Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey through Depression

Dr. Michelle Bengtson has been a neuropsychologist for more than twenty years.  She completed postdoctoral trainng at both the Henry Ford Hospital and the University of Alabama Health Sciences Center.  She lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with her husband, their two sons and two dogs.  She offers more hope at www.drmichellebengtson.com.

As a board certified neuropsychologist, Dr. Michelle Bengtson believed she was prescribing the most effective treatments for her clients who struggled with depression.  But when she experienced debilitating depression herself, she found that the treatments se had recommended weren't helping her the way she expected.  She was determined to find out what was missing.
With the deep compassion of someone who has been there, Dr. Bengtson blends her training and that vital missing piece she discovered to offer you a hope grounded in God's love and grace.  She helps you understand what depression is, how it affects you spiritually, and what by God's grace depression cannot do.  The result is an approach that offers not just the management of symptoms but the hope of true release.

My Thoughts:

"The majority of books written on the subject, as well as many treating practitioners, ignore the spiritual side of depression.  The spiritual battle is the reason more people aren't effectively treated and why individuals frequently experience recurrence after treatment.  Treatment, then, if it's to be truly helpful, cannot ignore this aspect.  I endeavor to shed light on this spiritual battle to equip you to fight this war more effectively."  (Dr. Bengtson from Chapter 1)

And equip is exactly what Dr. Bengtson does in her book Hope Prevails.  This book is weighty in that Dr. Bengtson has walked the road of depression and she is very transparent is sharing her journey with readers.  Bengtson isn't just another doctor talking to the reader, but writes as a friend talking with the hurting.  She peels back the layers of this disease and then points to the unfailing hope that is found in Christ.  Dr. Bengtson does not over-spriitualize but offers solid Scriptural support for her directives and and undeniable practical treatment components.

If you or someone you know battles depression, pick this book up today and begin your journey toward victory!

*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher for the purpose of providing an honest review.

Blessings,
Jennifer