Is Depression Getting You Down?

Do you: 

😟 Struggle to find any pleasure or joy in life?

🐺 Feel guilt and shame because you have so much when others on the planet have so little? 

😟 Feel isolated, trapped inside the prison of your mind with only your hateful inner b*tch for company?

🐺 Get frustrated cos no matter how much medication you take or how much talking therapy you do, you don’t feel any better. In fact you feel exhausted, zombified or worse. Maybe you can’t even access therapy where you are? 

😟 Feel like you aren’t good enough, don’t fit in, or don’t deserve to be happy?

🐺 You know that ‘future you’ would be so much better off if you made changes in your life, but you don’t have the energy or motivation to do what you need to do right now.

😟 Worry about the effect your mental health is having on your family? Maybe you secretly wonder if they’d be better off without you?

🐺 Get sick of feeling sad, numb, empty, powerless and hopeless and wish you could just escape from the pain? Maybe you wish you could go to sleep and not wake up again?

🦊 Wish there was somewhere you could get help, someone to talk to, especially at 4 am when things seem darkest? 

I’ve been there, my friend! You are NOT alone. 

Hi, I’m Maria Gaian.

I know how it feels to battle depression.  

As a neurodivergent (ASD & ADHD) abuse survivor, I felt like depression was built into my DNA.

No matter what I did, I couldn’t escape the prison of my own mind.

I felt broken beyond repair and my poor mental health affected every area of my life.

My confidence and creativity disappeared and I felt very alone in my pain. 

The black dog would always be lurking in the shadows and sometimes I’d lose the battle and slip into a severe bout of depression.  

Occasionally, I’d pick myself up and feel better.

I managed to rebuild my life a few times, meeting my beloved Soulmate, starting fantastic businesses, having my gorgeous kids.

From the outside, my life seemed perfect. I looked like I had it all! 

But because I never really dealt with the root causes of the depression, I always had the black dog snapping at my heels.

All it would take was a setback and my world would fall apart again. Just like it did in 2013. 

In 2013, it all came to a head and I had a nervous breakdown.

I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and an anxiety disorder on top of the cPTSD I was already struggling with.

This time everything went to complete sh*t.

I lost my business – so we had no money.

Which meant we couldn’t pay the rent and we had to move into emergency housing.

I started to search for a solution.

The doctors suggested antidepressants and six weeks of psychiatric support, but they actually made me feel MORE depressed and sad cos I felt like there was no hope for me, that I’d always feel this bad.

I felt out of control of my own mind. 

There had to be something better!  

Years ago I certified as a coach and counselor, so it made sense that I’d try coaching, but for some reason it didn’t work for me long term. 

It wasn’t anyone’s fault, it was just that what I wanted wasn’t available.

I needed more than just one hour a week of talking to a counselor.

And the coaching courses I tried weren’t equipped to help me with depression.

(Many coaches won’t touch working with depression with a bargepole!

They worry they aren’t equipped to help, which is fair.)

My ideal solution was one where I could get help anytime I wanted, a place where I could get what I needed on demand.

Whether it was to understand more about depression and what causes it, a healing session, a quick mood boost, or advice about practical lifestyle changes that might help me feel better.

I wanted support from someone who understood what I was going through, and wasn’t afraid to help me dig through the messiness of my life.

I wasn’t asking for much, was I?

It wasn’t out there, so I created it! 

Introducing the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat

The Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat is a sacred healing space and community specifically designed to support you on your journey to rediscovering happiness and contentment in your life.

There are a multitude of reasons why you might feel depressed and as a member of the Virtual Retreat, you’ll get access to a variety of tools and techniques to help you to not just heal, but to thrive. ear the calls of your soul, feel centred and live a soul-led life. Each month you’ll be invited to attend Sacred Circles, Support Groups and community events.

I want to share what I discovered with you.

If you’re open to exploring natural and magickal ways to heal from depression, you’re in the right place!

Imagine what it would be like to live without the black dog of depression constantly snapping at your heels. 

What would it be like to wake up feeling good about yourself and your life?

Imagine if things felt sunny instead of like you’re living in the middle of a dark cloud.

What if you could change the things that make you feel depressed?

What’s included when you join the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Sacred Retreat?

Access to me

Access to a supportive community, you are no longer alone.

A safe place to ask questions

A safe place to access information and tell your story.

A safe place to vent, talk and cry. 

Why a membership? Ongoing support. Therapy packages / sessions have an end date. You get to choose how long you need support for.  

Live Sacred Support & Healing Sessions

Access to Healing Recordings

I’ve created a library of recordings that are infused with healing energy and Gaian Magick™.

The recordings also use modern neuroscience based techniques to help you rewild your mind & heal your Soul.

All you have to do is relax and listen!

I’ll be adding new ones every couple of months.

 Value $55 – $111 EACH!

Open Therapy Hours

Soul Care Sessions

Support, Motivation & Inspiration from the DTBD Community

Connection is the often forgotten key to healing.

I know you might hate the idea of talking to people right now, but I invite you to be supported on your way to feeling healthy, happy, and whole.

