I know I’m not alone in disliking small talk. Yes, I have a history of social anxiety. I mean, I once hid behind Tim Gunn’s grandfather clock to avoid small talk at a fundraiser at his apartment.

We all know the saying, “it ain’t over until it’s over.” People who are depressed often think, “It’s over.” Yet over and over, my patients see that, with treatment, their lives are not over at all.