By Cerina L.
From Clinical Diagnosis to Personal Recovery – A Nurse’s Journey Beyond Depression
As a nursing student, Cerina L. once memorized the textbook symptoms of depression—fatigue, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, and more. But when she later fell into depression herself, those symptoms became deeply personal and painfully real.
Despite having a loving family and a stable life, she found herself unable to feel joy, motivation, or even the will to care for herself. Feeling completely alone and without meaning, Cerina realized that if she didn’t find a way out, depression could take her life.
What saved her wasn’t just clinical knowledge—it was meditation.
Through Santa Clara Meditation, she learned to gently accept her condition, quiet the self-critical voice inside, and begin to see even her darkest moments as opportunities for growth. Instead of shame or judgment, she found compassion, clarity, and hope.
If you’re struggling, Cerina’s story is a message that healing is possible—and often, it begins from within.
💬 Testimonial: Overcoming Depression
By Cerina L.
In nursing school, I was educated on the clinical definition of depression from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders which includes “depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, an increase or decrease in appetite, a slowing of thought and reduction of physical movement, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, indecisiveness, and recurrent suicidal thoughts”. But when I personally experienced depression years later, these were not just words in a manual to me.
My depression manifested as a surprise to me since I always worked hard and lived well. In the beginning, I lost interest in the things that had once brought me joy. Later in my condition, I lost my motivation for everything. Nothing mattered to me anymore. I didn’t care about living, eating, my personal hygiene, or the fact that I had a loving family. I felt completely alone in the universe without any hope.
A lot of people who suffer from depression are trapped in their disease, so I knew from my medical background that if I did not defeat this disease, I would die from it. That fear of death led me to start meditation. With the help of my meditation instructor, I started to accept my condition.
That little voice inside me changed from “I don’t want to live anymore” to “I can see that you are going through a difficult time right now. That’s okay. You don’t have to do anything if you don’t feel like doing anything at the moment. No matter what others may think, what you are feeling right now isn’t wrong. It doesn’t mean you’re different. I’m here to tell you that you need some rest. It’s okay to take a step back and just watch other people walk ahead.”
This shift in attitude has made all the difference in the world. I have been able to see that all the enemies in my mind are actually opportunities for self-reflection and growth. I am so grateful for this meditation that I can finally see hope again and I have the tools to see all positives and negatives in my life as a gift, rather than a curse. Thank you!
🌈 From Hopelessness to Healing
Cerina’s experience shows that depression isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a signal that the mind is full and needs release. At Santa Clara Meditation, practitioners reflect deeply and discard the mental images, thoughts, and emotional burdens that fuel depression and anxiety.
Through this process, you can find peace—not by ignoring your pain, but by understanding it and letting it go.
