Depression Therapy
Do You Feel Hopeless and Stuck?
Are you unhappy in your life, but doubtful that anything can change? When you consider your role in the world, do you feel guilty, defeated and certain that you’re letting everybody down? After struggling to get out of bed in the morning, you might move through the day feeling numb and detached. Perhaps you are trying to engage in life, show up for your loved ones and do your best at work, but more and more, you just can’t. Do you wonder why you can’t feel as resilient and motivated as those around you seem to? Do you wish you could get unstuck, find a sense of purpose and feel equipped to manage life’s challenges?
Managing depression can be a deeply lonely experience. You may believe that you’re falling short in every aspect in your life, which fills you with shame and self-doubt. Perhaps you’ve begun withdrawing from your loved ones because you feel you don’t deserve support and care. Part of you might even believe that you don’t deserve happiness at all. You might question whether feeling better is even possible.
You Are Not Broken Or Alone
In 2015, the National Institute of Mental Health found that over 16 million adults had struggled with major depression in the past year. And, that number doesn’t include those who may show signs of depression without an official diagnosis. If a sense of heaviness and hopelessness is making it difficult for you to live life as you wish, you are not alone.
Depression can be caused by a number of factors. Some people suffer from depression on and off over the course of their lives, perhaps due to a genetic disposition. Others go through periods of deep distress following a difficult life transition, such as the loss of a job or the end of a relationship. The death of a loved one can also cause depression symptoms, especially for those struggling with intense, ongoing grief.
Regardless of your particular experience, you are not worthless, and what you are feeling is not your fault. You do deserve to feel better and to talk with someone who can understand what you’re going through. With the help of a skilled, empathetic therapist, you can gain greater awareness of your thoughts and emotions, break out of the patterns keeping you stuck and feel empowered to enact positive change in your life.
Depression Therapy Can Help You Find Lasting Relief
Even though you may be criticizing yourself at every turn, I believe that you are doing the best you can. As your therapist, I can help you develop a new understanding of depression, your emotions and yourself, including what tools you need to take hold of your life
I aim to create a trusting, supportive therapeutic relationship, in which you can feel safe to express your thoughts and feelings without fear of criticism. Even simply putting your experience into words can help you better understand what you’re going through and why. As you make sense of the challenges you’re facing and receive validation and acceptance, managing depression can begin to seem more and more possible.
I utilize an integrative depression therapy approach, and I will draw on my skillset to offer you the tools and strategies that best fit your unique needs and goals. Therapy sessions will not be about me telling you what to do. Instead, you will have space to develop deep self-awareness and self-compassion. You can come to see that your emotions do not mean you are broken or inadequate. Then, you can begin relating to your thoughts and emotions differently, with a new capacity to recognize the negative and the positive, together. As you gain a more nuanced view of your feelings, you can also develop effective ways to challenge and manage negative thoughts and emotions before they become overwhelming.
Depression treatment demands your engagement and commitment, along with a willingness to try new things. That said, if you feel hesitant or doubtful at certain points along the way, we can discuss where a barrier may be coming from. I’m not here to judge you, and we can address issues together, as a team. If you are struggling with more severe depression symptoms, we can also discuss the option of medication. Throughout the entire therapy process, I am here to help you discover what you need to grow and move forward.
From personal and professional experience, I know that coping with depression is possible. With help and a new, internal reserve of safety and strength, you can pursue the empowered, fulfilling life you want.
You may have concerns about therapy for depression…
Other people have worse problems. I don’t deserve help.
First, it’s important to recognize that this feeling of low self-worth is a symptom of depression. The voice telling you that you don’t deserve help and happiness is not really you. These feelings of heaviness and hopelessness are not really you. You are not depression, and you don’t have to feel stuck and defeated forever.
Second, I encourage you to consider the other voice inside you—the one that brought you to this page. If you have read this far, there is a part of you that hopes. Part of you wants to change and believes that change is possible. Therapy can help you nurture that innate resilience and make that belief come true.
I’ve tried depression therapy before, and it didn’t help.
I know how discouraging it can be to try therapy and feel that nothing has happened. You might feel like you’ve already tried every therapeutic approach out there. While it is important to find the right form of therapy, studies show that the most important component of healing is actually the therapeutic relationship. It may be that you simply haven’t found the right fit. I am committed to helping you find a therapist who clicks with you. Even if that doesn’t turn out to be me, I will provide you with individualized referrals so that you may narrow the search for the right therapeutic fit. More than anything, I want to help you feel better.
I also offer Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which is an innovative, effective form of treatment that engages the brain. If you haven’t tried EMDR yet, I urge you not to give up hope. EMDR has been proven to lead to deep, lasting healing.
I don’t have the time or money for depression treatment.
It’s okay to make an investment in yourself. You are worth it, and I will do what I can to make sessions fit your budget and schedule. We can plan to confront one issue at a time over a designated period, then take a break until you can afford to come back. My aim is to structure our therapy sessions so you get the most for your investment. If you want to make it work, I will make it work.
Change Is Possible
I invite you to call 858-480-1499 to schedule an assessment session. I look forward to learning more about you and answering any questions you may have about depression therapy in Del Mar, CA.
