Depression Therapy
Are You Constantly Living Under A Dark Cloud?
Do you generally feel hopeless? Are you struggling with low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, or an inability to function? Have you ever found yourself wondering, “Do I have clinical depression?”
Situational depression can affect a wide range of people, especially following a difficult event like a death or other trauma. But what you suffer from feels worse and often lasts longer. Common signs of depression—such as sadness and agitation—may occur, but you might struggle with something more chronic and existential. Perhaps you’ve lost interest in most activities, including your work, hobbies, and time spent with others. And it’s possible you experience recurrent thoughts about self-harm and suicide.
You may have also developed physical symptoms, including sleep disturbance, sluggishness, and appetite changes that correlate with your depression. Cognitive challenges, including trouble concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things, keep you from accomplishing tasks. Not to mention, clinical depression can hugely impact mood, making you susceptible to angry outbursts, irritability, and tearfulness. With every single aspect of your day compromised by a low mood or feeling of emptiness, it’s hard to face the day and everything that’s expected of you.
I know you are doing all you can to keep going and feel better, but depression is keeping you from getting pleasure out of life. Fortunately, clinical depression is highly treatable and can be helped with therapy.
Depression Affects Individuals Across Location, Age, Gender, And Socioeconomic Lines
Though it can be an incredibly isolating experience, depression is actually “the leading cause of disability worldwide,” according to the World Health Organization. With 28 million adults affected—or 5 percent of the general population—depression is a significant contributor to the “burden of disease,” impacting individuals, families, and industries on a global scale.
Despite its prevalence, however, there is no one single determining factor or cause of depression. Clinical depression can be genetic or stem from a chemical imbalance. And situational life stressors, including illness, loss, and giving birth (as in the case of postpartum depression), can often trigger depressive episodes. It’s also common for individuals struggling with comorbid issues, including substance abuse and anxiety disorders, to experience clinical depression alongside other symptoms.
Whether your depression lasts a few weeks, a few years, or a lifetime, it can become increasingly powerful without proper treatment. The more ingrained patterns become, the more difficult it is to learn how to overcome depression on your own. That’s why it’s important to seek help treating depression so that you can cope with sadness and develop more positive self-regard.
Therapy Can Help Lift The Fog Of Clinical Depression
When living under the cloud of depression, it can be very hard to see beyond emotional pain and a self-critical mindset to identify and overcome the barriers keeping you stuck. With an objective, nonjudgmental therapist, you can explore thoughts, moods, and behaviors to change the patterns keeping you stuck.
My Therapeutic Style
As a psychotherapist, I believe that the healing element of counseling lies in collaboration and building an individualized relationship with each client. In our first session, I will get to know more about your history of depression, symptoms, and goals for counseling. In this session, we will do the important work of building rapport and fostering a dialogue. We can then begin to get grounded in the therapeutic relationship, creating solutions and encouraging behaviors that will help you feel your best.
I am primarily a solution-focused therapist, which means that I’m likely to focus on what’s changeable in the moment rather than centering the past (though it is important to understand your history when treating depression). I use verified approaches—including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), schema-focused therapy, and mindfulness—to help clients improve emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and negative self-talk. These methods can interrupt harmful thought patterns, adjust self-beliefs, and create more self-awareness.
With the skills you gain in therapy for depression, you will be able to effectively identify triggers and reduce the symptoms you experience on a daily basis. Better able to manage stress and maintain self-care, you’ll see improvements in your mood and functioning. And if you want to discuss adding depression medication to your treatment plan, I will make sure you have the resources you need.
Depression has been obscuring your vision for a long time, but it’s possible to look beyond your symptoms and into a future that’s hopeful and satisfying. In therapy, you can shift your mindset away from depression to live more meaningfully.
Maybe Your Symptoms Align With Chronic Depression, But You’re Not Sure If Counseling Will Help…
How will I know if we’re a good fit for depression treatment?
I offer a complimentary 20-minute consultation that will help us determine if we’re a good fit for one another. This conversation is a great opportunity for you to ask about my style, approach to therapy, and experience with clients suffering from clinical depression. It’s normal for clients to meet with multiple therapists before committing to treatment, and clinicians understand that “shopping” is a normal part of this process.
However, I’ve worked with this population for nearly two decades, and treating major depression is one of my specialties. I am confident my experience and approach can offer you the relief you’ve been looking for.
I worry that I’ll be judged in therapy.
I am here to help you with your depression—not judge you. As a therapist, I’ve undergone specialized training to create a safe therapeutic environment characterized by warmth, acceptance, and unconditional positive self-regard. In addition, I’ve completed additional training in cultural competence, which allows me to be culturally aware and respectful so that you don’t feel judged about certain norms, values, or experiences.
Therapy is too expensive.
Therapy is an investment in yourself and your future with the reward of being happier and healthier. Mental healthcare is healthcare, so it’s important to seek depression treatment if you’re struggling.
If you’re still concerned about the cost of counseling, I encourage you to think about the cost of doing nothing about your depression. Where will you be in two months, two years, or ten years if you continue to repeat the same patterns? What is the cost of remaining stuck? Inaction comes at a high cost indeed, so invest in your future by addressing your mental health in therapy.
Overcoming Depression Is Possible
Schedule a free consultation with me via email or by visiting my contact page.
