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Dancing With Depression

Dancing With Depression

Written by: Adam Turner
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 Welcome to Dancing With Depression. This is a podcast dedicated to opening up the conversation about mental health, focusing specifically on depression. I was diagnosed with depression in 2015. I've realized how crucial it is to talk openly about this topic, breaking its stigma. Like taboo subjects such as income, politics, or religion, depression should not be off-limits. Through sharing my journey, from my upbringing to my personal experiences and moments of vulnerability, I aim to convey that it's okay to feel this way. We are not alone, and most importantly, we did nothing wrong. Depression doesn't confine itself to a specific upbringing, socio-economic status, or background. I hope my stories encourage others to share their own experiences, highlighting how depression affects not just individuals but their loved ones as well. Every day with depression is different for me. Some days, it's a mild waltz; other days, it can start with a tap dance, shift into a Salsa, and by noon, I’m a Ballet dancer – leaping, bending, lifting (the weight of my depression), and balancing myself on the tips of my toes all while spinning rapidly. I invite you to join me as we navigate the complex dance with depression together, all while striving to Take The Lead!© 2026 Adam Turner Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Considering Therapy? Nerves Are Normal. Just Ask Giselle

    Considering Therapy? Nerves Are Normal. Just Ask Giselle
    Jan 16 2026
    Welcome to the Dancing with Depression podcast. I'm your host, Adam Turner. If you've never been to therapy, you might not know what to expect. My only understanding of it came from watching The Sopranos. Dramatic, intense, sometimes a little scary. The truth is, it’s very different. So, it was only fitting to invite my first therapist, Giselle Schochet.Okay, before we go down memory lane, I want to set the stage for today's conversation. If you've never been to therapy before, or if you've considered going, but weren't sure what to expect, this episode is designed for you. We're going to break down what the first session really looks like. So, you can feel a little more at ease with them.a process that just typically is kind of uncomfortable at first. What's cool is you're going to hear it from both sides, my perspective as a client, which I still want to refer to as a patient, but anyways, who has had that experience. And then we're also going to get the perspective of an expert, Giselle, who guides people through this.pretty much every day. So speaking of experts, I'm joined by someone who played an important role in my own personal mental health journey. She holds a Master of Science and is a licensed marriage and family therapist, Giselle Schockett. Thanks for having me, Adam.It’s great to see you. We want to talk a little bit about what that first appointment or scheduling is like but before we dive in, can you share just a little bit about your professional backgroundWhat ultimately led you into this line of work? Okay, so I've been in private practice for 28 years and I started out as an intern going through my master's program at a pastoral counseling center. That's where I got my start and from there, I think I worked there for about five years.While I was working towards my licensure because you must get a certain number of client face-to-face hours to sit for the board to get your license and then Unfortunately that pastoral counseling center went out of business. So, one of my colleagues and I went and opened our own practice. And we were very fortunate, of course, because we were able to take a lot of those clients with us. So that was nice. I also have worked in emergency departments.three of them for, I no longer work in emergency departments, but I worked in three of them for about 20 years at the same time as I was doing private practice. And that is an entirely different situation and a wonderful way to get experience with every mental health issue you can imagine. I really, really enjoy that. And, now I'm just in private practice and kind of easing into retirement, I want to say to anyone who's listening that this is my first time doing a podcast and I am scared to death so I want anyone to understand that Everything new is scary And you just have to take that leap of faith and take the first step and make that phone call and if someone doesn't call you back that unfortunately doesn't mean anything is wrong with you it means that they're not giving good customer service that's all that means so make the next phone call go down your list and find someone that either answersSo as far as how I got to doing therapy, think you'll probably find that no one gets into this business without having their own story. And we all have our own story. I grew up in a very dysfunctional family. I was the youngest of five and never felt like I had a voice around the house. There was a lot of, didn't suffer physical abuse, but my brothers did. And I just always felt like I needed to understand why, how someone could be so awful to another person. And so that was a big part of it. And then when I was probably around eighth grade, I had a traumatic experience where I was chased by some men in a...box truck and that was really scary for me and so my mother took me to therapy and while I don't remember really anything about it I just know it didn't work for me. It was I didn't feel comfortable; the person didn't make me comfortable and so that was something else that I wanted to make sure the people I saw were very comfortable like it was almost you know in your living room talking over a cup of coffee. And that's kind of how I've done my practice. And that translated. Because, you know, I felt that I didn't know the backstory. didn't know how you got into, you know, being a therapist, but I did feel like at times we were just sitting there chopping it up. and so that was nice. And that really is kind of dynamic. As you mentioned you were young. Not that you went to therapy quote unquote against your will, but you didn't really know what was going on. I went willingly, even though I kind of was misled, but we'll talk about that later on. So that really being the part is you know, what should someone expect or can they expect going into their first therapy session from your knowledge? What would you like them to think?Well, I think currently technology has changed from when I first started. Now, ...
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    42 mins
  • Three Relationships, One Decade — What Changed When I Was Guided, Not Fixed

