Navigating Seasonal Depression with Dr. Jackie Chapman of TeamHealth

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: Navigating Seasonal Depression with Dr. Jackie Chapman of TeamHealth
Date: October 3, 2025
Host: Erica Spicer Mason, Becker’s Healthcare
Guest: Dr. Jackie Chapman, Clinical Psychologist & Regional Clinical Director, TeamHealth

In this episode, host Erica Spicer Mason speaks with Dr. Jackie Chapman about navigating seasonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The discussion covers risk factors, causes, symptoms, and a range of evidence-based treatment approaches. Practical advice for healthcare providers and patients rounds out the conversation, emphasizing accessible strategies and the importance of psychoeducation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dr. Chapman’s Background & Experience

• Background: Over 35 years in psychotherapy, 25 years in post-acute care, 7 years with TeamHealth, recently moved into leadership.
  • “I've been providing psychotherapy services as a clinical psychologist for 35 years...” (00:38)

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Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

• Definition: Unlike general depression, SAD follows a clear seasonal pattern, appearing in late fall, worsening in winter, and remitting in spring.

  • “Seasonal affective disorder really follow that seasonal pattern... mainly has to do with the changes in our light.” (01:50)

• Primary Cause: Decreased natural light during certain seasons disrupts circadian rhythms, impacting serotonin, melatonin, and vitamin D.

  • “The major factor is that change in the lights that we're exposed to... that in turn affects the serotonin levels and our melatonin levels and the vitamin D levels in our brain.” (02:42)

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Risk Factors & At-Risk Populations

• Geography: Higher risk in more northern regions with less winter sunlight.
• Genetic & Clinical History: Family history of mood disorders, existing diagnoses of depression/bipolar disorder.
• Demographics: Women are more affected, possibly due to higher rates of recognition/seeking help.
• Typical Onset: Age 20–30.
  • “Folks that are most susceptible... live in our most northern regions... have a family history of a mood disorder... already diagnosed with any type of depression or bipolar disorder...” (03:28)
  • “Women are also more affected than men, probably because women are more likely to recognize and admit these symptoms than men are.” (03:52)

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Recognizing Symptoms

• Low mood, increased irritability
• Fatigue
• Sleeping pattern disruptions (over/undersleeping)
• Increased appetite (especially carbs), possible weight fluctuation
• Trouble concentrating
• Loss of interest in activities, decreased socialization
  • “These common symptoms that seem to happen are things like that. Low mood, an increase in irritability, some fatigue, disruptions in our sleeping patterns...” (03:52)
  • “We can have a weight gain. You can also have a weight loss if you have a disruptive appetite, report having trouble with concentration, a loss of interest in activities, a decrease in socialization.” (04:23)

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Effective Treatments & Lifestyle Strategies

1. Light Therapy

• First line of treatment: Exposure to artificial light mimicking natural sunlight helps hormonal balance and circadian rhythm.
  • “One thing that tends to be the first line treatment... is light therapy.” (05:15)

2. Psychotherapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Psychoeducation: Empowering patients to recognize patterns and prepare for recurring symptoms.
  • “Another really important psychotherapy technique is just helping providing psychoeducation and helping people understand that this is a seasonal pattern.” (05:51)

3. Medication

• Short-term antidepressants: SSRIs, bupropion, especially if symptoms are severe.
  • “Some folks respond well to a short term use of antidepressants such as SSRIs... or bupropion, which is another medication we can use.” (06:10)

4. Supplements

• Vitamin D: Augmenting diet to compensate for sunlight loss.
  • “Folks also report good results with increasing supplementing vitamin D into their diet...” (06:21)

5. Behavioral & Environmental Approaches

• Outdoor Activity: Even cloudy daylight is beneficial.
• Exercise & Routine Changes: Keeping physically active.
• Mindfulness: Yoga, meditation.
• Social Connection: Proactively avoid isolation, maintain social support.
  • “Spending more time outdoors... increasing exercise or continuing to change up your exercise routine, doing some mindfulness practices like yoga or meditation... maintaining your social activity.” (06:31)

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The Role of Psychoeducation: Patients & Providers

• For Patients: Understanding patterns empowers better self-management.
• For Providers: Increased awareness helps avoid overdiagnosis of persistent depression and informs treatment choice, especially around medication duration.
  • “Just being self aware and educating yourself that what you're seeing in folks might only be a seasonal effective pattern is really important in terms of what your treatment approaches are going to be.” (07:49)
  • “Some folks are really more likely to utilize medications if they think it's only going to be short term versus... a long time in their life.” (08:18)

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Memorable Quotes & Key Takeaways

