Depression can convince us that healing is impossible. But recovery doesn’t come all at once — it shows up in small, powerful signs of change.

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, Cara McErlain from Belfast shares her lived experience of depression, therapy, and gradual healing. She opens up about the darkest moments of her journey and the hopeful signs that showed her recovery was possible: flashes of joy, moments of connection, and learning to see herself with compassion.

If you’ve ever wondered what recovery from depression looks like, or how to recognize the signs of healing, Cara’s story offers both validation and hope.

Primary Topics Covered

• What recovering from depression can look like in real life
• The difference between sadness, numbness, and depression
• Cara’s personal story of living with depression since her teens
• Why therapy helped validate her trauma and shift her perspective
• Signs of healing: small “flashes of light” in daily life
• Coping strategies: journaling, photography, and peer support
• How depression lies and distorts memories of happiness
• Why healing is not linear — setbacks are part of recovery
• The importance of lived experience and peer validation
• Reframing recovery as gradual signs of hope and healing

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction  
02:00 – Cara’s lived experience with depression  
03:08 – Finding euphoric joy after deep depression  
04:24 – Sadness vs numbness: what depression really feels like  
05:29 – Living with depression since adolescence  
06:21 – The silence around mental health while growing up  
07:12 – Therapy: validating trauma and reframing her story  
09:36 – Naming trauma and its healing power  
10:09 – The turning point: reaching out for help  
12:01 – Beginning therapy during her lowest point  
13:37 – Recovery isn’t linear: ups and downs of the journey  
14:45 – Recognizing “flashes of light” as signs of healing  
15:47 – Journaling and photography as coping tools  
16:38 – Why hearing “it gets better” matters  
18:52 – Holding on through the darkest times  
20:11 – Reframing small daily moments as recovery  
22:38 – Closing reflections: hope after depression  

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