Depression Counseling
Do You Believe You Might Need Depression Counseling?
Are you feeling down more days than not? Do you feel adrift in life, as if you are numb to everything and simply living on auto-pilot? Do you often experience feeling worthless or hopeless and worry if you will ever find peace? Perhaps you've lost interest in activities you used to love. Or maybe you have withdrawn from family or friends because they can’t understand or bear your pain.
Depression symptoms are vast and unmistakable. Ambivalence dominates while ambitions stagnate. You may feel out of control to the extent that things that were once easy to accomplish now seem out of reach. Thoughts play in negative loops, like a tape you can't turn off, and despair feels like a heavy cloak around your shoulders.
Beyond these emotional signs of depression, here's how to know if you're depressed in terms of physical responses:
Low energy and reduced concentration
Frequently tearful
Reduced libido
Decreased appetite
Sleep difficulties
Digestive issues
Increased substance abuse (self-medicating)
What causes depression? Depression has a genetic component, but there are also depression triggers: events such as divorce, empty nest, retirement, and/or a whole gamut of life changes or losses.
If You Are Asking Yourself "Am I Depressed?" You Aren't Alone
Depression has become a worsening issue in our society. It has shown up earlier and earlier in children over the last few decades and seems to be linked to increased use of social media, changes in morality in society, hormones in food, and changes in traditional family makeup.
One characteristic of depression that can feel isolating is that many people you see every day have it and try to hide it. Sufferers often feel no one cares, so they suffer in silence. It can feel very lonely to be depressed, especially when even well-meaning people around you don't know how to help, and they retreat.
If you are in crisis, you may even have feelings of suicide. Or perhaps you know someone who has expressed those ideations. It's not a situation you should ever ignore and hope it disappears. It's a risk that you must address professionally and perhaps medically.
There is help available, even if the lack of understanding among the untrained causes you to feel alone. Even if you're feeling hopeless, there is a hopeful path. There are solutions.
How To End Depression? There Is Help, And Hope
I am a highly trained and experienced depression therapist. I employ a wholistic blend of treatment methods that are customized to your needs to find solutions, peace, wholeness and a way to wellness.
In our sessions, we will set manageable goals to treat your symptoms of depression. Some days are worse than others, even suffocating and paralyzing sometimes. Your condition on any given day will dictate the care I will provide. Some days you will be able to go to a museum as an activity, for example, and some days, brushing your teeth may be the best you've got. Wherever you are on a given day, I am there to provide treatment and guidance with no judgment.
Together, we will set goals, tease out the issues that worsen your depression symptoms, discuss diet and exercise and their roles in elevating mood. We will also incorporate pleasurable activities as "homework", and examine what is out of balance. Generally, striving for balance through CBT to assist you with resolving distorted perceptions you have, and relaxation techniques in session to help ground you will be priorities in session.
In addition, I will advocate for you, should medication be a component of your recovery. I have good relationships with providers who will, with me, provide a high standard of coordinated care. Proper care is my priority, and with that in mind, I will never force an agenda of medication.
I am here to help you "avoid avoiding" which can lead to shame-based thinking, but I will never expect you to perform beyond your abilities on the tougher days. I will, however, work with you to reframe shame-based thinking and ruminating negative feelings.
There Are A Few Concerns Holding Me Back From Seeking Depression Counseling
There's a total stigma in my social circle. I've been told to see a pastor.
I support your courage for reaching out. While I believe a spiritual guide can be very valuable, professional support from someone with my training might be important for your recovery from depression. Regardless of your path, I will respect and support your spiritual approach while offering you the guidance and healing you deserve. When can we make an appointment that supports your privacy?
I feel so weak for being depressed. I need to just get my act together.
I hear what you're saying. If you trust your doctor, we can simply discuss what's going on, whatever that might be. Human to human. We can talk about your goals, what’s going well with your life as well as how to turn the tide so your difficulties right now don't worsen.
There's a voice within you telling you that things aren't quite right. Listening to that voice doesn’t make you weak. It makes you aware. And, besides, we all occasionally need help to "get our act together."
I know depressed people, even some who have committed suicide, and I think my issues don't compare.
Depression is experienced on a continuum, from mild to severe. Even if you think your issues are mild, let's address what you feel is amiss. Even if you are higher functioning than some, let's see what can be improved. There's no shame in trying to feel better— in asking for help.
People care. There is hope. We can dispel negative thought patterns by addressing them and "flipping" them. I'm here to validate your feelings, and I want you to know that seeking help now will help you find relief and greater peace of mind.
Depression Counseling Is A Phone Call Or Email Away
Sometimes we can self-resolve feelings of being "blue," but if you‘re reading this page, you may be feeling stuck and need assistance from a professional healer. Overcoming depression is possible. You can reach me for a consultation at (863)206-2692 or contact me through this website. I look forward to meeting this challenge with you.
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