• On Environmental Factors & Self-Care:
  “Our overall mood and mental health is deeply rooted in the environment that we live in... who we socialize with, where we spend our time, being outdoors, all that's really important.” — Dr. Jackie Chapman (08:54)

• On Manageability of SAD:
  “The great news is that when we have this education and this knowledge and we seek out using some light therapy or some psychotherapy or some medication and making those lifestyle adjustments, it's really important to know that seasonal affective disorder is very manageable and people can find relief.” — Dr. Jackie Chapman (09:18)

• On Behavioral Health Prioritization:
  “We have to prioritize our behavioral health as the first essential step to our overall well being.” — Dr. Jackie Chapman (09:46)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:38 — Dr. Chapman introduces her background and clinical focus
• 01:50 — Defining seasonal affective disorder vs. other depression types
• 02:42 — Causes and mechanisms behind SAD
• 03:28 — Who is most at risk; overview of symptoms
• 05:15 — Treatment strategies: light therapy, medication, behavioral changes
• 07:49 — Importance of psychoeducation for both patients and providers
• 08:54 — Environmental impact and broader reflections on mental health management

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Conclusion

Dr. Jackie Chapman highlights both the science and the human experience behind Seasonal Affective Disorder, offering practical pathways for patients and clinicians to recognize, treat, and manage this common but manageable form of depression. She stresses the importance of light exposure, psychoeducation, behavioral change, and a supportive environment. The conversation closes on notes of empowerment and care, advocating for proactive behavioral health as a cornerstone of well-being.

Transcript

[A]

Hello, everyone. This is Erica Spicer Mason with Becker's Healthcare. Thank you so much for tuning into the Becker's Healthcare podcast series. So today we're going to cover navigating seasonal depression and insights for better care and support. And joining me for this conversation today is Dr. Jackie Chapman, a clinical psychologist and the regional clinical director for team health. Dr. Chapman, welcome to the podcast. Thank you again for being here today.

[B]

Thank you so much for having me.

[A]

We're thrilled to have you. And before we talk about this very important topic, I wanted to give you the opportunity to share just a little bit more about yourself and your work in healthcare.

[B]

Sure. I've been providing psychotherapy services as a clinical psychologist for 35 years. I have experience treating a variety of populations in a variety of environments. I've worked in both inpatient and outpatient practices, but the majority of my clinical focus has been 25 years years of providing psychotherapy in the post acute care environment. I've been with Team Health for seven years providing direct patient care. And then two years ago I joined the leadership team as the regional clinical director of psychology.

[A]

Wonderful. Well, we're so thrilled to have you, Dr. Chapman, today and your experience that you're bringing to the table. I think you're going to be able to give us so many great insights about seasonal depression and, and what an important topic and time of the year to talk about this as we're enter fall and you know, there's less light in the day, the season is changing. So excited to learn more from you here. And I, I know that each year about 5% of the US population experiences seasonal depression. So can you kind of explain a little bit more about what seasonal effective disorder is and how it differs from other forms of depression?

[B]

Sure. Unlike our other mood disorders and major depressive disorders that can occur at any time and have any type of symptom pattern, seasonal affective disorder really follow that seasonal pattern that starts with symptoms occurring in late fall and that follows into winter and then starts to get a little bit better in the springtime. And it mainly has to do with the changes in our light. When we start seeing a decrease in our natural light, that's when these symptoms start to occur.

[A]

Fascinating. I appreciate you sharing that, Dr. Chapman. And so I know you mentioned that the changes in light really tend to kind of encourage the onset of this issue. Do we know anything else about main causes behind seasonal affective disorder? I mean, could it be habits during certain times of the year or anything else like that?

[B]

Well, the exact cause, of course, isn't really known, but we do have good research that shows that the major factor is that change in the lights that we're exposed to that affects our circadian rhythms, and that in turn affects the serotonin levels and our melatonin levels and the vitamin D levels in our brain. And all these factors together tend to have a negative impact on our mood and our energy and on our sleep.

[A]

Yeah, Dr. Chapman, thank you so much. It's really helpful to know a little bit more about the main causes behind this disorder. And we also know that the average age of onset is between 20 and 30. So beyond age, who is most at risk? And what symptoms should clinicians and patients really be on the lookout for?

