How many "bad days" can you have in a row before those "bad days" become something more that just feeling down? Dr. Gregory Jantz gives you practical ways to recognize the signs of depression. Using five time-tested keys, this book will take you through a "whole person" and biblical approach to healing, so that you can overcome depression.
Another excellent book by jantz. The author includes things that contribute to depression, ways to get out of that funk, and scriptures to heal the heart.
At just over 100 pages, this book felt more like a pamphlet or a tract. Dr. Jantz has written a brief primer on how to identify the signs of clinical depression, followed by individual chapters on how to take some steps toward healing. The five keys denoted in the title are really just the areas where that healing needs to start: The emotions, psyche, relationships, physical body, and spirit.
The book is clear, simple to understand, and direct. I appreciated that the material is laid out in a very practical fashion, with checklists and action steps. Dr. Jantz is a Christian, and intersperses the book with quotations from the Bible. Although I have no issue with this, I sometimes found the verses a bit out of place. I suspect that someone who is not a believer might feel the same, as the connection between the material and the quotes is not always obvious, especially without a fuller theology to explain it.
Nonetheless, this could be a useful volume for someone beginning to seek a road to recovery from depression. Dr. Jantz appears to be an experienced clinician and the suggestions seem sound.
I didn’t find anything in here to be life-alteringly illuminating, but it’s a good basic primer for those who might be just starting their journey towards recovery from depression. Jantz gives practical tips and good advice on how to start dealing with this condition. It is a Christian publication, but there is much content that applies to everyone.
A straight to the point kind of book. I like the approach the author takes; simple yet encouraging. 4 stars because I wish to have had more examples or exercises to work on.
Gregory L. Jantz, Ph.D., author of “Five Keys to Dealing with Depression,” creates a framework for the reader to identify the key indicators of depression in laymen’s terms. He also provides a list along with an explanation of how certain medical and health conditions can make one susceptible to depression or depression-like symptoms. Jantz employs a “whole person” approach recovery methodology. This approach consist of five aspects: intellectual, emotional, relational, spiritual, and physical. As each aspect of the “whole person” approach is explored, the contrast between balance and unbalance is emphasized.
Throughout this publication, there are sidebars that contain Bible passages with an insert of reassurance of God’s love and promises. Some of these sidebars are used to remind the reader of God’s commandments regarding our conduct as Christians. Scenario based examples are utilized to illuminate patterns, behaviors, frequency, and severity. Jantz suggests a variety of activities to counteract the imbalances. He does not suggest that medication is not an option, but remarks that studies reveal the healing process improves significantly when therapy is accompanied with medication.
I believe the book serves well from a self-awareness perspective. I was disappointed that the sidebars were not expounded upon more. This book is primarily focused on depression and its symptoms with common suggestions to counteract negative behavior. It is not a book on how to deal with depression from a scriptural viewpoint. Any spiritual content utilized is more of a sidebar or afterthought. I believe I would appreciate the book more if there was a marriage of godly principles and common counteractive methods interwoven throughout the book.
This book is ideal for those who may show signs of depression and is useful in identifying key indicators of depression. Because it offers helpful insight it could be used as a resource for supporting those exhibiting behavioral patterns of depression.