Awakening to Change: A Midlife Journey from Depression to Self-love

What happens when a man who has lived under the lifelong shadow of depression discovers, at midlife, that change is not only possible, but within reach?

For decades, Dr. Tom Skarshaug was a high-functioning professional-a dentist, father, and community member-who quietly carried an unbearable weight. Shaped by childhood trauma and the pressures of adult life, he learned to survive, and even succeed, while feeling fundamentally broken inside.

Then a transformational seminar opened the door to an unexpected truth: he had never learned to love himself.

With honesty, humility, and hard-won hope, Tom shares how he moved from despair toward emotional freedom through seven simple practices that helped him release old wounds, shift his thinking, and rebuild his life from the inside out.

Part spiritual memoir, part healing roadmap, this book is for anyone who has carried silent pain, questioned their worth, or longed for a second chance at joy.

At its heart, Tom's story offers a powerful reminder: the past does not define us, and transformation is possible at any age.