Depression Counseling

Do you feel unmotivated? Are you experiencing feelings of hopelessness and preoccupation with past failures? You might be experiencing a loss of interest in work, hobbies, or people. 

 If any of the above describes you, you may be experiencing depressive symptoms.

How can I tell If I’m experiencing depression or just having a bad week?

 Normal sadness is described as feeling sad, unhappy, or down in the dumps.  These feelings only last for a short time.  While clinical depression is a serious condition that negatively affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Clinical depression is persistent, often interferes with a person’s ability to experience or anticipate pleasure, and significantly interferes with functioning in daily life. The symptoms of depression can be mild, moderate, or severe.  Untreated, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years; and if inadequately treated, depression can lead to other significant health-related issues.

Sadness is a normal part of life.  Its normal to experience a long period of sadness after the death of a loved one. However, if you are experiencing persistent sadness that interferes with your daily activities, in addition to other symptoms above, it’s important to reach out to us for help.  

 What does depression look like in children/teens?

Depression symptoms vary from one child to the next.  

Symptoms that may suggest depression include: 

• Anger or irritability

• Fatigue and sleep difficulties, including trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or wanting to sleep much more than is usual

• Feelings of worthlessness, restlessness, or low self-esteem

• Loss of pleasure from friends, family, or activities the child once enjoyed

• Mood disruptions, such as mood swings or pervasive sadness that is out of proportion to a situation or that persists and overwhelms a child

• Physical complaints, such as headache; digestive complaints, including loss of appetite, and other aches and pains

Adolescents may experience the same symptoms along with others, such as:

• Isolation

• Preoccupation with song lyrics, books, poetry, or art that suggest that life is meaningless

• Significant change in weight, loss; or gain

• Thoughts of death or suicide

What to expect with Depression Therapy?

Clients will engage in individual counseling, group counseling or both.  Clients will work collaboratively with their therapist to identify the source of their depressive symptoms and create a plan to manage triggers and alleviate symptoms both in-session and in between sessions.

 What are treatment options for depression?

our approach is individualized.  Because depression can develop from many different factors, it’s important to base treatment on each client’s personal treatment plan. Psychotherapy in the form of cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT) is utilized to help regulate emotions, thoughts and behaviors.  For individuals whose depression doesn’t respond to psychotherapy, medication can also be an added treatment to address their depressive symptoms.