The DZ Philosophy
If you do a search for depression information online you’ll likely find a plethora of somewhat useful sites run by medical institutions and government organizations. If you delve deeper, to page three or four perhaps of your search results, you may find some sites run by depression survivors trying to help others in similar situations. Those may have some valuable insights but they are usually haphazardly put together and contain a lot of depressing-to-read opinion pieces that don’t help you.
That’s why Depression.Zone was created. To strike a balance between the information that’s currently available and not tangibly useful to support people who are suffering. The site was created by depression expert Kay Walker, with a background in psychology, neuroscience. She’s also spent a decade of her life training in leadership programs and coaching others how to live a life they love.
Walker has also overcome her own battle with major depression. She’s practiced her own methodology and proved its effectiveness with herself, and now she shared it with thousands of others.
DZ’s creator
Depression.zone was created by Kay Walker, a depression and suicide preventionxpert based in Tampa, FL. Walker is co-author of Que Publishings book Super You: How Technology is Revolutionizing What it Means to be Human (Que is an imprint of Pearson Education). She is also the author of the book available on this website, Get Your Happy Back. She’s created a number of online courses for depression suffers (Get Your Happy Back) and their loved ones (Lead with Love).
Walker’s unique methodology comes from a combination of her formal training in suicide prevention, blended with her first-hand experience of suffering severe depression. Her education in the field is centered in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Suicide Prevention, with Ontology at its core. She attended the University of Waterloo and Ryerson University.
She is currently an advocate for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and a member of the Crisis Center of Tampa’s Women in Action group. Walker is also a former member of Toronto’s CAMH pet therapy program.
In 2012, Walker – who at the time was an event planner in Toronto – fought eight months of major depression. During this time, she sought treatment from many professionals, many of which, she learned, had no personal experience with the illness.
This taught her — more than anything else — how flawed the current mental health system is in North America, especially concerning depression and suicide. Like many so do, she failed to receive the help she so desperately needed and chose suicide as a last-resort option.
Luckily for the world, Walker survived. In the process, she discovered a unique formula on how to defeat depression in the face of impossible odds. The tactics she coaches involve a blend of therapeutic disciplines with ontology at the core.
Walker says the current treatment methods for depression often take far too long. Finding the right treatment can take months. That means people have to suffer with debilitating symptoms, which leads them to consider suicide to end the pain.
Besides the time it takes to find an effective treatment, there is a lack of education for depression. It is not openly discussed. Suffering individuals and their family members and friends, do not know how to appropriately handle the situation when it arises.
She also points out: “the idea of wellness has no room in the way most people run their lives in North American society. This is why the numbers of depression and suicide are growing. It’s crazy to think that people die every single day for no reason. And that those people could contribute in massive ways to our world, though they don’t even realize it.”
Walker is out to radically shift the approach the North American medical health community takes to depression and suicide prevention. As far as she is concerned: “Even one death by suicide is too many.”
Walker was born in Canada and currently resides with her husband and two-year old son in Tampa, FL. They have two fur babies, their dogs Lt. Battles (pictured) and Gracie.
Walker provides personal coaching services, and is available for speaking engagements, and consulting contacts.
Walker is also available for media interviews. You can learn more about resources for the press on suicide prevention here.
What previous clients say about Kay’s coaching style
“Kay has an incredible way of listening – attentive, sensitive and supportive. She has a wise soul. And has a warm heart.” -M.W, VP of Sales for a National Telecommunications Provider
“I found myself at a loss when my older sister tried to commit suicide. It was recommended that my sister admit herself into a hospital that would help her. I shared this information with Kay and she knew of the hospital and that it helped many people with depression and suicide. She also was very understanding and helpful since she shared her experience with me. It gave me a sense of relatedness and comfort that only someone with her experience could provide.“- L.M , Graphic Designer
“Kay is a great coach. She is very inspiring and has helped me expand my way of thinking and as a result has help me change my way of doing things. With her help and support, I have been able to live my dreams. Thank you Kay.” -C.N, Senior Sales Manager
“Kay Svela is a remarkably powerful coach that can turn the most resigned and cynical (and usually) suffering person into someone who can turn their life around. She is easy to relate to, walks the walk and talks the talk. She’s not just a pretty face, she’s the real thing. Smart, powerful and effective.” – A.G, TV Personality
“Kay has made an incredible difference for me and my life. She really listens. She got what I was going through and provided such great coaching. Kay – you are an incredible woman and this world is lucky to have you in it! Thanks for always being a stand for me.” -R.R, Communications
“Kay loves people and is committed to making a difference with each and every person she meets. Kay is a phenomenal coach. She incorporates her empathy, personal life experience and learned tools to provide the people she coaches with practical, hands-on strategies to get what they want in life. I couldn’t be happier to hear that Kay is starting an initiative to prevent suicide, as her own personal experience which she openly shares combined with the coaching tools she’s developed over the last 5 or so years makes her the perfect leader to combat depression and/or suicide across North America and around the world. Thank you Kay for your commitment to humanity.” – K.T, Professional Athlete and Trainer
