Depression

Addressing depression in counseling is vital because it significantly impacts an individual's quality of life, relationships, and overall well-being. Untreated depression can lead to prolonged emotional suffering, impair daily functioning, and increase the risk of self-harm or suicide. Counseling can foster hope, resilience, and a sense of empowerment, helping clients regain control of their lives and work towards a more positive future.

We all face depression during our lives. The pandemic has added so much complexity to our way of living and working. This is a time when so many turn to mental health professionals to pull our way out of the slump. I offer an approach that uses mindfulness to provide some immediate relief. From there, we have the time and space that we need to dive deep into the underlying issues. This approach is effective and I look forward to working with you.

Depression is one of the challenges that led me to want to be a therapist, having dealt with my own bouts of depression in the past and coming out the other side. I understand what it feels like, and how crippling it can be. The model I use (IFS) is very good at helping with depression because it helps to understand exactly what is causing it and offers compassionate and effective tools for healing the underlying causes.

I have extensive personal and professional experience with depression and have been working with it since internship. This includes self harm and suicidal thoughts.

I utilize a variety of interventions including CBT and client centered therapy to address symptoms of depression.

I have had extensive training and over 40 years of experience treating depression and other mood disorders.

Depression is "the other side of the coin" of anxiety and I work on the soul level to find the aliveness in us all through understanding the gifts of depression.

Depression can be really challenging to manage because the problem itself saps your motivation to deal with it. To help, we'll work on establishing a stronger connection to your values and how you want your life to look, then build up habits to bring your day to day life in line with those values.

Feeling stuck, lost and hopeless is not how you wish to live your life. Through Intense Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy interventions, we will look at what's keeping you stuck and how you can move forward.

An often overlooked, stigmatized, and sometimes silent illness, Depression can be difficult to identify with or admit to experiencing. Have you ever had anyone say: Just stop thinking about it? Be positive! Why are you depressed, look what you have in life? So many people are struggling more than you & are not depressed! This illness has been known to lead to very sad outcomes if not treated. Please do not suffer alone. Seeing a therapist is one courageous way to begin healing.

I've helped many people dealing with depression by using an evidence-based approach which includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), among others. Sessions include learning and implementing coping skills, boundary-setting skills, and building a self-care practice. Some clients find worksheets and workbooks to be extremely helpful, which is an option for all clients.

I am a certified Level 1 TEAM-CBT therapist and a huge believer in the cognitive model, which suggests that it is not the situation/event that causes the despair/discomfort (emotion) which then influences our behaviors, but rather my interpretation/perception of the situation/event. We need to look at why we are perceiving events the way we do and challenge some of these negative self defeating beliefs and cognitive distortions and replace them with more realistic positive thoughts.

Depression affects people in various ways: Ruminating (worry, dwell on, or rehash of negative feelings). It can look like negative self-talk, sudden crying spells, feelings of guilt, or blaming oneself. It can also show up as anger or apathy. Know that depression may also include anxiety or even substance use. If you think you are suffering from depression, know that relief IS possible.

Depression is the pressing down of thoughts and emotions as a defense against what we believe would be dreadful alternatives. However, depression’s symptoms are real, not “all in your mind” and may have physical symptoms (ex. muscle tensions, headaches, and other body pains). Yet, what you fear may not turn out to be as horrible as you expect. By working through what causes depression, you can eliminate the need for it and be depression and symptom free, though medication may sometimes help.

I have worked with all ages, individuals, couples, families, and various group counseling settings to navigate effective approaches to address the various levels of depression unique to their circumstances and to facilitate a significant improvement in their overall daily lives with various techniques. 364/500