Depression Treatment
What is depression?
Depression is a common mood disorder that is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in usual activities. Depression affects how you feel, think, and behave. You may struggle with typical day-to-day activities including getting out of bed, having motivation for self-care, engaging in interpersonal relationships, and sometimes you may even feel as if life isn’t worth living. If this sounds like you, I’m here to help.
What are the signs of depression?
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Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, or hopelessness
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Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities (e.g., hobbies, sex, sports, etc.)
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Sleep disturbances (e.g., excessive sleeping or insomnia)
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Lack of energy
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Changes in appetite (either increased or decreased desire for food)
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Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
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Feelings of self-blame
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Difficulty concentrating
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Thoughts of suicide
Depression Treatment
I use an integrative approach to treat depression including a combination of Cognitive Behavioral, Interpersonal, and Compassion Focused Therapy. Depression is highly tied to critical self-talk and harsh judgment of self. Thoughts such as “I’m worthless” or “I’m useless” are common with depression. We often do not make the connection that these automatic thoughts lead to depressive symptoms. Could you imagine saying, “You’re worthless” or “You’re useless” to someone you love? My guess is no. Individuals do not say these hurtful things to the people they love because they recognize how damaging it would be, but because this self-talk is often so common, people often do not make the connection that this self-talk is at the root of their depressive symptoms. My approach to depression treatment is helping patients identify their negative self-talk and unhelpful beliefs about themselves to shift those perspectives to be kinder, gentler, and more compassionate.
Contact me today to see if I can help.