    Three Relationships, One Decade — What Changed When I Was Guided, Not Fixed
    Jan 9 2026
    Before we get into this episode, I want to be clear about something.This isn’t a story about failed relationships.And it’s not about blaming the people I dated.It’s about patterns I didn’t recognize… needs I didn’t honor… and the quiet ways we can lose ourselves while trying to make something work.For nearly a decade, I didn’t date at all. And when I finally did, I moved through relationships believing that time, effort, and good intentions would naturally lead to clarity.What I didn’t understand back then was this:experience alone doesn’t equal growth — awareness does.What changed wasn’t the people.What changed was being guided — not fixed — into understanding myself.So, if you’ve ever felt behind in life…If you’ve ever ignored red flags because you didn’t want to be alone…If you’ve ever stayed in something long after your mind, heart, or body was trying to leave…You’re not alone.Before we go any further, I want to ask a few questions.You don’t need to answer them right now.You don’t need to figure anything out.Just notice what comes up as you listen.As I share my story, see if any of these feel familiar…What patterns have shown up more than once in my relationships — and how have I contributed to them?Not with judgment… but with honesty.Are there needs I tend to minimize or explain away to keep the peace?And what happens to me when I do that?When I’ve ignored red flags in the past, what was I afraid would happen if I listened to them?Do I see therapy or support as something that fixes people —or something that helps guide understanding?Where did that belief come from?What would it look like to believe I’m worthy of walking away from something that isn’t right for me —even if it isn’t “bad”?And am I choosing relationships based on familiarity…or alignment?Keep those questions in the background as we move forward.Welcome back to another episode of the Dancing with Depression podcast.I’m your host, Adam Turner.Up to this point, I’ve shared parts of my mental health journey — childhood experiences, medication, therapy, and the quiet battles we don’t always see coming.But today, we’re stepping into a chapter I haven’t really unpacked publicly: my relationship history… or honestly, the lack of one.This isn’t about retelling old drama.It’s about understanding how the experiences we avoid, ignore, or don’t fully process shape how we see ourselves — how we love — and how we struggle.And for me, that story really begins with a long pause.Once I entered college, dating stopped. Completely.And instead of learning relationships in real time — the way most people do in their late teens and early twenties — I stepped away.For an entire decade.I wasn’t incapable of connecting as proven by the strong friendships I built during that time – most of which I still have 30+ years later – so I didn’t avoid intimacy or vulnerability on purpose.I just wasn’t mature enough yet to understand them — and in that, I missed out on experiences that might have helped me grow sooner.At the time, I told myself I was avoiding drama.What I didn’t realize was that I was also avoiding growth.And that decision followed me longer than I understood.Looking back now, this is where the pattern quietly began.Fast forward 10 years, everything shifted. So, what the heck happened on 28 that led me to date after a 10-year hiatus? Well, the first thing that stood out was my confidence. No, I didn't grow an extra foot and become six feet, but it was at an all-time high and some of that was attributed to the money I was making.Wasn't crazy, it was just I felt confident. I had goals and felt like I had a path to achieve them.One day I noticed one of my neighbors coming back from the grocery store and so I said hello. I hadn't done that in a very long time. It was a short interaction, but since she was a neighbor, I was confident I'd see her again. Which I did.We started a real conversation with the usual questions like each other's names. And as I listened to her voice, I found myself concentrating, trying to determine where her accent was from. Admittedly, I was not and probably am still not considered a well-traveled person. So the combination of what I was seeing coupled with what I was hearing, it was confusing. I later found out she was born in Uganda and went to private school in Switzerland. So, it was an accent that I had recognized but wasn't sure how it tied together. For many people, red flags would have been popping up everywhere, but not for this naive fool.It was going to take a lot more than just an accent and the fact that we had nothing in common to stop the 10-year drought of talking to a stranger. As you guessed, the red flags appeared early and often, but I wanted nothing to do with them. I'm sure many of us can identify at least one relationship where we've done that. Right?My goal is not to portray any of these ...
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    31 mins
  • Unexpected Darkness, Then a Healing She Didn’t Think Existed — Katie’s Journey

