I was introduced to Dr. James Gordon through my good friend Dr. Joan Borysenko.  Both Jim and Joan are highly respected physicians who have devoted their lives to helping individuals help heal through integrating the practices of conventional medicine, and alternative practices.  These alternative practices can be anything from meditation to Chinese movement exercises.  Over the years it has proven that the combination of integrating the western and eastern practices is quite effective in treating everything from depression to heart disease and cancer.

When Dr. Gordon is not in Washington D.C attending to patients and overseeing the Mind Body Institute, he is traveling training others in the art and delivery of integrative medicine practice.  Twice per year he put on a Mind Body Medicine Professional Training program that attracts physicians, clinicians and social workers from all over the world.

In my interview we discuss his new book entitled “Unstuck-Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression.”  Dr. Gordon states that “Depression is not a disease.”  He challenges the perceived wisdom on how depression is viewed and treated. He goes on to explain that depression can be treated without the use of antidepressants and outlines the practical steps we can take to exert control over our own lives.

It is obvious that antidepressants are the first choice of treatment for depression in the country and hugely profitable business. Each year, American doctors write 189 million prescriptions for people suffering from depression, as well as others who are inhibited, shy, anxious or unhappy.

Dr. Gordon argues that there is surprisingly little evidence that they are more effective than a variety of other approaches.  In our interview we explore Dr. Gordon’s seven-stage journey out of depression.

In Unstuck, Dr. Gordon has taken forty years of experience treating patients suffering from depression and distilled it down to an easy to follow guide to understanding the causes of depression and the ways to address theses causes, as well as helpful suggestions for relieving depression’s symptoms.  In the seven-stage program, Dr. Gordon explains the useful, mood-healing benefits of: food and nutritional supplements; movement, exercise, and dance; psychotherapy, meditation and guided imagery; spiritual practice and prayer.  Each chapter concludes with a carefully designed Prescription for Self-Care.

I know you will enjoy my interview with Dr. Gordon.  If you are experience a little depression as a result of our world economic crisis or just daily living, then this interview and Dr. Gordon’s book are a must read.

If you would like to learn more about the Mind Body Institute and Dr. James Gordon, just click here.  You can also obtain his book by clicking on the book cover in this post.  Happy listening, and enjoy the podcast.