[B]

I think folks that are most susceptible to having seasonal affective disorder are the ones that live in our most northern regions, where we certainly have that less sunlight in the wintertime. Folks that have a family history of a mood disorder and also folks that are already diagnosed with any type of depression or bipolar disorder are certainly at a higher risk for showing up having this seasonal affective pattern. Women are also more affected than men, probably because women are more likely to recognize and admit these symptoms than men are. And these common symptoms that seem to happen are things like that. Low mood, an increase in irritability, some fatigue, disruptions in our sleeping patterns, which can be oversleeping and or under sleeping, increase in appetite. We seem to crave carbs a whole lot more when we're having these symptoms. We can have a weight gain. You can also have a weight loss if you have a disruptive appetite, report having trouble with concentration, a loss of interest in activities, a decrease in socialization. All of these things seem to happen in this seasonal pattern that worsen in late fall and in winter, and then again, we see it start improving in the spring.

[A]

Yeah, Dr. Chapman, as you were listing some of those symptoms. You know, low mood, increase in irritability, disrupted sleep, fluctuating weight loss, of interest in certain activities. I mean, these all sound pretty disruptive to day to day life. So when it comes to supporting patients, how is this disorder typically treated, and what lifestyle strategies can really help to manage it?

[B]

You know, I think one thing that tends to be the first line treatment for seasonal affective disorder is light therapy. And it's because using and increasing our exposure to an artificial light that mimics the natural light that we're not getting really seems to have a positive impact on helping with our hormonal issues and adjusting our circadian rhythms. Psychotherapy, of course, is helpful. Cognitive behavioral type techniques but another really important psychotherapy technique is just helping providing psychoeducation and helping people understand that this is a seasonal pattern. They can prepare for it if they've experienced once. They'll have a better outcome if they're better educated about it. Some folks respond well to a short term use of antidepressants such as SSRIs that naturally work with increasing our serotonin levels. And orbuprofion, which is another medication we can use. Folks also report good results with increasing supplementing vitamin D into their diet to help with that. Some really great environmental factors that we know is helpful is spending more time outdoors. The more time you can get outdoors. Even if it's not in bright sunlight, even on cloudy days, it helps increasing exercise or continuing to change up your exercise routine, doing some mindfulness practices like yoga or meditation. One really important thing that, that seems to be difficult is maintaining your social activity. You know, when you're having that low mood, you recognize that you're, you're irritable and you're fatigued. You know, it's hard to make yourself want to go out and be with your friends. We're already getting, you know, it's getting dark earlier and earlier and you know, we, we, we tend to not want to go out as much. But it's really important to be aware that you're not socially isolating and that you're maintaining your social support.

[A]

Yeah, it sounds like a really kind of holistic approach here. You know, you're touching on some medication therapies, but also exposure to nature socialization. Really important points you're hitting on here, Dr. Chapman. And I want to just briefly go back to something you said about psychoeducation. So it sounds like it's really important for providers to educate patients about their risk for, for seasonal affective disorder. But also, is there any support that you think providers need in terms of education? Is this something that needs a little bit more exposure in the field?

[B]

I think that we have really started over the past couple of years being more aware that this is a really diagn noticeable pattern that happens. And you know, we're as, as therapists are susceptible to such things as ourselves. I know I certainly don't seem to have the energy level I have in the wintertime as I might have in spring and summer. So just being self aware and educating yourself that what you're seeing in folks might only be a seasonal effective pattern is really important in terms of what your treatment approaches are going to be. Especially if you're going to suggest that folks are using medications. You know, some folks are really more likely to utilize medications if they think it's only going to be short term versus having to do something they're going to have to maintain for a long time in their life.

[A]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Dr. Chapman, thank you. This has been such an informative conversation and like I said at the top of our discussion, I think one that's really timely and important. Before we wrap, is there anything else that we haven't touched on that you'd like to highlight for our listeners?

[B]

Well, I think we really need to remind ourselves that, you know, our overall mood and mental health is deeply rooted in the environment that we live in. So when you're thinking about surrounding yourself with more light is going to impact this and make your mood better. The overall environment, who we socialize with, where we spend our time, being outdoors, all that's really important. The great news is that when we have this education and this knowledge and we seek out using some light therapy or some psychotherapy or some medication and making those lifestyle adjustments, it's really important to know that seasonal affective disorder is very manageable and people can find relief. At TeamHealth, we're really committed to supporting our patients and our clinicians with compassionate and comprehensive behavioral health care. And I'm really thankful for you having me on your podcast. And I want to remember to point out that we have to prioritize our behavioral health as the first essential step to our overall well being.

[A]

Oh, so well said, Dr. Chapman. It's been a pleasure having you with us as well. So thank you again for taking the time to highlight this issue and for being with Beckers today.

[B]

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.

[A]

And we'd also like to thank our sponsor for today's podcast, Team Health. You can tune into more podcasts from Becker's Healthcare by visiting our podcast [e-mail].