Therapy for Depression

What are the symptoms of depression?

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Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe, and can often include:

• Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and emptiness 

• Changes in appetite—weight loss or weight gain 

• Changes in sleep habits—trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

• Lack of energy; feelings of tiredness, exhaustion, or fatigue

• Loss of interest or pleasure in most activities 

• Irritability, intolerance, and frustration

• Slowed movements or speech that is observable by others

• Feelings of worthlessness, self-blame or guilt

• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal thoughts

• Unexplained physical pains—headaches or back pain

 

With depression, it is common to be trapped thinking about past or hurtful events. You might struggle to find a meaning in your life, feeling unloved and unworthy. Additionally, you might be feeling bad about yourself—feeling that you are a failure who has let yourself or your family down. Your thoughts might tell you that you are incapable of doing anything well. In these dark places, it is easy to feel as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel. However, with the help of psychotherapy, these destructive thought patterns can change.

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How to cope with depression

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In order to cope with depression, you can take initiative and begin changing your lifestyle to reduce your stress. Making healthy lifestyle adjustments provides your mind a refreshing, beneficial chance to find peace. 

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A healthy lifestyle includes: 

• Exercising: Partaking in physical activities at least 3 times a week can help reduce the level of stress hormones in your body. Exercise also produces a helpful endorphin that is regarded as a natural pain killer.  

• Eating healthy: Consuming nutritious foods, vegetables, and fruits can organically reduce your overall stress. Minimizing caffeine and sugar from your diet is also highly important.

• Staying hydrated: Dehydration is one of the most common reasons for your body to feel stressed. Drinking water can reduce your stress level and cleanse toxins from your body.

• Sleep: Getting enough sleep—usually 7 to 8 hours a night—helps reduce stress while keeping both your mind and body healthy. 

• Finding a hobby: Partaking in activities that spark joy is a great way to combat stress.

• Social support: Calling a friend and seeking support from your social circle can help you cope with a stressful situation.

• Taking breaks: Going on vacation, taking breaks from work, or temporarily removing yourself from stressful life conditions are integral in preventing burn out. 

• Effective time management: Sometimes, scheduling weekly or daily tasks can help prevent stress. Stress often leads to procrastination, making it difficult to manage everyday life.

• Getting sunlight

• Walking in nature 

• Relaxation exercises

• Practicing mindfulness

• Getting a massage

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Effective Therapy for Depression

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Psychotherapy can help you understand the roots of your depression, enabling you to pinpoint what factors are contributing to depressed feelings. Depression might arise due to family conflicts or relationship trouble. You might be in a toxic or emotionally-abusive relationship (potentially narcissistic abuse), or perhaps your difficult, critical family members might contribute to your depression. Perhaps your past traumas, your loss, and/or negative experiences might be the underlying causes for depression. No matter your unique circumstances, we can guide you toward understanding how those relationships have affected you; together we can discover how early messages in your childhood have impacted you and your relationships today.

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Brainspotting can help processing those overwhelming feelings. Brainspotting is a therapeutic technique designed to help individuals access, process, and release trauma and emotional pain. It operates on the principle that “where you look affects how you feel”. By using this concept, Brainspotting helps locate, focus on, and release stored emotional and physical pain by focusing on eye position. It guides your gaze to establish a clear connection between your body and mind, facilitating the processing and release of deeply held emotions and memories. Because it helps people access deeper emotions quickly, Brainspotting can be more rapid and effective than traditional talk therapy.

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We received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training for depression from the Beck Institute. As a practice, CBT is highly effective in the treatment of depression. We can utilize CBT knowledge to help you recognize distorted or negative thinking, providing you with the tools to change those thoughts and behaviors to instead face your challenges head on.

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We can work together to understand your relationship patterns, improve your self-esteem, maintain healthier boundaries, and rebuild healthy relationships. What’s more, we can identify the obstacles in your path of growth, overcome those roadblocks, and find both meaning and purpose in your life.