In this unique and deeply personal episode, Terry and her daughter Carly flip the usual podcast format on its head and turn the lens inward.
What unfolds is an unscripted, intergenerational conversation about depression, mental health, family legacy, and healing.
They dive into the truth that while they help others tell their mental health stories, their own stories matter, too—and deserve space.
Carly reflects on how depression was a subtle but persistent presence throughout her adolescence, shaped by both biology and the emotional climate of her upbringing. She recounts moments where anxiety and depressive symptoms masked themselves as “normal” stress or teenage angst—until hindsight and therapy offered clarity.
Terry, in turn, shares how her own understanding of depression developed later in life. For decades, she often missed or minimized signs in herself and others simply because she didn’t know what to look for.
Together, they dissect the layers of intergenerational trauma, epigenetics, and how mental health can be misunderstood when it's not named, contextualized, or spoken aloud—especially in families.
They unpack the myths of what depression “should” look like, challenging the idea that functionality and humor negate suffering. From the metaphor of blurry eyesight revealing the need for glasses to a heartfelt recollection of a low-energy Thanksgiving spent cuddled up in bed, this episode is rich with poignant imagery and emotional truth.
They also touch on tools like the gratitude jar and “mental health days” that helped build an early language of care, and how those rituals shaped Carly’s adult ability to tune into her emotional needs.
The conversation closes with a powerful exploration of how trauma, when left uncontextualized, morphs into personality, family dynamics, or even cultural norms. Through vulnerability and a mutual desire to break cycles, Terry and Carly demonstrate the radical potential of talking out loud—not just about depression, but about the emotional inheritance we all carry.
https://recovery.com/
Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepression
Terry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!