The Pacific Northwest winter can be a truly challenging time for those of us who are prone to depression, which by its nature makes you feel hopeless and despairing. Fortunately our ever-compassionate Mother Earth provides many natural remedies that are very effective. For me these herbs have been absolute game-changers. I recommend getting them in capsule form and taking them all together:

Passionflower ~ Anti-anxiety, helpful for insomnia
Kava Kava ~ Anti-anxiety, works as well as Valium
Saint John's Wort ~ Increases serotonin, heals ancestral trauma
Albizzia ~ Lifts your mood
Lemon balm ~ Lifts your mood

I really like a product called Kava Gold that includes all of the above: https://www.amazon.com/…/offer-lis…/B00RE8F0P6/ref=as_li_tl…

Liquid GABA ~ A neurotransmitter that makes it easier to get rid of negative thought loops/spirals. Here is a link to the product that I use: https://amzn.to/2ZU23ds

CBD oil ~ Calms the mind, opens the heart
My favorite brand so far is Healthy Roots, specifically their 1,000mg bottle. You can use code TARA15 to get 10% off your purchase.

Ylang Ylang essential oil clears negative thinking

Food
What we put in our bodies powerfully affects our consciousness and this is why food is medicine too. The vibration of what we eat, as well as how the various foods affect the internal harmony or disharmony of our body, impacts our mood.

Eating high fat foods for example may lead to liver stagnation, which causes depression. Dandelion root is a great herb to take to clear liver stagnation. My favorite way is dandelion root "coffee" which has no caffeine. My favorite store-bought brand that makes this is Dandy Blend.

Sugar is a mood killer and often spirals anxiety out of control.

Holistic Practices to try include:

~ Receiving healing touch via massage to increase dopamine `(when dopamine is low we feel overwhelmed and burned out). I especially like reflexology foot massage because we can target every organ efficiently and balance the energy in the body.

~ Jogging and hiking in nature to increase endorphins and process stress hormones

~ Lifting weights to process stress and irritability

~ Grounding into the present moment - depression is mentally exacerbated by focusing on the past or one's self. I like the mantra: The past is history, the future is a mystery, and the present is a gift.

~ Prioritizing fun and trying to make life feel enjoyable

~ Smudging and cleansing your energy field with palo santo, dried sage and western red cedar, and epsom salt baths

~Having a regular wake and bedtime routine

~ listening to binaural beats

~ Laughing! Laughter yoga and comedy specials are so helpful

~ Receiving alternative healing arts including acupuncture, reiki, and shamanic healing for childhood wounds, as well as kambo frog medicine to purify the negative energy and reset my physical organs

~ Being creative and otherwise having an outlet for mental or creative energy (thought spirals can come from misuse of creative intelligence)

~ Listening to podcasts or talks, and watching TV or movies can be very healthy for distracting the mind from rumination

~ Fun - Often times depression is actually a fun deficiency! Our society prioritizes hard work and many of us define ourselves by it and feel guilty having fun especially if we are overwhelmed with responsibilities. And yet that is precisely when we most need fun!

~ Cognitive behavioral therapy or speaking to a spiritual counselor can be deeply helpful because many times our depression is being caused by negative stories that we are telling ourselves. An outside perspective can help us see these and craft more empowering narratives that lift us up. (This is one of my specialties.)

If you or someone you know is ever in a serious crisis where the hopelessness has led to suicidal ideation, it's great to have this number on hand for immediate free mental health counseling by phone 24/7: 503-588-9887