Dear dreaming715:

I hope you do have a pleasant birthday celebration in ten days and I hope you engage in healing in the context of the therapy you are attending.

You wrote that you just needed to vent- please do, anytime.

Regarding your question, “how to manage a semi-nice birthday while battling depression?”- one tip from me: do not have expectations to feel any particular way, do not pressure yourself to feel or to act as-if you feel happy, be pleasant to your boyfriend but do not fake joy.

anita