Book Review – Five Keys to Dealing with Depression
Image: Five Keys to Dealing with Depression by Len Lantz (CC BY-NC-ND)
Synopsis: Len's Star Rating: 4 out of 10. A book on depression from a holistic Christian perspective.
BY LEN LANTZ, MD / 1.16.2022; No. 67
Disclaimer: Yes, I am a physician, but I’m not your doctor and this article does not create a doctor-patient relationship. This article is for educational purposes and should not be seen as medical advice. You should consult with your physician before you rely on this information. This post also contains affiliate links. Please click this LINK for the full disclaimer.
Star Rating – 4 out of 10
Rating guide: 1 = horrible, 5 = average and 10 = wow
Author
Gregory Jantz
About the author
Gregory Jantz, PhD, has authored many books on mental health, developed a holistic treatment approach termed Whole-Person Care, and founded a treatment facility called The Center • A Place of HOPE.
General description
Five Keys to Dealing with Depression is a short book on depression from a Christian perspective. Dr. Jantz shares insights about depression as viewed through his holistic treatment approach, Whole-Person Care. This book has several stories about people with depression, encouraging Bible verses, suggestions as to the causes of the depression, and some action steps that people can take to improve their mood and outcomes. Dr. Jantz’s 5 keys for depression are:
Emotional Balance
Intellectual Integrity
Relational Support
Physical Healing
Spiritual Support
Unique and most important aspects
In Five Keys to Dealing with Depression, Dr. Jantz provides a Yellow List, which cautions the reader to monitor the symptoms it contains, and a Red List, which indicates the presence of depression and signals a need for immediate action. Elements of this book that I thought were missing were that Dr. Jantz did not appear to directly bring up or address mental health stigma, and he did not mention when to start working with a mental health professional. Also, I found it off-putting and unhelpful that he inserted doubt about the efficacy of medications in his introductory chapter.
Best quote
“I have seen it countless times and have witnessed the joy that comes on the other side of depression. I have seen the wisdom gained from living through this dark time of doubt and fear. You will find your way into the light again.”
Who would enjoy this book?
Readers who are interested in ideas for depression from a Christian holistic perspective would likely enjoy Five Keys to Dealing with Depression.
Who would not enjoy this book?
Readers who are looking for a book from a Christian perspective that directly addresses mental health stigma and when to get professional help are unlikely to enjoy Five Keys to Dealing with Depression.
Conclusion
Five Keys to Dealing with Depression is a book on depression from a holistic Christian perspective.