Depression Therapy

Are Negative Beliefs Damaging Your Sense Of Self?

Do you feel a nagging sense of hopelessness or dread? Has a negative mindset impacted your ability to make decisions or feel confident in yourself? Do you find that you no longer enjoy the activities or relationships that once brought joy and optimism to your life?

You may find that you struggle with persistent sadness and that you have trouble relating to others or expressing your emotions. Perhaps your interactions leave you feeling irritable, agitated, and/or drained. As a result, you may have withdrawn from family, friends, or coworkers.

On the other hand, it could be that your symptoms are physiological or have to do with your cognitive functioning. You may find that you have difficulty concentrating or experience constant fatigue. Perhaps your sleeping or eating habits have recently changed, and you are no longer engaging in the healthy behaviors or activities that once helped to regulate your mind and body.

When you struggle with depression, every aspect of your life feels the impact. And as chronic feelings of hopelessness and helplessness fester, a negative inner critic forms who blinds you to life’s possibilities.

If you find yourself wishing you could just feel better and develop a more positive outlook, depression treatment with a certified therapist or counselor can offer the guidance and perspective that you seek.

Depression Takes Many Forms And Presents With A Wide Variety Of Symptoms

Depression is an incredibly common result of life’s cumulative stressors. As humans, we inherit a great deal of responsibility as we transition into adulthood. Between financial burdens, relationship stress, and vocational worries, we all face some form of distress that has the potential of overwhelming our ability to cope. When added burdens of unresolved trauma, grief, and loss are added to the mix, our capacity for managing stress and sadness becomes further compromised.

And while the trials and tribulations that we face can make us vulnerable to despair, depression is not always circumstantial. A chemical imbalance in the brain can cause clinical depression, for instance, and conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) indicate the relationship between weather and a decrease in mood-stabilizing hormones. Moreover, studies have shown that up to half of people dealing with depression maintain a genetic link to the disorder.[1]

Oftentimes, when symptoms of depression build up, we convince ourselves that we can overcome them on our own or that our problems are not serious enough to enlist the help of a professional. We may feel a sense of selfishness about tending to our emotions. Yet the truth is that these symptoms often get worse without intervention, and therapy is a great place to find skills and solutions for combatting depression.

Depression Can Be Conquered With Therapeutic Treatment

The way I see it, depression is a signal flare indicating the need for you to address something going on inside of your brain or body. By outlining the symptoms of your depression, we will be able to locate where certain messages are coming from and how they are affecting you.

Once those symptoms have been established, we will begin the process of depression counseling by creating achievable goals together. In a safe and supportive space, you will be encouraged to locate the core issues that contribute to your depression in an effort to develop meaningful, individually tailored solutions for overcoming it. I am confident you will gain vital clarity and perspective by thoroughly examining the root of the pain from which your depression stems.

Therefore, we will spend time discussing the elements of your history and conditioning that have resulted in a negative belief system about yourself. And even though some of this work will center around the past, I aim to orient depression treatment around a future in which you can feel confident there is hope. We will work together to ensure that you have a lifelong and sustainable toolbox needed for the moments of distress that are likely to arise during life’s challenging periods.

Using a combination of behavioral treatment methods, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), you will be able to dissect your thoughts to better differentiate between negative thoughts and beneficial ones. In addition, we will use problem-solving therapeutic techniques to determine the coping mechanisms that are effective and those that are not. This can be especially helpful for clients whose source of distress cannot be “solved” or changed, as in the instance of a chemical imbalance or clinical depression.

As you build strength in facing your fears and sadness, you will begin to see the benefit of having your feelings validated while also cultivating a toolkit for regulating distressing emotions. In addition, our sessions will help you develop basic principles of mindfulness and simple techniques for calming the nervous system, transforming your mindset to be more productive and positive.

As you consider therapy, it’s important to remember first and foremost that you can conquer depression and find relief with the right kind of treatment. Furthermore, you are never alone in doing so! I am here to listen to and support you. For 17 years, I have witnessed the life-changing effect that therapy has on improving the lives of my clients, all of whom have had a broad range of experiences and challenges.

I know you may be feeling hopeless now, but there is light at the end of the tunnel—and it’s closer than you think.

You may be considering treatment for depression, but you have some questions…

I don’t have the time or money to invest in depression treatment. 

Sure, overcoming depression will be an investment of your time and money, but like any investment, it has the potential to really pay off! Therapy can help you to be more productive and functional in your daily life, likely saving you time and money in the long run. More importantly, if you are currently struggling with chronic hopelessness, fatigue, and a negative inner critic, why put off finding relief? Therapy can help you to get to the core of your distressing thoughts and help you to regulate emotions.

I don’t want people to think I am unstable for seeking depression therapy. 

You don’t deserve to continue to suffer because you’re concerned about how you will be perceived. The symptoms you are experiencing are common, and therapy provides an opportunity to normalize depression so that you don’t feel so much shame or stigma around what you’re feeling. Depression is your brain and body’s signal that something needs to be addressed, and therapy is exactly the place to find support and validation while you explore your emotions.

I am afraid to use insurance for treatment because I don’t want my employer to know I am struggling with depression. 

Everything that happens in therapy is entirely secure and private; that applies to your insurance coverage too. By no stretch of the imagination would an insurance company ever disclose your treatment history to an employer, and I am personally bound by HIPAA to maintain the utmost confidentiality with my clients. I assure you this process will be safe and entirely respectful of your privacy.

Transform Your Inner Critic Into Your Greatest Cheerleader

If you are struggling to maintain hope, joy, or productivity in your life, depression treatment can help. For more information about my counseling services or to schedule a free, 15-minute conversation, call (616) 835-0215 or contact me today

[1]https://med.stanford.edu/depressiongenetics/mddandgenes.html

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