Depression Therapy
Is Depression Standing In TheWay Of The Life You Want?
- Have you lost your desire for pleasure?
- Do you wake up with a sense of dread and lack the motivation to face the day ahead?
- Have the everyday activities of bathing, eating, and getting ready for work become monumental tasks that you struggle to complete?
You don’t want to live like this, yet you can’t help how
tired, drained and empty you feel. Maybe you suffer other physical symptoms, too, such as changes in eating habits (too much or not enough), a reduced sex drive, difficulty sleeping, or, conversely, over-sleeping just to avoid life. The mind-body connection is strong – the way you feel in your body affects your mood and your mood effects how you feel in your body.
Perhaps you isolate yourself from others when you’re feeling low because you don’t want them to see you depressed. You might even wear a mask of happiness in public so that no one realizes how much you’re actually struggling, which only makes you feel even more isolated and alone. Sometimes, these feelings of hopelessness could even lead to self-harm.
You might not always know why you feel depressed.
Perhaps you experience a general sense of unhappiness that can sometimes dip down into darker periods of deep sadness and feelings of worthlessness. It feels like you’re caught in a viscous cycle because the longer you hold off on getting help for your depression, the worse you feel and the harder it is for you to escape the downward spiral.
Luckily, there are ways of treating depression that have proven to be beneficial in helping manage the symptoms that keep you feeling stuck. By understanding how your behaviors can affect your mood an by adopting healthier habits, you can learn to cope with depression more effectively.
Many depressed people suffer in silence without getting the help they need
All of us experience sadness throughout our lives let’s face it: life isn’t always sunny and happy. But sometimes we experience a more pervasive and persistent feeling of doom and gloom regardless of our situation and circumstances. This could mean that we suffer from clinical depression – a more severe form of depression that may be genetic in nature.
Or perhaps it is a learned behavior – a habitual way of seeing and relating to the world – passed down from generation to generation. It could be a combination of these factors – genetics, life circumstances, and family history – that predispose us to depression.
You don't need to suffer in silence
Many people still view mental disorders - like
depression and anxiety - as taboo and something that
we shouldn't talk about with anyone. We may be ashamed to admit that we're depressed, so we suffer in silence instead of getting help.
It is often hard for those of us who suffer from depression to get the help we need. Because we are depressed, we lack the motivation to do anything about it. What’s more, we live in a world where depression is still seen as a stigma and many of us are taught that it is our own fault or are seen as lazy because we lack motivation.
Fortunately, you don't have to see the world through a dark lens of hopelessness anymore. Depression therapy can help you reclaim your sense of hope, learn how to reengage in life, and rediscover the people and activities you love.
Therapy can lift the heavy cloud of depression you've been living under
This might be the first time you’ve considered baring your soul to another person and telling them about your struggles with depression. I understand how scary that idea can be, but it can also be empowering.
Therapy creates an environment of safety and non-judgement that allows you to feel vulnerable and share your deepest pain, secrets, and wounds with someone who really cares. Once we build trust and rapport, my objective is to provide you with the
skills you need to find relief from your symptoms.
At our initial session, I want to get to know you as a person rather than have it feel like a formal intake process.
You will get the chance to tell me about your life and current circumstances so that I can understand what factors contribute to your mood and behaviors.
You can share what you have tried in the past to manage your symptoms, what did or didn’t work, and why.
We will then collaborate on developing a self-care plan to address the issues that you struggle with.
Situational vs. Clinical Depression
The treatment we decide upon will depend on whether you’re suffering from situational or clinical depression.
If, for example, your depression is clinical in nature, medication may be indicated, in addition to therapy.
If, on the other hand, your depression has been triggered bya specific situation such as loss, it may be helpful to learn about the five stages of grief so that you can better understand the emotions you are feeling to help normalize them. And, if your depression stems from trauma, we can work together to help you process and resolve painful memories so that you find relief from your symptoms.
What ongoing sessions are like
In ongoing sessions, I will help you formulate small, attainable tasks which incorporate physical activity. Even if you begin with walking just five minutes a day, doing so can often lift your mood immediately, as studies have proven that physical activity produces the mood-boosting neurotransmitter dopamine as well as endorphins throughout the body.
Homework Exercises
If you are willing to keep a daily log of your activities and emotions, it can help us determine which activities are actually helping you and which aren’t.
I can also teach you mindfulness and relaxation techniques and may even recommend journaling between sessions to help you process your emotions.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step
~Lao Tzu
I use an eclectic approach
My approach to therapy draws from various modalities, such as Behavioral Activation (BA), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and Gestalt Therapy.
BA is guided by the scientific principle that performing certain daily activities can have a positive effect on your mood and that behaviors and environment influence emotions.
Gestalt Therapy is an effective method for helping you get in touch with your deeper feelings. I will help guide you to examine your inner emotions, experience the present moment, create awareness of how you think and feel, and make creative adjustments that will benefit you in the long term.
EMDR is a treatment that can help you process and resolve trauma that is subconsciously stored in the psyche and the body.