -Sara Dimerman, author, psychologist, and host of the Experts Connect with HelpMeSara podcast ""Marsha Jacobson's memoir reveals the unique combination of determination and acceptance that allowed her to find sunlight and purpose even while living under depression's shadow."" -Zindel V. Segal, PhD, professor of psychology in mood disorders, University of Toronto-Scarborough

Author Information

Marsha Jacobson earned her master's degree in clinical psychology at the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, Russell, and is the proud mother of four children and grandmother of seven grandchildren. Marsha's perspectives about depression and anxiety have been influenced by both her education and her lived life.

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