Invited to speak about healing myself

I received an invitation from BRIDGES to speak about healing myself from severe depression and share my creative growth as well.  BRIDGES is a non-profit group that supports and assists individuals suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, panic / anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental health issues. I have spoken at BRIDGES before, in 2011, 2 years after I started painting regularly. I was bursting at the seams with excitement that I was feeling better and not only that, I was painting! I would tell anyone that would listen because I was blown away that I was experiencing a new reality.
I truly believe that healing from depression is possible. At this point in time there are not enough resources and acceptance out there for those suffering to feel supported to maintain health. There is a lot of judgment around those who suffer from mental health issues which prevents those suffering to come forward. This world is a crazy place and often times those who are sick are picking up on this and think it all belongs to them. In my own experience it was some of both, my own shit and a lot of the world's shit. When someone gets brave enough to seek treatment often it is heavy on the drugs and light on treating the source of the issue which leaves people numb and not able to live life with vitality and awareness. I am not at all saying drugs are 'bad', they just can't always be the dominant source of treatment. I currently don't take anything for depression but again, I am not saying that you should not take meds. I just want to emphasize the fact that I went from doctors telling me that I would be on them forever and to not expect much improvement to completely changing my life and not requiring meds at all.
Brain Plasticity, or the brain's natural ability to change is what kept me going. You can change your brain with many different practices. I chose meditation, positive affirmations, forgiveness, gratitude, yoga, visualizations, hypnosis and many other things. I studied many things. I realized I had a very high awareness and sensitivity of what was around me. I learned to love this and not despise this about myself. Many people who suffer from depression are very sensitive individuals. We feel a lot and often it is not even ours, it is from those around us. I have learned to not resist depression in myself, it was only the universe trying to get my attention at my unique abilities and gifts that I did not know I had. I am very interested in quantum healing, expanding consciousness, energy healing. If I did not go through experiencing the deep depression I did I would have never discovered these gifts inside me. I learned that life is not about attaining perfect health it is about accepting the present moment and being grateful for what each moment is revealing to us. You know what is amazing about the grace of the universe? After so many years of experiencing life like I was wrapped up in dense fog and in so much pain, I have no vivid recollection of that pain when I am not in it. For that I am so grateful. I will be speaking at BRIDGES in Hinton, Alberta on October 11th.