Depression Treatment

We Have a Comprehensive Approach to Depression Treatment

We believe in the importance of treating the whole person and may incorporate multiple types of therapy in your treatment plan. Your counselor will look at every aspect of your life to help you work through depression with your mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Sometimes, a trip to the doctor can help you discover a hormonal imbalance, physical symptoms, or an illness that might be contributing to your lack of motivation. We will also look at your lifestyle and examine the external resources you have at your disposal.

There may also be new solutions to the problems or issues you are facing in your life. We can help you assess what is working and what isn’t working and find a new way. Learning to set healthy boundaries in relationships and home and work can have a big impact in reducing symptoms of depression. Since we are trained in multiple therapy types including career and relationship counseling, we can help you create a plan to improve your life situation. 

Overcoming depression is often a comprehensive treatment approach. 

There are specific types of therapy that have been shown through research to be highly beneficial for overcoming depression and improving mood. Your therapist will evaluate your symptoms and set goals collaboratively with you. Your treatment plan may incorporate one of the following types of treatment approaches or others not listed here depending on your unique situation.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you to shift your perceptions/thoughts, behaviors and mood. CBT also teaches you new coping skills to manage depression and negative thinking patterns. Establishing healthy beliefs about yourself and the world can improve all aspects of your life: mood, relationships, career and overall well-being.
• Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy is a modified form of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps with strong or overwhelming emotions, distressing events and interpersonal relationships. DBT can help you learn coping skills to improve the negative aspects of depression.
• Acceptance & Commitment Therapy is another modified form of cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on how thoughts, feelings and behavior impact well-being. ACT skills can help you cultivate greater compassion for yourself and learn behavior change strategies in line with what matters most to you.
• Interpersonal Therapy may be incorporated  to help you address your relationships, particularly if lack of social support is contributing to depressive symptoms.
• Stress Management skills can help you learn new ways of coping with routine life problems and situations, which can prevent depression symptoms from returning.

We believe that you have resources, skills, and talents within yourself that you can use to turn your outlook around with the use of new skills. Your counselor will help you find those resources and put them to use. Through talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and lifestyle changes, you can begin to feel alive again.

Perhaps you feel that counseling can help, but you may have questions or concerns…

Many people worry that they will be instantly prescribed medication for depression. We will take into account all the physical, emotional, life, and mental health factors that may be contributing to your depression. Your therapist will evaluate you individually, talk about treatment strategies, and may refer you to a psychiatrist if you both agree that medication is a viable option.

Medication is not the first step, but we may find that, in your unique situation, that antidepressant medication could benefit you, even if taken temporarily. Used in combination with therapy, it may help you clear a hurdle and start making positive changes in your life. Medication and cognitive behavior therapy is an effective treatment for depression, especially in depressive disorders with a biological or genetic link. You do not have to take medication forever. And, your therapist will only recommend medication to treat depression if he or she truly believes it will help you on your journey to well-being.

After assessing your symptoms, your therapist will discuss treatment options. Collaboratively, you will determine the next best steps to relieve your depression symptoms, including complementary and integrative health options.

Often, people wonder if openly sharing feelings and issues will cause them pain. In sessions, you share openly and honestly so that you and your therapist can identify your emotions, fears, worries, and hopes. Holding negative emotions in allows them to build. This can impact small daily choices as well as your long-term mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

When your thoughts and emotions are out in the air, you can better understand them. With therapy, you can find a way to release those feelings and feel relief.

Many people worry that therapy will be time consuming or take too long. We invite you to remember that you are in charge of your own treatment. Some people find it valuable to learn how to manage symptoms. Others feel that they will benefit if they take the time to really address and change deeply held beliefs and negative thought patterns.

The length of treatment can vary depending on your type of depression. If you seek treatment at the first sign of depression or after your first depressive episode, short term therapy may be sufficient. If you have experienced a trauma, substance abuse, have been suffering for a long time, or other mental health concerns, you will probably benefit from more sessions.

Treatment of depression is an investment in your long-term well-being and mental health. You can take the time you need to feel better in your life.

Welcoming a new baby or giving birth increases your risk of depression. Many women will experience symptoms of postpartum depression after baby. Others may experience postpartum anxiety. Mood swings are common after childbirth. As are the baby blues. Postpartum depression however, is a more serious, longer lasting form of depression.

Risk factors for developing postpartum depression include a prior history of depression, depression and anxiety during pregnancy, and recent stressful life events among others. This points to the importance of early treatment for depression if you recognize symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression after a new baby, reach out for help.

You can learn new coping skills no matter how tired or run down you feel. If child care is an issue, we also offer online therapy via video to make depression counseling services available to you.

It’s normal to feel pain and sadness after experiencing a loss. This is part of grief and loss. Common signs of depression such as difficulty sleeping, change in appetite, fatigue, lack of energy and crying are also a normal part of the grief process (i.e., not depression per se). We all cope with grief in our own unique way.

When grief takes over your life however, and you find it difficult, if not impossible, to function in your daily life, you may be depressed. Grief counseling can be an important part of the grief recovery process. Combined with depression treatment, you can get unstuck and find a way to live your life again.

Recovery from depression may seem hopeless or overwhelming. It can feel “too hard” at first. We firmly believe that you do have the resources you need inside of you already. You may just not see them or know how to use them yet. In individual therapy, you will identify what is working. Then, you’ll learn how to increase those resources while developing new skills you can use. We’ll also help you identify your strengths and express them in a way that works for your life.

We can help you build the confidence you need to move forward in your life. There is hope.

Children and teens experience depression for many of the same reasons as adults. Life stressors, change, life transitions, relationships, etc. Helping kids cope with depression while they are young teaches them resiliency skills they can use for life. We offer depression counseling for children and teens.

Our child and teen counselors are trained specifically in working with the unique issues facing children or teens respectively. Read more about teen depression help and child counseling services.