Welcome to the Very Well Mind podcast. We've interviewed over 100 authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and others to help you learn strategies to care for your mental health.

This episode is hosted by psychotherapist and bestselling author Amy Morin. Now let's get into the episode.

Okay. My guest today is Melissa Bernstein, the co-founder of Melissa and Doug toys. From wooden puzzles to pretend kitchen sets, you've likely seen some of her toys at some point. Well, Melissa's the

person who designs all of those really fun toys. Melissa also has depression. She says she has

existential depression, which she'll explain in more detail. Now she's written a new book called

Lifelines, which describes her journey. Today she talks about

her lifelong battle with depression, how her depression affects her creativity, and the things

she's found helpful to her mental health. Make sure to stick around until the end of the episode

for The Therapist Take. This is the part of the show where I break down my guest's mental

strength strategies and share how you can apply them to your own line.

So here's Melissa Bernstein on how to be mentally strong when you're battling depression.

Melissa Bernstein, welcome to the Very Well Mind podcast.

Thank you. I'm so happy to be here.

So what people might not know when they hear the name Melissa Bernstein is that you're the same Melissa from Melissa and Doug toys.

That is true. Yes. And so so many people, as I was just telling you before, when I told people that you were going to be on my podcast and I said, Melissa from Melissa and Doug, so many people know you as the person who's made so many of the toys that are probably

sitting in their living rooms or the toys that their kids have loved for so many years.

But I understand that wasn't the start of your career.

You didn't grow up thinking I'm going to be making a toy company someday.

Instead, you were a financial analyst, am I right?

I mean, for a very, very brief time.

Yes, but I think doing that was critical in my life story because it really showed me what happens to us when we don't do something that makes our heart sing. And I was so miserable in that very short period

of that role that was what really spurred on, Doug and I sort of leaving conventional

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