Therapy for Depression
Walking with you through the emotional pain of depression, shame, hopelessness, and self-doubt. I’ll help you get moving, so you can regain your connection to life.
Depression looks different for different people. The way it shows up in TV and movies, with someone unable to get out of bed, retreating into their room and doing nothing but sleep or not sleep without taking care of their basic needs? Yes, that is one possibility. But you can be going through depression and still be holding down your job, performing well, and taking care of the things you feel compelled to do because people are relying on you. You could be feeling down most of the time, even if you can present a public face of cheeriness and “I’m fine.” Life may have lost its color, and things you used to enjoy can spark no pleasure at all. You may find that you’re constantly talking down to yourself, feeling guilty and ashamed about everything, and believing you are not good enough. You may notice your tank is empty, and you have to push really hard through the fatigue. Trouble sleeping, either too much or not at all, may be hounding you. It can be tough to focus or make choices. You could be restless and fidgety, or moving very very slowly. Thoughts of dying may be occurring to you.
Your depression could be sparked by something you can identify, like a difficult loss or life transition, or it could seemingly come out of the blue. If you are a person of color, the weight of generations of trauma and pain can spark grief, sorrow, and rage turned hopelessly inwards. Personal traumas related to emotional, physical, or sexual abuse can replay themselves in ways that lead you in and out of depression throughout your life.
I can help you find the small steps needed to move toward a valued life, even if for now it doesn’t feel connected or meaningful. We want to create the possibility for a life worth living while witnessing, validating, and learning from emotional pain. We’ll work on reconnecting with yourself and finding ways to spark self-compassion. You may have found yourself unwilling to lean on people in your life for fear of “being a burden,” or being misunderstood. I promise to be here for you, with empathy, humor, and encouragement.