Depression is both a curse and a gift.

Depression has given the world breath-taking art and music, has written words of the deepest insight and beauty, has solved some of the greatest mysteries of science. Depression grabs a person and removes the sunglasses of ignorance, forcing them to look directly into the sun. Uncomfortable. Unyielding. Unforgiving.

Paul Evers discusses depression in a conversational manner, describing its multifaceted intertwined roots, and quoting recognised research. He is of opinion that depression is a poor term to describe the growth of awareness unasked for. Uncalled for, but undeniable and critical for our species to survive.

This book started as a simple reference resource for medicinal antidepressant and anti-anxiety herbs, yet it was quickly recognized that this multifaceted condition required a multipronged management system. A simple herb or drug simply will not cut it. A conversation is needed.

So, these stunning herbs now surround that conversation, and the methods of processing root, bark, leaves, or flowers into medicinal extracts, tisanes, essential oils, and ointments are remarkably easy.

Let it inspire to (re)connect and act.

The origin of the depressive mascot is thought to have come from Sir Winston Churchill who often stated that he was 'walking the black dog', his metaphor for the times when he was suffering bouts of dark and gloomy mood. It is now almost universally associated with the condition.

So, how can we get the black dog to do what we want?

We get inside the dog, to see, feel, hear, smell, walk it to train it.