Depression Therapy
Do you feel like you are going through the motions every day?
Do you feel tired through your days?
Do you lack motivation?
Do you wonder why you don’t feel happy?
Depression manifests itself as feelings of sadness, and loss of interest. You may experience it daily, for days or weeks, significantly impacting your life. Your life can be affected by depression . Seeking help to address how you feel is important. It is important to take care of what you struggle with in your life and take proactive steps to manage your challenges. You deserve to experience happiness, motivation and look forward to life.
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Depression is hard, a challenging experience.
Everyone has times in their lives when they experience feeling down. You may feel down but you do not really know why. You know you just aren’t happy and don’t get excited about anything. What used to interest you doesn’t any longer. Every person is unique in how depression affects them on the inside with their emotions and feelings. Also, on the outside with their affect, reactions and relating to others.
Many people experience seasonal, short term or long-term depression. Many clients are affected by the long gray days in the winter. SADS or seasonal affective disorder is a reason people seek out counseling. Talking about how you feel, how you get through your day begins a healing process. Seeking depression therapy is a first step to not carrying this burden alone.
Depression can have several symptoms you experience. You may have trouble sleeping, concentrating, find yourself getting angry more often or feeling overwhelmed by daily tasks. It can also be a feeling of a lack of energy or motivation to engage in activities you typically enjoy. It may affect your energy to get through the day or be able to engage in your job or with family.
Feeling depressed may be a result of a change in your life that you didn’t plan on or feel works for you in a positive way.
Clients who are experiencing changes they didn’t expect in their lives such as relationship changes, separation and divorce to name a few examples often report they don’t know how to handle these changes or what to do now. Many times, not knowing what to do , clients will ask “what is wrong with me?” Feeling that you did something wrong and not knowing what to do often leads to self-doubt and depression.
Transitions such as graduating from high school and trying to figure out what you are going to do next can be overwhelming. Counseling can offer solutions and support, reminding you that it's normal to navigate these challenges and that self-growth can emerge with time and guidance. The unexpected is manageable with a deep dive into what is going on in your life daily and how this change is affecting you.
You may feel you don’t have any answers. This is when counseling can help you to realize we can all have these thoughts in our lives at various times. We don’t always know the answer. The pressures of life, whether that be doing well in school, finding a job or overcoming the feeling of being fired from a job are very hard to emotionally handle. It is no surprise that when we can’t figure it all out quickly, we can quickly place the blame on ourselves. Self-blame or self-doubt are not the answer to feeling better. They can be your go-to response or thought pattern when faced with challenges.
Depression therapy addresses not only your emotions, but your thought patterns, helping you realize and change negative self-perceptions that contribute to feeling stuck. Taking time to talk through what you say to yourself in various situations, how you approach them or let them take over you.
Depression therapy is very effective in helping you in understanding why you feel as you do.
Therapy is effective, between 70 to 90 % of people with depression respond positively to treatment. With therapy you can expect a process of learning what is contributing to your depression, ways to recognize symptoms and develop coping strategies that work for you.
There is no one way approach to working with every client who experiences depression. Therapy is personalized and tailored to you. My approach integrates cognitive and solution-focused therapies. Learning who you are, what is happening will help you better over periods of time when depression may affect you more. While some clients do report they feel a continual blah but not everyone experiences constant depression. Recognizing when you feel low is important to finding solutions that you can use every day.
Are Considering Depression Therapy But Still Are Unsure?
How do I know if I have depression ?
Recognizing depression can be challenging on your own. You may feel confused, overwhelmed or unable to focus - all potential signs of depression. However, other mental health conditions can present similar symptoms. In depression counseling, I would work with you to determine if you have depression. We would create a personalized plan to manage your symptoms.
What would I do if needed medication along with therapy?
Part of counseling involves assessing whether you might benefit from medication in addition to therapy. I can help you determine if you need to see a medical doctor, mental health nurse practitioner, or psychiatrist. With your consent, I will coordinate care with these medical professionals to ensure you receive comprehensive treatment.
How long would I have to go to counseling if I had depression?
The length of time you spend in counseling is dependent on your individual needs. It can involve time spent talking and processing daily concerns, feelings or thoughts. The length of counseling also depends on your self-discovery and your progress in implementing solutions. There is no-one- size- fits- all answer.
How long will it take for you to begin working with me on finding out why I am depressed?
I begin working with clients immediately. I understand you came to counseling for help. I don’t expect you to have all the answers. You won’t be put on the spot. Clients often share what they wanted to discuss in each session. I encourage planning specific topics to discuss before sessions. It's okay if you can't put words to every thought or feeling initially, counseling will help you become more comfortable with expressing yourself.
Next Steps
I have worked with clients for several years who have had depression. The reasons people have sought depression therapy is simply to feel better and gain more control back over their lives. I can help you explore and understand what is happening in your life. Becoming aware of contributing factors and how they affect you is key to beginning to feel better. Together, we can find coping & healing solutions to a better you. Contact me directly at 317-891-5793 or by reaching out today!