Two Takes on Depression

Treating the very condition you live with––A clinician's dual perspective
by Deborah Serani, Psy.D.

Broken Heart Syndrome: It's Real and It's Rough

Valentine's Day is not always a candy-coated day of love and romance. For many who've lost a loved one, suffered a break up or are on the brink of separation or divorce, this day is anything but sweet. Learning about Broken Heart Syndrome can help you heal from your love trauma and make it through emotional calendar events like this. Read More

On the "Celebrity Coming Out" of Mental Illness

When a celebrity discloses about his or her mental illness, the shadow of stigma fades. Read More

Discontinuation Syndrome

Discontinuation Syndrome with SSRI medications differs from the classical withdrawal syndrome associated with CNS depressant drugs. Learn what to look for and how to come safely off your medication with these tips. Read More

Depression and New Year Resolutions

Feeling depressed at the turn of the year? Here are some ways to foster well-being while making resolutions - that even if you fail, you win. Read More

Living with Depression Through the Holidays

The holiday season is not just a time for traditional festivities, merry making, good will and celebrating with loved ones. For some, it's the loneliest time of the year. Living with depression can make it even tougher. Read More

Out of Bounds: Sexual Abuse in Sports

Research shows that sexual abuse happens in all sports and at all levels. Learn about what to look for and tips for keeping your child safe. Read More

Caregivers and Depression

November is National Family Caregiver Awareness Month. Read more about why certain caregivers are prone to depression and what you can do to offset these trends. Read More

Seasonal Affective Disorder: Trends and Tips

It’s that time of year again – when the days become shorter and darkness punches in earlier at the time clock. And just like clockwork, a great number of children and adults fall into a predictable set of symptoms, commonly called "Seasonal Affective Disorder". Read More

On the Couch...with Cliff Richey

Tennis champion, Cliff Richey, talks with Dr. Deborah Serani on how to defeat depression. In his autobiography, "Acing Depression," Richey's story of depression and redemption is sure to inspire anyone whose life is touched by mental illness. Read More

How to Fight Mental Illness Stigma

Learning how to deal with stigma can be easier when you know the different kinds of stigmatizing experiences. There are five levels of stigma that can affect your daily living experiences if you have depression. Stigmatizing beliefs occur on a personal level, in the general public, within professions, via labels and by associative connections. Read More

On the Couch...with Delta Burke

When I asked Delta Burke to read my book on depression, I never thought a meaningful friendship would develop. But it did. Lesson learned is that depression doesn't care who you are, where you've been or what you've done in your life. Talking openly about your experiences, though, can help you heal and help others find their way as well. Read More

Relapse Prevention: It's the "How" That Counts

"How" you process sad experiences determines if you are prone to depressive relapse. A recent University of Toronto study sheds light on this fascinating discovery. Read More

If It Bleeds, It Leads: Understanding Fear-Based Media

News programming uses a hierarchy "if it bleeds, it leads". If you live with depression, read on for why fear-based media may not be good for your mental health. Read More

The Anniversary Effect

Living with depression requires you to understand that you have two calendars. One that keeps the time and date, and the other that holds the emotional experiences of those events. Being mindful about what lies ahead on your time calendar can help you avoid mood swings and relapses. Read More

"Here One Day" - A Narrative of Loss and Understanding

"Here One Day" is a documentary by filmmaker Kathy Leichter about the suicide of her mother. Filmed by the winner of the 2010 Excellence in Cinematography Award at The Sundance Film Festival, this touching documentary shows what happens to those left behind after a loved ones dies by suicide. Read More

On the Couch... with Dick Cavett

The first celebrity I ever heard talk openly about depression was Dick Cavett. Learning of Cavett's depression was extraordinarily meaningful for me, because it offered a sense of relief from the shame I was experiencing from my own major depressive episode. Read More

Comfort Foods Improve Moods

When you're living with depression, it's important to know that there's also a physiological influence to the food you consume. The chemical structure of what you eat communicates with your body, which can affect cognition, influence mood and physical body states. When you're depressed, you need to feed your mind body and soul with all things good. Read More

Do You Know All Your R's?

Move over Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic. It's time to get schooled about the 5R's known as Response, Remission, Recovery, Relapse and Recurrence. If you're living with depression, or any chronic illness for that matter, you will likely move through many, if not all of these clinical experiences. Read More

On The Couch...With Jessie Close

Jessie Close didn't know she was living with a Mood disorder until she was 47 years old. Up until then, the younger sister of Hollywood legend, Glenn Close, endured depression, suicide attempts and alcoholism for as long as she can remember. Read More

Charlie Sheen: Wild Boy, Troubled Man

Professionally speaking, I can't help but see the clinical symptoms Charlie Sheen demonstrates and conclude that he's in a very fragile place. Read More

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a mindful way to treat disorders. Read More

The Benefits of Napping

If there was a contest for napping, I'd take first place. I can nap anywhere, anytime. It's one of my many talents. Even my cat's in awe of my skills.Just about everyday around 2:00 pm, I can be found catnapping in a chair, at my desk or if I'm lucky, in a sunny spot somewhere. I fall into this semiconscious place where I'm not sound asleep but I'm not fully awake either. Read More

Broken Heart Syndrome

A broken heart doesn't just weigh heavy on your mind. It significantly impacts your body. Read More

Welcome to "Two Takes on Depression"

As a young girl, I always felt this looming sense of sadness. I remember feeling tired and sullen a good deal of the time when I was in school. These feelings didn't get much better when I was at home either. Like Eeyore, the glum little donkey from the Hundred Acre Wood, I was known as a sad-sack to friends and family. Read More

Deborah Serani, Psy.D.

Dr. Deborah Serani is a psychologist and psychoanalyst who lives with depression and specializes in its diagnosis and treatment.

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Are You with the Right Mate?

It is natural to wonder if your partner is the right one for you.