Does every day feel like a struggle just to get out of bed?
Have sadness, worthlessness and hopelessness become your constant companions?
Can you remember the last time you felt truly excited about something?
Depression robs you of your happiness. Depression drains your motivation out of you and leaves you feeling exhausted. Worse yet, depression and anxiety are reciprocal with one another and often come together. It can be an endless cycle that is extremely debilitating, making you feel less than human.
I work collaboratively with each client to create a plan to break this cycle. I take an active approach to counseling and use evidence based approaches to help you develop new ways of thinking.
Symptoms of Depression
Depression looks a little bit different from person to person. Some people just feel a constant, pervasive sense of “blah” or sadness. Others experience a single, really intense episode where it feels impossible to think about anything positive.
Here are some of the general signs of depression:
- Feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness
- Negative self talk
- A sense of isolation
- Depressed mood, or just feeling down
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Less interest or pleasure in activities you’ve always enjoyed
- Loss of energy
- Fatigue
- Moving and/or thinking more slowly than usual
- Difficulty concentrating
- Thoughts of death or suicide
My Approach to Counseling for Depression
I believe in providing effective depression treatment. Therefore, I use evidenced based techniques. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I will provide you with powerful, effective tools to overcome your depression. Brief surveys and questionnaires will help me better understand exactly where you are coming from and how your depression symptoms are impacting your life. This way, we can use CBT techniques to treat your depression symptoms and help you find relief. As part of your depression treatment, I may assign homework such as a thought log or practicing some of the thinking skills we’ve discussed. This will help you take our discussions outside of the therapy office and into your daily life.
Here are some key components of depression therapy:
- Radical acceptance of the self and the present moment
- Identifying negative thought patterns
- Liberation from the tyranny of “should” (e.g. I should do this and I should do that)
- Finding your hidden (and not so hidden) strengths
- Being brave in the face of difficult events and situations
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you change how you understand, interpret and interact with the world around you. Through counseling, we look at your patterns of thinking that have contributed to or helped maintain your depression.
Early in your life, you developed core beliefs. These are basic beliefs you have about the world around you. Now some are helpful and others are hindering you and may be contributing to your depression. With CBT, I will help you to see how negative core beliefs can create havoc in your life. I also use mindfulness to focus you in the present moment. Most thoughts that get us in trouble are those of the past or the future. Therefore, being able to stay in the here and now allows us to live life on our terms.
The Power of Counseling to Relieve Depression Symptoms
CBT and Mindfulness therapies are active, structured, and systematic. They are also highly successful in the treatment of depression and anxiety. I believe in the power of counseling to treat depression, because I’ve helped countless others find relief from symptoms of depression over the years. I am passionate about providing you effective depression therapy that will change the way you perceive the world around you and help you find joy.
Imagine a life where you feel happy again. Where you can spend time with your family and friends fully engaged in the moment. You aren’t worried about how others think of you and you have the energy to do what is important in your life. Depression doesn’t have to hold you back, and you don’t have to live in a shadow of darkness.
Relevant Blog Posts on Depression, Sadness & Stress
As as therapist, I am always looking for ways to help people improve their mental health. One way I do this is through keeping a blog where I often share tips. Here are a few blogs I’ve written you may find useful:
- Exercise for the Winter Blues
- Casual Sex: Good or Bad for Mental Health?
- 7 Tips for Getting Through a Breakup
- Mindfully Abiding
Begin Depression Therapy in Cincinnati, OH
If you’re ready to start getting out from under the weight of depression, I can help. You don’t have to live with no energy, feeling overwhelmed and constantly fighting self criticism. Counseling truly can help.
At my Cincinnati counseling clinic, I help people gain the tools they need to fight depression. Depression makes it hard to find the motivation to even call a therapist. I know, but I encourage you to take that first step and contact me anyway. You deserve to start feeling better. We will set up an appointment for you to begin counseling for anxiety.I look forward to the opportunity working with you on breaking the destructive cycles and bearing witness to new growth in your life.
Still unsure if you’re ready for counseling?
I know it can feel intimidating to come in for counseling. Especially if you haven’t been to therapy for other emotional or mental health issues in the past. I try to make the process as painless as possible for you. Consider checking out my Frequently Asked Questions page or contact me with other questions.
Depression isn’t the only thing counseling can help with. As an experienced mental health therapist, I can also help you stop anxious thoughts in their tracks, find excitement about your career, reconnect in your relationships and begin to enjoy life again. I work with individuals & couples who are college aged through retirements.
Depression Resources:
