Depression Counseling
Is Every Day A Struggle?
Are you unable to see the colors in life and fear there is no way forward? Are you overwhelmed by melancholy or fatigue? Have painful thoughts, emotions and physical discomforts become routine? Perhaps you’re over-eating or can’t seem to eat anything at all. Do you abuse substances to numb emotional pain? Maybe you are suffering from insomnia or sleeping most of the day. Perhaps imbalanced sleeping and eating habits are causing you to be uncharacteristically irritable and impatient. Perhaps these feelings have surfaced after taking on caregiving responsibilities, a recent diagnosis or post-partum. You may feel alone, misunderstood or like you cannot be yourself or laugh around other people. You may even spend a great deal of effort appearing to be “happy” just to get by. The exhaustion of maintaining that façade can make it difficult to get out of bed, concentrate and complete tasks of the day. Do you wish you could better understand why you feel so down, increase your energy and motivation and move forward feeling more connected to the people and world around you?
Living with depression and other mood disorders can be a lonely and confusing experience that limits your ability to see positive prospects for the future. Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and deep sadness may be making it hard to connect with others or complete routine daily tasks. Relationships and productivity at work might be suffering, increasing your sense of isolation and leading to feelings of guilt and shame. Depression often fuels doubtful thinking, creates self-esteem issues and perpetuates a grey-
ness that affects physical wellness as well as your ability to find meaning in life. You may have even lost hope that things can get better.
Depression Is The Most Common Mental Health Diagnosis In America
If you are recognizing the signs of depression, you are not alone. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one in ten American adults struggle with symptoms of clinical depression. Depression can be caused by a variety of environmental and chemical imbalances and distressing life events. There may be a family history of depression or substance abuse in your family. Or, you may be struggling with something that looks like depression, such as manic depression, bipolar disorder or ADHD. Depression can also be situational. Emotional difficulties often heighten during times of transition, such as ending a relationship, changing careers, diagnosis of a chronic illness, experiencing loss, going back to school and more. Stress of all kinds can impact your wellbeing. In this climate, it’s common for individuals to experience financial stress, and the pressure to excel at work or balance multiple jobs can lead to isolation. It’s also common for people to face racial, sexual and/or religious prejudices, which can lead to heavy feelings of fear and anger that can impact your ability to trust and feel connected to the world around you.
Although depression and isolation are very prevalent in our culture, help is available. Challenging thoughts, emotions and feelings can be clarified, worked through and overcome with the help and support of an experienced, compassionate counselor trained in the treatment of depressive signs and symptoms.
Depression Treatment Can Help You Move Forward
Because depression is so common, there has been a tremendous amount of research dedicated to this illness, and as a result, there are a number of effective treatment methods and resources available for depression. Talking to an experienced professional who accepts you for who are can be powerful and validating in and of itself. In a safe, supportive and empathic environment, you can openly tell your story and receive impartial, practical advice from a professional who understands what you’re going through.
During sessions, I will listen carefully to your concerns. I can help you explore how you view other people and how you think they view you, and together, we can identify and clarify sources of your feelings. From there, we can discover how these assumptions and behaviors influence you and then consider practical steps for moving forward into the life you want. I am a strength-based therapist, meaning we will identify elements in your life that are already strong and working, and improve those assets as well as create new avenues for growth and empowerment. It’s my intention to help you reclaim your rightful, important place in the world.
Everyone’s experience with depression is different, which is why I tailor the direction of our work to best address and support your unique situation, history, personality, needs, available resources and therapy goals. Regardless of the severity of your symptoms, we can cultivate hope for a new future. With the guidance of an empathic mental health counselor, you can reconnect with your support system, improve your self-care and transform emotions and beliefs that are keeping you stuck. I’ve been helping people with depression since 1994. I’ve presented to classes on depression at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College and have provided in-service training with both staffs. In all my experience, I know that there’s hope for you. It’s possible to connect to others, see the colors and walk on the sunny side of the street.
You may still have questions or concerns about depression counseling…
I’m afraid depression means a lifetime of therapy, and I’m worried about the cost.
Do not take this the wrong way, but I don’t want you to be in therapy forever. I want you to acquire the skills and knowledge you need to move forward and enjoy life on your own. Independence and empowerment are the end-goal. However, achieving harmony and balance requires different levels of commitment and time for different people. Throughout this process, I will encourage your feedback. We will regularly and collaboratively assess your experience, evaluate your process so that you are informed of your progress.
Will I need to take medication?
That is your choice. I am not licensed to prescribe medication. However, I believe that medication can be a helpful, often short-term solution for depression treatment. Research shows that a combination of talk-therapy and medication is the most successful course of action.
If you do decide to take medication, I will fully support your decision. At that time, we will invite the input of someone who is trained to prescribe the proper medicine.
Everyone gets the blues; shouldn’t I be able to get through this on my own?
Although it’s normal to feel down, different and misunderstood, persistent feelings of grief may require additional support. Depression is a serious, all-consuming illness that makes it difficult to find meaning and can even lead to suicidal thoughts. If you feel ill-equipped to navigate these trails, or you haven’t been able to mitigate depression symptoms on your own, if the feelings interfere with your daily life process, it’s time to seek help.
Therapy allows you to see life through a different filter and gain insights about the nature of depression and how it affects you. You can also gain the tools needed to effectively alleviate uncomfortable physical sensations and cope with emotional triggers and distress. With some guidance, you can be the in-control, inspired, alive person you wish to be.
You Deserve To Be Happy
If you have signs of depression and would like to take a depression test or learn more about depression counseling or my practice in Tucson, AZ, please call 520-268-8890 for a free 15-minute phone consultation. Help for depression is available. You deserve to feel better!