If antidepressants & psychotherapy work so well, why are so many of us still depressed?
Have you tried all the things but still find yourself hounded by the Black Dog of depression?
I want you to know that it's not your fault.
Despite what you may think, you're not broken.
You need to know that depression isn't just about what's happening inside your mind. You're mental wellness is about so much more than that.
The world we're living in right now is enough to make anyone feel depressed.
We're affected by our culture, society, capitalism, the patriarchy, AI technology, poverty, inequality, injustice, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, pollution, climate change...
.....the list goes on.
And yet we're encouraged to look at depression as though it's simply a problem inside our own heads - something we need to 'fix' or treat with medication.
But what if the stuff in our head is only part of the story?
Meds and talking can help, but they're never going to solve all the problems we face in the world.
You can't talk or medicate your way out of inequality or climate change.
And if we need to change the whole bloody world before we can feel better, we're in trouble, right?
But please don't feel hopeless and helpless.
We may not be able to change the world by ourselves, but regardless of what our depressed minds tell us, we can change our corner of it.
And when we do, it has a ripple effect on everything around us.
I've found another way.
I want to show you what I've discovered about finding a way forward when the usual answers to my feelings of depression weren't enough.
Hi, I'm Maria
The Black Dog Whisperer
...and the most important thing you need to know about me is that I'm not your typical mental wellness mentor.
I'm a certified counsellor and ecotherapist and much of my work is grounded in science.
But here's where you're either going to stick around, or decide that you need to get out of here quicksmart.
Cos I'm also a Gaian Witch practising Therapeutic Witchcraft.
Still with me? or closed the tab and moved on?
I hope not, cos I've spent years studying depression, trying different approaches, and - perhaps most importantly - finding my own unique way to tame my Black Dog.
I know how it feels so I'm not here to tell you to think positive, pull yourself together or talk about your feelings until the end of time. I've been there, done that and got the shoddy t-shirt.
I'm here to show you another way.
One that brings together ideas proven in science, connection with nature, practical activities and connection with what really matters, all merged with a little bit of Gaian magick - plus a lot of other fun tools I've gathered on my journey.
Because I've discovered that the way forward isn't about needing to be fixed.
Cos there's nothing wrong with you.
It's really about creating a life you actually want to live.
Just to be clear, I'm not a doctor or psychiatrist and I don't prescribe medication.
That's what your GP and mental health team are for.
What I am is someone who has lived through depression.
And I got sick of it that I spent nearly two decades learning, experimenting and working with people finding their way out of it.
I might well have trained in a whole bunch of modalities that could help you with the black dog of depression.
But my qualifications only tell you part of the story.
I didn't just study this stuff.
I lived it.
My own journey took me far beyond simply trying to feel less depressed.
I changed my life beyond recognition, moving abroad, transforming my relationship with my husband, reconnecting with nature and it's magick and I'm continuing to build a life I genuinely love to live.
Some of the biggest changes came not from treating depression as something broken within me that needed to be fixed, but from changing the life I was living.
Those experiences, combined with everything I've learned professionally, became the foundations of the Gaian Path.
It's the approach I wish I'd had when I was struggling with the Black Dog.
Let me show you how following the Gaian Path can help you to ditch the black dog of depression and guide you towards feeling healthy, happy and whole in a world designed to make us feel powerless.
After the hell you've been through, isn't it time you got to create the happy life you desire and deserve?
You don't have to battle the Black Dog of depression alone!
The Black Dog Café is a FREE, off-Facebook sanctuary for depressed souls who're done pretending they’re fine.
No pressure or platitudes. Definitely no toxic positivity.
Just connection, compassion, and a generous serving of nature's magick to help you get back to feeling more you.
Don't bother getting out of your PJ's - just grab a coffee, tea or yummy hot chocolate and come on over. It's always open, even at 4 am when the black dog bites hardest.
You don’t have to battle depression alone. I'm saving a space for you! ☕
What do people say about working with Maria?
HERE are some blog posts that explain a little bit more about my work and how it can help you.
Because of the endless loads of spam I get, I have comments turned off on my posts. If you'd like to talk about anything you read here, please come over to the Black Dog Café, a safe space for you to ask questions and join the conversation.
Prefer to listen? Subscribe to the Ditch the Black Dog Podcast
What do people say about working with Maria?
About Maria Gaian
Maria Gaian knows first-hand the weight of lifelong depression - and the freedom of taming her own 'black dog'.
After over a decade of intensive study and research, Maria discovered that many sufferers don’t fully recover because traditional treatments only focus on managing or even masking depression, not healing its root cause.
She believes that depression isn’t a standalone illness - it’s often a symptom of deeper issues that need attention such as environmental, societal, cultural, and capitalist pressures.
Maria created The Gaian Path™, a holistic and deeply personal approach that not only supports individual healing but also addresses the external factors that often contribute to mental distress.
After overcoming her own struggles, she made it her mission to show other wounded Souls the path she followed that helped her to feel healthy, happy, and whole.
You're invited to join me in the Black Dog Café
This is typically the space where most people ask you to sign up for their newsletter.
But I know that when you're feeling depressed the last thing you need is loads of emails you'll never read clogging up your inbox.
Yes, you need tips, tools, and suggestions, but you also need to feel seen and heard by people who understand you.
This is my invitation to you to come join me in the Black Dog Café for a chat. All you have to do is bring yourself and your favourite drink!
The café is a little bit different than the typical online groups you might have seen before, and it's perfectly ok if you only want to lurk at first!
