Through The Valley of the Shadow of Death. Journey Through Major Mental Illness as Experienced by a Mental Health PhD Candidate

Abstract

The author describes her struggle with depression and borderline personality disorder, self-harm, and suicidality. She first reviews the long years during which she did not respond to any of the numerous antidepressant medications that were prescribed. She then describes how she finally achieved healing and good functioning as a result of long-term caring psychotherapy in the context of a strong therapeutic relationship in combination with medications that were found to be effective for her symptoms.