One of the most helpful things for me was the idea that my therapist was willing to serve as a kind of safety net. I can always ring him if I am feeling overwhelmed, and he helps me to figure out what I can do to feel better. In the past I felt like I had no safety net, and when I starting slipping into depression I didn't know how to stop it. Now I have faith both that someone is there and willing to help me, and there are many ways I can help myself.

Another thing that has been really helpful was introducing me to meditation - this has helped me understand how my brain sometimes acts in ways that are very unhelpful to me, and I can now "observe" my brain doing these things without getting swept up in them.

Plus, I have tended to be so self-critical in the past. Having another human being who is so consistently accepting and compassionate has really helped me to see myself in a much kinder light.