The community is a safe, inclusive, and private space for you to connect with others on the same journey.

Value: PRICELESS

Practical Programs & Advice

Whilst I love using Therapeutic Witchcraft™, Soul Healing & Gaian Magick™ to help you heal, there’s a lot of practical action you can take, too.

I’ve included some programs to help you. Start with the ‘Seven Pillars of Mental Wellness’ and discover the ‘Depression Recovery Roadmap’.

 Value $7 – $111 EACH!

Exclusive Events

• support, inspiration and motivation from an experienced mental wellness mentor and ecotherapist who knows and understands your pain.  

• to belong to a SAFE, INCLUSIVE, well moderated community full of folks who are also learning new ways to manage their mental health and wellness. 

• To learn holistic, personalized methods to help you feel healthy, happy, and whole that don’t rely on long term use of pharmaceutical medication, or endless years of talk therapy that leaves you feeling worse than you did before! 

• Access to FREE products, as well as earlybird discounts on other magickal products and services before they’re made available to the general public. 

You’ll get access to: –

 a supportive, safe, well moderated community;

 self study courses;

 e-books and journals;

 rewilding recordings;

 open therapy hours;

 activities that you can do at home with your family and companion animals if you have them;

 monthly quests and challenges;

and much, much more!

Get regular access to therapy that doesn’t cost the Earth

No waiting lists

No appointments in clinical rooms,

No parking,

No childcare necessary,

No need to get out of your jamas if you don’t want.

No judgement.

All you need is an open heart, open mind and a curious Spirit! 

Did you know that connection with others is one of the biggest keys to healing and thriving?

For example, you’re more likely to recover from depression, grief, or heartbreak if you join a support group. 

You’re also much more likely to achieve a goal if you have a bunch of folks cheering you on when things get tough.

And that’s why I love the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat.

Sacred Circles bring us together in a safe, inclusive space to do transformational and healing work.

Feeling supported by a group of folks who understand us gives us the sense of belonging that we humans need to thrive.

And whilst we are all powerful as individuals, our power is magnified when we come together in Circle.

It amplifies even more when we invite Spirit to join us!

We can harness the positive energy of connection and community to help each other dare to dream, heal our wounded souls, banish our blocks and manifest our dream lives, so we can all feel healthy, happy, and whole.

My Sacred Circles aren’t just a weekly group healing session.

Although the group gatherings are powerfully therapeutic by themselves, I also want you to be able to access extra support when you need it.

All of my Sacred Circles come with access to their own community – a supportive online sanctuary (NOT Facebook) full of people who understand. The community is open 24/7 and gives you a whole toolkit of extras to help you when you need it.

No more feeling alone and struggling in the darkest hours of the night when everything feels bleakest.

Affirmations & Journal Prompts

Every week I’ll give you an affirmation and a journal prompt to help you get to the root of why you’re depressed and what you need in your life to help yourself heal.

Value $66 a month

Daily Tarot & Oracle Card Pulls

I’ll be giving daily healing messages from the tarot and oracle cards for the collective, but you’ll also get chance to win a personal card pull every month!

Value $111 a month

How Much?

I’m very mindful of the fact that many people who need help to heal from depression are also struggling financially – in fact, your financial situation could what’s causing you to feel depressed!

Connecting with a community is one of the most important things you can do if you want to alleviate the symptoms of depression.

Feeling supported by a group of folks who understand us gives us the sense of belonging that we humans need to thrive.

And whilst we are all powerful as individuals, our power is magnified when we come together in Circle.

It amplifies even more when we invite Spirit to join us!

We can harness the positive energy of connection and community to help each other dare to dream, heal our wounded souls, banish our blocks and manifest our dream lives, so we can all feel healthy, happy, and whole.

Who is the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat for?

The Virtual Retreat is for you if you’re: –

🦊 ready for change;

🐺 sick of depression controlling your life;

🦊 committed to your own self development and not looking for someone to ‘FIX’ you;

🐺 open to trying new things;

🦊 open to working with Spirit and the metaphysical world;

🐺 a lover of nature and animals and the planet we all share;

🦊 desiring to break the cycle of depression and become a great role model for your kids and others around you;

🐺 ready to take responsibility for your own life and the choices you’ve made so far;

🦊 desiring to create your dream life and you’re willing to push back against your inner b*tch and get out of your comfort zone to achieve that.

It doesn’t matter if you aren’t quite there yet, as long as you have a tiny spark of fight inside of you, you can turn things around!

Who is the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat NOT for?

This space isn’t for you if:-

🐺 you’re struggling with suicidal ideation – please see your GP or call the Samaritans FIRST. If you can’t get hold of anyone to support you, please download my Emergency Ditch the Black Dog First Aid Kit until you can speak to a licenced medical professional. 

🦊 your therapist or GP advises you against it;

🐺 you’re looking for someone to ‘FIX’ you, whilst you are passive and do nothing to help yourself;  

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you ready to heal the wounds that keep you trapped in depression?

Any Questions?

Email [email protected]

I’m always happy to help.