    Unexpected Darkness, Then a Healing She Didn’t Think Existed — Katie’s Journey
    Nov 27 2025
    Welcome back to another episode of the Dancing With Depression podcast. I’m your host, Adam Turner, and today I get to share a conversation with someone I met during a pivotal time in both of our lives.Katie and I crossed paths completely by chance. She was finishing her time in the residential program at HopeWay, and I had just started Intensive Outpatient Therapy. The odds of us ever meeting were slim—almost like lightning striking twice in the exact same spot. Yet here we are. Group therapy gave us the chance to learn pieces of each other’s stories, and in doing so, we developed a genuine respect for one another’s openness. There’s something almost surreal about hopping on a Zoom call with people you’ve never met, only to find yourself forming a quick, unexpected connection.Katie is a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, and a talented photographer. But what makes her story so impactful is the depth and honesty with which she shares her experience with anxiety—how she first recognized it, how it shaped her life, and how it eventually contributed to depression. Her story is one many people will recognize, even if the circumstances differ.What I appreciate most about Katie is that she shares her journey not for attention, but to help others feel seen, supported, and empowered. From the day I met her, she’s been an advocate for helping people find the courage—and the resources—they need to take that next, and often first, step toward healing. So it wasn’t a surprise that she agreed to join me on the podcast, but I was genuinely excited for this conversation. You’ll understand why once you hear how openly and thoughtfully Katie reflects on one of her most vulnerable experiences.I’m grateful she trusted me with her story to share with you.“Now, let’s hear from Katie herself, as she opens up about her journey, what she learned, and how taking care of herself became the first step to being there for the people she loves.”-----------------------------------------------------Adam Turner (00:01)Hi, Katie. Katie (00:03)Hi, Adam. I'm doing a pretty good today. I'm recovering from a cold, but other than that, ⁓ I'm doing pretty good. Adam Turner (00:04)How are ya? Good, you sound great. It's great to see you. It's been a little while, yeah, yeah. So I'm glad we got a chance to get together. ⁓ Obviously, you know, we met in probably a way that we probably never thought we would have met. ⁓ And, you know, got a chance to get to know each other a little bit through sharing and processing and so on. But ⁓ I wanted to have you come and Katie (00:15)Yes, about a month or two. Sure. Adam Turner (00:41)share a little bit of your experience, your journey, certainly just kind of reconnect and ⁓ see if we can't help some other folks through their journey as well. Does that sound good? Katie (00:57)Yeah, that sounds great, Adam. I'm excited to share. Adam Turner (00:59)Awesome. So again, as I mentioned, you know how we met, but I want to first start off with like where things started for you ⁓ on your journey and what that looked like. Where do you have a time like where you remember kind of like first feeling of either feeling off or something just wasn't the norm? Katie (01:24)Sure. Yeah, so I guess it was around this time last year. I just started noticing that I was a little bit more achy, was having some trouble sleeping. ⁓ Little things would stress me out here and there. ⁓ I kind of did what I call like a medical tour of different doctors saying like, just, feel kind of off, ⁓ you know, and we ran a bunch of tests and all of them are coming back pretty, pretty normal. ⁓ And so Christmas came around and we celebrated the holidays with my family. And then come January, you know, I was looking around and thinking life's, life's pretty good right now. ⁓ And then one night I went to bed and I could not sleep. ⁓ And one night turned into three nights turned into eight nights. And when I could sleep after that here and there, I would just continue to wake up with what I thought were heart palpitations. I didn't know if it was something hormonal. And I would wake up in the middle of the night and just lay on my kitchen floor and hope that it would stop. ⁓ And now what I'm coming to know that those actually were were panic attacks. And I would have them each night throughout my sleep. They're actually, ⁓ they're called nocturnal panic attacks. And they are really difficult because nothing brings them on. ⁓ And there's not a lot you can do in the middle of the night to make them go away. And they just come one after another. ⁓ So after that, I started, ⁓ you know, seeing a therapist, started seeing a psychiatrist trying to figure out what this might be. And I initially started on, you know, low dose SSRIs and another medication. And I just, I felt kind of out of it. ⁓ So I still thought maybe there's some kind of psychological piece to this that...
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    44 mins
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