The answers aren’t out of reach—they’re already in your back pocket.
If you or someone you love is struggling with depression that hasn’t responded to traditional treatment, you’re not alone—and you’re not out of options. In Your Back Pocket is a compassionate and deeply personal guide to understanding treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and the lesser-known medical interventions that can help.
Written by Dr. Maria Peters—a licensed therapist with 20 years of clinical experience and a survivor of TRD herself—this book bridges the gap between research and reality. Dr. Peters shares her journey with refreshing honesty, offering both professional insight and the kind of hard-earned wisdom that only comes from lived experience. She doesn’t just talk about healing—she’s lived through the darkness, and she walks beside you as someone who truly gets it.
Whether you’re a patient, a loved one, or a mental health professional, this book is here to offer hope, direction, and support when everything else has failed.
What’s inside:
✔️ A firsthand account of surviving and living with TRD
✔️ Detailed overviews of four powerful, FDA-approved options for TRD:
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
• Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
• Esketamine (Spravato)
✔️ A blend of science, storytelling, and spiritual strength
✔️ Guidance for families, clinicians, and anyone supporting someone with TRD
✔️ A reminder that healing isn’t linear—but it is possible
Dr. Peters writes not as an expert looking down, but as a fellow traveler offering a guiding light. Her message is gentle but firm: there is still hope—even if nothing has worked yet.
This book won’t promise quick fixes or silver bullets. But it will help you understand the path forward. It will remind you that real, evidence-based help exists. And it will show you that sometimes, the most life-saving tools have been with you all along—right there, in your back pocket.
About The Author
Dr. Maria Peters has been passionate about the written word since childhood. Journaling has long been her most authentic form of expression…a space to reflect, process, and connect. Through her writing, she shares knowledge, inspires hope, and encourages others to pursue healing and purpose, especially those navigating the complexities of mental health challenges.
Maria is the founder of Mosaic Tree Counseling in Houston, Texas, where she has led a thriving practice of over 20 therapists for more than 14 years. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology from Capella University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in Texas. She is also a Certified Anger Resolution Therapist and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional.
In 2019, Maria published her dissertation, “Building Rapport with Childhood Sexual Abuse Victims from an Attachment Theory Perspective: A Qualitative Research Study.” With over 20 years of clinical experience, she specializes in sexual trauma and depression and is deeply committed to helping those who feel out of options find a path forward.
Maria is a passionate advocate for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and has dedicated much of her life to serving others—through her counseling work, her church, and local charitable efforts.
She lives in Houston with her son, ZEV, three cats, and two dogs. In Your Back Pocket is her second publication, and she remains a vocal advocate for giving mental health the urgency and respect it deserves, striving to make it equal to that of physical health.