The Psychology of Depression and Anxiety - Dr. Scott Eilers

Scott Eilers
  • 4.8 (219)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

There are people who understand depression and anxiety on a personal level and there are people who understand depression and anxiety on a medical level. There are relatively few people who understand both, and I’m one of them. As a clinical psychologist I have a doctorate degree and thousands of hours of professional experience providing treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. I also have 39 years of personal experience managing mood and anxiety disorders as I myself deal with these struggles. This podcast is my attempt to synthesize my personal knowledge with my professional knowledge.

  1. 2D AGO

    The Disturbing Links Between High Functioning Depression and Maladaptive Striving

    What if working harder is actually making your depression worse? I used to believe I could achieve my way out of depression—and it nearly destroyed me.In this video, I break down the overlap between high-functioning depression and maladaptive striving—why chasing success, perfection, and achievement can leave you feeling empty no matter what you accomplish.If you feel like your life looks good on the outside but feels terrible on the inside, I want to show you why—and how to start getting out of that cycle. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    27 min

  2. APR 27

    No matter how hard I work, I never feel like I’m getting anywhere (bucket theory)

    🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. https://bit.ly/DrScottBucketTheoryWhy does your life never feel “good enough”… no matter how much progress you make? I spent years chasing the feeling that everything would finally click—and it never did.In this video, I explain my Bucket Theory—why one part of your life always feels broken, why that feeling keeps shifting, and how your attention, time, and energy are constantly being pulled in different directions.If you’ve ever felt like you can’t keep everything together at once, this might finally explain why—and what to do about it. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    25 min

  3. APR 20

    But, Why Exist?

    If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionTypeWhat if your depression isn’t caused by trauma… but by the simple fact that you exist? Existential depression is real—and it can make life feel meaningless, pointless, and impossible to engage with.In this video, I break down existential depression, depressive realism, and the hidden flaws in the beliefs that tell you your life has no value, no meaning, and no impact.If you’ve ever felt like nothing matters—or questioned whether life is worth it at all—I want to challenge those beliefs in a way most people won’t. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    25 min

  4. APR 13

    People tell me I should talk to somebody, but no one wants to listen

    Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://growtherapy.yt.link/MLuzdkd to find your dream therapist today!Ever tried opening up… and felt like no one actually heard you? If talking about your depression, suicidal thoughts, or emotional pain leaves you feeling worse—or completely unseen—there’s a reason for that.In this video, I break down why “just talk to someone” often fails—and the difference between first-person vs third-person understanding, plus 6 ways I’ve learned to feel heard when no one seems to get it.If you’ve felt like you’re screaming into a void, I want to help you find ways to be understood—even if it doesn’t come from where you expected.If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionTypeNext Steps:If my videos have helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperhttps://bit.ly/DrScottTheLightSFYTNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    19 min

  5. APR 6

    2 strategies for managing the chronic exhaustion of being mentally ill

    If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it. What if your depression isn’t random… but a pattern you’ve been stuck in for years? The way depression shows up in your life might not be the same as someone else—and understanding your specific pattern could change everything.In this video, I break down the different ways depression operates beneath the surface—how it shapes your thoughts, behaviors, and identity over time, often without you even realizing it.If you’ve ever felt like nothing is working or that you’re “just like this,” this might help you finally see what you’re actually dealing with—and where to start shifting it.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    19 min

  6. MAR 30

    People living with chronic depression are fighting a daily multi-front war you cannot comprehend

    If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created this short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.What if the reason you’re exhausted… isn’t because you’re lazy—but because you’re fighting something no one else can see? Depression and suicidal thoughts can consume enormous mental energy, even when it looks like you’re doing nothing.In this video, I explain what it actually feels like to live with suicidal ideation—the constant pressure, the invisible battle, and why “just getting through the day” can take everything you have.If this is your experience, I want you to know this: you’re not alone in this fight. And even if no one else can see the battle you’re fighting, that doesn’t mean it isn’t real—or that it can’t be won.

    14 min

  7. MAR 23

    Fix your black and white, all or nothing negative thoughts about yourself with one simple graph

    If my podcast has helped, ⁠my new book, The Light Between the Leaves⁠, goes even deeper “I’m a failure.” “I’m worthless.” “I’m behind everyone else.” If you’ve ever had thoughts like these, I want to show you how your mind might be distorting reality.In this video, I break down how depression uses black-and-white thinking, overgeneralization, and selective evidence to convince you that you’re at the bottom. Then I walk you through one of my favorite tools—the Continuum Exercise—so you can actually test those thoughts.In my experience, you’re almost never where your depression says you are. And seeing where you actually fall can give you just enough space to start moving forward again. Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    18 min

  8. MAR 16

    If You Survived Early Childhood Neglect And Isolation And Your Adult Relationships Feel Empty

    Childhood trauma and emotional neglect don’t just disappear when you become an adult. The coping strategies that helped you survive a painful childhood can quietly sabotage your relationships, mental health, and happiness later in life. In this episode, I explain three common survival strategies people develop in difficult childhoods: losing touch with your needs, feeling disconnected from others, and becoming afraid of vulnerability. These strategies once protected you—but in adulthood they can keep you stuck. Healing starts when you recognize these patterns and slowly begin to replace them with healthier ways of relating to yourself and other people. The survival skills that once protected you don’t have to control the rest of your life. If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeper Next Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly. About me: I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety. Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources 🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles. 😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook. 📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is Burning Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. But I do care.

    21 min
See All (248)

4.8
out of 5
219 Ratings

About

There are people who understand depression and anxiety on a personal level and there are people who understand depression and anxiety on a medical level. There are relatively few people who understand both, and I’m one of them. As a clinical psychologist I have a doctorate degree and thousands of hours of professional experience providing treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. I also have 39 years of personal experience managing mood and anxiety disorders as I myself deal with these struggles. This podcast is my attempt to synthesize my personal knowledge with my professional knowledge.

Information

You Might Also Like