Depression
Many of us experience symptoms of depression at varying severities. Fortunately, treatment is often very effective.
Depression can look like sadness, but depression doesn’t look the same on everyone. It can also include numbness, irritability, exhaustion, or withdrawal from the things and people you enjoy. It can look like going through the motions at work and at home but not feeling connected. It can look like being productive on the outside and feeling nothing inside. Many carry depression for years without noticing because they're still functioning. You don’t have to reach a level of “bad” in order to be able to benefit from therapy.
Treatment for Depression
It’s time to break free. The first step, exploring what it would be like to seek therapy, is often the most challenging part. Keep that momentum and schedule a 15-minute consultation.
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Depression looks different on everyone. For many, depression feels like a fog that sits over everything. Activities that were once exciting no longer bring joy. Motivation drops, and tasks feel impossible. Concentration becomes difficult, as if nothing is important enough to focus on. A sense of hopelessness sets in, and people can’t remember when they felt differently. Some people sleep too much, while others struggle to sleep at all. Some lose their appetite and use food, alcohol, or busyness to cope.
One of the most painful aspects of depression is how convincing it is. It tells you that it won't get better and you don’t even deserve to. The thoughts feel like facts in a depressive state. They're not; you have the power to pull yourself out, but you can also use help with it.
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I work with people experiencing depression across a wide range of severity. Some clients come to me at a low point, struggling to even complete basic daily tasks. Others look like they are functioning well on the outside but feel like they are barely holding it together. There is no threshold you have to hit or level of severity to unlock before you're allowed ask for help.
I work especially well with high-achievers and driven individuals who are frustrated by the difference between their capabilities and how they feel. Those in this category are often so successful that nobody even notices that something may be off. If you're used to solving problems and you are finding that you can’t think yourself out of this one, that's exactly where therapy can help.
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I use evidence-based approaches including CBT, behavioral activation, motivational interviewing, and ACT to treat depression. We work to understand the patterns that maintain depressive symptoms, rebuild engagement with meaningful activities, and shift the thinking styles that keep most people stuck. We won't just revisit what went wrong, over and over again. We'll figure out a way forward to make your life the one you want to live.
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Progress in depression treatment is often gradual, so don’t expect an overnight success like taking an Advil for pain. Clients describe starting to notice small moments of joy again. The energy comes back, and the fog that has been looming begins to lift. We will work to find the buried version of yourself and get back to the you that you remember.