It's Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self

Psychotherapist Hilary Jacobs Hendel presents patient stories and exercises to help readers connect with healing emotions and discover their authentic selves. Patients including Sara, Spencer, and Bonnie came to Hendel seeking treatment for depression, but none were chemically depressed. Instead, Hendel found that childhood traumas had caused them to develop emotional defenses that mimicked depression symptoms. Hendel uses accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP), a method pioneered by Diana Fosha, PhD. This approach teaches patients to identify defenses and inhibitory emotions (shame, guilt, and anxiety) that block core emotions (anger, sadness, fear, disgust, joy, excitement, and sexual excitement). Experiencing core emotions fully allows access to an openhearted state characterized by calm, curiosity, connection, compassion, confidence, courage, and clarity. The Change Triangle is a tool Hendel introduces to guide readers from disconnection back to their true self. The book teaches why all emotions have value, how to identify emotions and defenses against them, how to address anxiety, and how to develop compassion for oneself. Hendel provides navigational tools, body and thought exercises, personal anecdotes, and insights from patient breakthroughs to help readers apply the Change Triangle in daily life and move toward psychological well-being.