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Depression Therapy

Are You Struggling Under The Weight Of Depression?

Are there days when you never stop feeling sad or dissatisfied with life? Have you lost interest in the activities that once brought you joy? Does physical exhaustion or a lack of motivation stop you from connecting with others or fully engaging in your life?

Whenever depression descends upon you, nothing feels the same. Perhaps it affects you differently depending on what’s going on in your life. Sometimes you may be overwhelmed by a sense of impending doom, while at other times you may feel profoundly sad, irritable, or apathetic. Regardless of its effect, when depression takes hold, the heavy emotional and physical weight of its presence is unshakable. 

Treating Depression with Individual CounselingDepression Symptoms Can Be All-Consuming

Maybe you experience disruptions in your normal sleeping and eating habits or find that you can no longer maintain focus. Along with lacking energy, you may experience chronic aches and pains throughout your body. What was once easy for you may now seem difficult, to the point that you no longer enjoy pleasurable pastimes, activities, or social gatherings with friends. To block your feelings of sadness and hopelessness, you might engage in reckless behaviors. Perhaps you use alcohol, drugs, porn, shopping, gambling, or working to excess to distract yourself from difficult emotions. However, deep down you can’t shake off the feeling of worthlessness and being trapped. Even though it’s not your fault you’re depressed, you might still feel guilty, convincing yourself there are no valid reasons to feel as low as you do. You probably wish that you would just wake up one morning and miraculously feel better. But depression doesn’t work that way. Luckily, with the help and support that therapy offers, you can learn more about depression and understand how to manage symptoms when they occur.

Many Adults Are Affected By Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States among adults aged 18 or older, according to a 2020 study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). According to the report, “an estimated 21.0 million adults—or 8.4 percent of the adult population—had at least one major depressive episode in 2020.” The impact of depression is far-reaching. In addition to affecting us emotionally, depression can negatively impact our personal life, relationships, and career. Although we each might experience different symptoms—from sadness to anger to indifference to reckless behavior—when left untreated, depression can be debilitating.

The Reasons We Suffer From Depression Vary

Depression can be brought on by both internal and external influences. If it runs in the family, we may be genetically predisposed to clinical depression and require therapy. Difficult life circumstances can also trigger our depression. The death of a loved one or other life transitions, such as having a baby or going through a divorce, can cause us to feel sad, lonely, isolated, or overwhelmed. Recently, the forced isolation of the Covid pandemic led to a worldwide uptick in depression. When we lost connection with others and were no longer able to participate in the activities we enjoyed, many of us withdrew further. Unfortunately, the ensuing isolation of the Covid shutdown became the perfect condition for depression to proliferate globally. We may believe that eventually, our depression will lift on its own if only we are patient. Or we might compare our circumstances to others, trying to convince ourselves the reasons we’re depressed aren’t justified. However, minimizing our feelings will end up keeping us stuck. If you suspect you have depression, counseling can be a road back to wellness. With proper treatment, you can learn effective ways to manage depression symptoms so they no longer interfere with your happiness.

Depression Therapy May Hold The Answers You’re Looking For

If you’ve been suffering in silence, you’re probably feeling lonely and isolated. Therapy is a safe space that allows you to open up without fear of judgment and explore the root causes of your depression. We are here to give you the support and reassurance you need. Your counselor will be able to help you make sense of your symptoms and teach you effective ways to overcome depression. They will also work alongside any other providers involved in your care to ensure your depression treatment is well-coordinated and determine if medication or other community support like group therapy could help.

Sad And Upset Woman Deep In ThoughtWhat To Expect In Sessions

While your therapist will equip you with helpful skills to manage depression, they also want to understand the reasons why you feel the way you do. Through psychoeducation, they can explain how your mood is influenced by factors like nutrition, sleeping, hormones, and brain chemistry. By understanding all the components that contribute to depression—physiological, emotional, social, and nutritional—you and your therapist will be able to formulate a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Once the underlying causes are identified, we will work on better ways to manage and process difficult emotions like irritability, anger, and sadness. By prioritizing self-care through better eating and sleeping habits, you’ll establish a healthy routine that promotes wellness and helps you avoid self-destructive behavior. And building up a support network and developing stable relationships will ensure that you avoid isolation and loneliness in the future. Further, if you experience depression and anxiety simultaneously or have postpartum depression, therapy can help you overcome the negative thoughts and emotions you’re dealing with and process them in healthier ways. With the support of your therapist, you will rediscover the joy that exists in the world around you.

The Modalities We Use

To get the best results in treating depression we incorporate several evidence-based modalities, including Internal Family Systems (IFS) as well as mindfulness, guided imagery, somatic, and breathing exercises. IFS helps you identify the different parts of self that exist within you all at once. Perhaps there is a part of you that sees life in black or white terms and ignores the subtler shades of gray. If, for example, this part of you has lost perspective and decided to only get out of bed when you feel really good, then it becomes more likely your depression symptoms will get worse. However, acknowledging that only one part of you perceives the world in this way will make it easier to break out of black or white thinking and turn away from thoughts and behaviors that keep you stuck. There is no reason you should struggle alone. Together, we can address depression holistically so you have a comprehensive treatment plan for keeping symptoms in check. Therapy can help you gain clarity and confidence as you learn to enjoy your unique life journey without the burden of depression.

Depression Is Real And You Deserve To Feel Better

No matter the challenges you face, we can restore you to a state of emotional well-being. To schedule a free consultation to learn more about depression therapy, please contact us.

But You May Wonder Whether Depression Therapy Is Right For You…

While some people may still stigmatize mental health issues like depression, it’s only because they don’t understand it themselves. The reality is that depression doesn’t discriminate. Asking and receiving help is the bravest thing you can do. As more people become open about deciding to seek therapy for depression—as well as other mental health issues—we can normalize discussions around this topic and, in doing so, allow the stigma that surrounds mental illness to gradually disappear.

If you currently lack the desire to participate in activities, you may doubt you have the motivation to attend therapy. However, it’s helpful to understand that low motivation is a temporary symptom. As you start to feel better, your motivation will gradually return, making it easier to commit to regular appointments. What’s more, our services are also available online, offering you the comfort and convenience to attend sessions from home. 

woman smiling holding a balloon that has smiley face on itDetermining the best treatment options for managing your depression is the responsibility of the therapist, not the client. With over 30 years of collective experience, our counselors are well-trained in providing a wide range of modalities for treating depression. Your therapist will use the information they gather at your initial counseling sessions to implement a treatment plan to address depression that works best for your situation. We are proud to offer care options that are evidence-based to ensure they will achieve lasting, positive results for you.