Most people who’ve experienced depression know the feeling of being handed a checklist. Sleep better. Exercise more. Challenge your negative thoughts. And while none of that advice is wrong, exactly, it can feel like putting a fresh coat of paint on a house with a cracked foundation. The cracks don’t go away. They just hide for a while.

A growing number of mental health professionals are shifting their focus from symptom management toward something deeper: understanding why depression takes hold in the first place.… Read more