"I now feel I have a real positive tool to help myself and others too."

This is just a big thank you to Mark and the creation of this brilliant site. I put in the Google search engine the question on how to deal with depression, and this site came up. After reading the section on depression and self-help techniques, I now feel I have a real positive tool to help myself and others too.

The part in Mark's text about being in a bird cage with the door wide open, but still not flying out, just hit me like a thunder bolt. It was like I was recognising myself in that statement - I was that bird, but just couldn't make my way out that cage door despite it being open. Also the other thing he said that you can't change the past, but see this as an opportunity to change the future. I knew that if I carried on doing the same old things, week in and week out, and ruminating over the past things that have gone wrong in my life, then nothing would change.

Already my mood has changed from utter sadness, self doubt and not knowing which way forward, to optimistic feelings and renewed enthusiasm. Only I can make them change. It felt like a mammoth effort, but it was worth it just to feel the way I do now - a new way of thinking about my situation and knowing I had just done something positive about it. It has given me a new sense of power over my own destiny.

So again, a big thank you. I will be reading every part of this site to enable me to help my clients in the future as well as myself, and I have book-marked this site too. I think the part where Mark says to use this point in my life with depression as an opportunity for change hit home with me, and also not looking at what went wrong in the past, but to learn from it, but not be that caged bird with the open cage door and not flying out. This bird is almost ready for flying now. Keep up the brilliant work Mark - you're a real treasure.