Abstract:
This article presents some of the wisdom emerging from a study of the narratives of 18 New Zealand women whose lives had been seriously disrupted by depression. While a huge body of research exists addressing recovery from depression, most of it has focused on the dominant professional solutions of medication and therapy. In this study, the knowledge comes from women who found support for recovery outside the "expert" mainstream. Counsellors can learn from the "lay" solutions and understandings experienced by these women. The major conclusions drawn from the analysis of the stories are discussed in this article. These emphasise the gendered and holistic nature of depression and recovery, and the importance of distinguishing between "chocolate" solutions that address the symptoms, and "meaning-making" solutions that address the deeper matters that often underpin depression. The findings also challenge the need to distinguish between a major depressive disorder and dysthymia when supporting women to find their own formulae for recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
