Untreated A Story of A Strong Black Woman Overcoming Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

After years of battling depression and suicidal thoughts, Zoe's children are taken from her and placed into foster care. As she struggles to come to terms with her current situation, she finds that her image of the strong Black woman has been shattered. Zoe has found herself facing the harsh realities of living with untreated depression, resulting in the loss of her marriage, her children, her job, and her home. Zoe has faced career and financial struggles as well as cultural and racial stressors with no knowledge and skills of how to overcome these challenges. She feels forced into therapy, mistrustful of a system that seems unlikely to understand her or treat her effectively. But then she finds hope and begins to rebuild her life.

About the Author
Dr. Dasherline Cox Johnson, Psy.D. is a Licensed Psychologist, a research Scientist/Scholar, and the author of her memoir, From Refugee to Doctor: A Story of Perseverance and Faith. https://drdasherline.com/. She researched and developed the online interactive toolkit; please visit https://opioid-abatement.com, a print toolkit and workbook, as well as a Spanish toolkit. She developed an award-winning culturally sensitive diagnostic assessment protocol for Somalis Living in the Twin Cities, which is used to improve cultural competency among mental health providers and reduce health disparities within the Somali community. She specializes in trauma, eating disorders, autism spectrum disorder, depression/anxiety, and mental health substance abuse issues. She has extensive experience working with youth, adults, and a diverse population. She earned a BA in Psychology at the University of Minnesota. Her MA and Psy.D. degrees are from St. Mary's University of Minnesota.