Hello I’m Destiny, here is my experience of Post-Natal Depression

I am a 48 year old single woman and have struggled with depression on-and-off since I was a child. I tried different medications to help with my low mood, but they did not really help. I had some short term therapy with the NHS; which was helpful in the moment, however the positive effects soon wore off. I didn’t really have anything to be depressed about; I had a good childhood, a good job which I love, a good circle of friends and I regularly keep myself active…..but before I started therapy I still felt really low, down and tearful. I could not explain it. When I talked to friends and family they just told me to ‘get over it’. They said that “I did not have anything to be depressed about” and that “other people were in a worse position”. This was not really helpful. I started therapy with Zara as I wanted to explore my feelings and get to the root cause of my depression.

I had weekly therapy sessions in person as this was my preference. Therapy gave me that space every week where I felt free to offload everything; all my thoughts and feelings. I never felt judged, Zara validated my feelings and listened to me. Sharing my experiences and feelings with Zara helped me to realise that for much of my life, I was not listened to; by my parents, close friends or previous partners. This feeling of being invisible affected my mood negatively. Therapy helped me to find my voice; by expressing my feelings to the people in my life and being more assertive. Therapy helped me find my voice so I could put boundaries in place with those around me. This helped me feel more seen. I still have some work to do, put I definitely feel happier compared to when I started therapy.