Hope Prevails by Dr. Michelle Bengtson

From the Publisher:
As a board-certified neuropsychologist, Dr. Michelle Bengtson sees the devastation of depression. Early on, she practiced the most effective treatments and prescribed them for her clients. But when she experienced depression herself, she found that the treatments she had recommended were lacking. Her experience showed her the missing component in treating depression.

In Hope Prevails, Dr. Bengtson writes with deep compassion, blending her training and faith, to offer readers a hope grounded in God's love and grace. She helps readers understand what depression is, how it affects them spiritually, and what, by God's grace, it cannot do. The result is an approach that offers the hope of release, not just the management of symptoms.

For those who struggle with depression and those who want to help them, Hope Prevails offers hope for the future.
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As someone who struggles with depression this book was hard to read. But let me share somethings that I thought were unique and impressed me about this book.

1) This is the most Biblical and spiritually packed book on depression I have read.  Each chapter ends with questions to go through (by yourself or with a group) and one of those always has scripture to put on flashcards and put around the house and memorize/read.

2) Music playlists.  Music is therapy for my soul and I just loved that she included songs on this journey.  
3) She addresses many of the issues behind depression.  She doesn't try to have one answer for everything but shares about God's love and the Word of God and its power for your life.

4) The book is short.  If it was a long book someone with depression might never get through it because concentrating is very hard.

Honestly, I had such a hard time with this book. As someone in the midst of depression I just couldn't get passed the feeling that if I only prayed and read enough that I could beat my depression. That probably isn't what the author intended but that is how it felt.  

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.