For those who struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it can be is a difficult and cyclical experience. There are times when we find ourselves in the dark—uncertain, disoriented, moving through inner territory that feels like a cavern or a dense forest. Everything in us and in our cultural wiring urges us to “get out,” to fix it and to return to the familiar. And yet, paradoxically, we celebrate the people who willingly scale cliff faces, trek through rugged mountains, or venture deep into wild landscapes. We consider those people brave, adventurous and resilient.

What I’ve learned is that the same courage applies to the internal wilderness. Being willing to stay in the darkness—really stay there, feel around, let your eyes adjust—is its own kind of strength. It’s daunting, of course. But there is extraordinary value in cultivating stillness and composure during those stretches of unknowing. Whether we call it depression, grief, a midlife unraveling, or simply a season where the ground shifts under us, the essential skill is the same: learning to navigate difficult internal terrain with the same preparedness and trust we’d bring to a serious expedition.

Over time, we begin to recognize that even with seasonal affective disorder symptoms, like depression and tiredness, we are capable of finding the light that lives inside the darkness and that we don’t have to fear our own minds.

Clinically, this is where acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine become powerful allies. Chinese medicine has explored the nature of the mind and spirit for thousands of years. The concept of Shen—spirit—appears in early inscriptions from the Shang dynasty (14th–11th centuries BCE), and foundational texts like the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic), written around the 3rd century BCE. These writings show a sophisticated understanding that body, mind, and spirit are inseparable, and that emotional states directly influence physical health.

I often see this play out in my own practice: someone comes in for help treating an acute injury or  addressing a chronic illness, and years later they return when they find themselves in the midst of their own “dark night of the soul.” Because while inner work is personal, it doesn’t have to be solitary. There are invaluable resources we  can access that can hold us steady during those shadowed passages—and sometimes that steadying makes all the difference between suffering alone and slowly finding our way back to ourselves.

If you are trying to find effective seasonal affective disorder treatments, I strongly recommend acupuncture. However, in addition to my work in Chinese medicine, I’ve also been a psychotherapist for nearly a decade. Many of you already know that my style naturally weaves basic counseling, grounded conversation, and both ordinary and extraordinary life skills into our acupuncture sessions. Sometimes, though, people find they need me to hold more space for them—more dedicated one-on-one time—to process, integrate, and heal from mental, emotional, or spiritual challenges or blockages. It’s important to know that there is help for you or someone you love through seasonal affective disorder therapies which I offer.

       If you find yourself in such a moment, I invite you to schedule an acupuncture appointment or consider scheduling a 1-hour or 1.5-hour contemplative psychotherapy session. These sessions offer a deeper container for reflection, stability, and meaningful inner work when you need it most.