Depression Counseling in Santa Fe Springs, CA.

Sometimes "talk therapy" alone can relieve depression and most clients find it to be helpful. I do utilize cognitive therapy when dealing with depression because our thoughts have a great deal to do with our feelings and there is evidence that this treatment approach to depression can be quite effective. When necessary, I will provide a psychiatric referral for an evaluation to determine whether or not you are a candidate for medication.

Depression can be a heavy and overwhelming burden to bear, but with my evidence-based approach and compassionate guidance, we can work together to lift that weight and shed light on a brighter future. My use of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques can help you understand and challenge negative thought patterns, leading to an improvement in mood and overall outlook on life. I will provide a safe and non-judgmental space for you to explore the root causes of your depression, and work towards building healthy coping skills to manage symptoms. You are not alone in this journey and I am here to support you every step of the way.

I like to work collaboratively with my clients with a special emphasis on going at their own pace. When feelings of hopelessness, sadness, or lack of motivation is a primary concern, it is important to help clients find goals that they feel they are actually able to achieve. Providing a supportive, non-judgmental and peaceful atmosphere in therapy can help a client explore some of the more challenging struggles that has made him or her feel stuck, either in their personal goals or in important close relationships. Finding new strategies or coping skills to replace the ones that have stopped working becomes the new goal and transformations in outlook and relationships can begin.

Among the most common events leading to depression are; experiencing changes in our daily functioning & feeling a loss of control in our lives, such as in our relationships, health, careers, family, divorce, death, history of abuse, finances, sex lives, or even moving. In dealing with depression, I utilize a holistic, strengths based approach. We will explore how these changes are impacting you physically, personally and socially. Together, we will draw on the positive aspects of your existing supports & routines that remain intact, reinforce or rebuild these, & work toward helping you maneuver through the depression you are experiencing.

Working through depression is difficult. Finding what led to your depression can also be hard to recognize. Together we will find out why you're feeling sad and look for ways to overcome the depression with tools you'll learn in the therapy sessions. Through practice, you'll be able to use the newly learned tools to conquer your depression as easily as brushing your teeth.

I practice a type of therapy for depression called Team Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which research has shown to be especially effective with depressive disorders. It was developed by Dr David Burns. Using TEAM CBT, we work together to discover underlying beliefs (which we call cognitive distortions) that are causing or contributing to your depressive symptoms. Once identified, we then use a variety of techniques to help you correct those thinking patterns that are causing you difficulty. We measure progress constantly so that we can try new techniques if needed, to help you feel better.

Depression is more than a situation that causes you to feel down for a period of time. It is a debilitating state that affects all aspects of your life. Learning how to increase coping skills and learn the negative self thoughts that are underlying the depressed feelings will help you to understand the mind and body connection. I offer support and a whole person approach to treating depression.

All of us occasionally experience feelings of sadness. Most of the time, these painful interludes clear rapidly. Clinical depression, however, is an extremely painful state which is characterized by intense feelings of hopelessness and despair. When this mood state occurs, professional help is needed. My therapeutic process allows the here and now experience between therapist and client to reveal how present day thoughts, feelings, and beliefs formed in the past influence your current life and affect your mood. Bringing to light the cognitive processes that may be holding the depression in place help you gain the clarity and control needed to restore your health. Please feel free to call.

Therapy can provide you with a warm and safe environment that nurtures you back into hope. Though the darkness and heaviness of depression can be overwhelming for teens and college students, Dr. Parke can provide you with tools and walk alongside you in this journey so that you know you're not fighting this battle alone. There is hope for depression, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and the courageous first step is reaching out for help. Schedule a free consultation today.

Depression has many different faces. It can be triggered by sad events, like the loss of a loved one, or by seemingly happy events, like the birth of a child. Sometimes it can even be caused by influences we don’t really understand. Helping individuals identify the causes of their depression, and explore new ways to cope are at the heart of my work in this area. Often clients who begin therapy because of depression discover that what they are feeling is to past trauma, issues related to their family history or upbringing, negative thinking or limiting beliefs. With the opportunity to work through past issues in a safe, non-judgmental setting often helps people find relief from their overwhelming emotions and lift the fog of depression that has been weighing them down.

Sometimes we find ourselves in the "dark night of the soul." It is a place so painful that we feel we might never find our way out. Our counseling relationship can help you find out why you feel so hopeless, and help you gain insight about how your environment and relationships (both past and present) might be contributing to your feelings. Once you figure this out, we can determine what steps you might need to make to find freedom and joy again.

I have witnessed countless clients struggle from the weight of depression. I have also seen how quickly therapy can work to dismantle depression. Therapy, under my guidance, is extremely effective in diminishing many of the symptoms of depression. The benefits of therapy for treating depression are tremendous and multifarious. You do not need to live a life of sadness and depression.

Depression is one of the most common problems people seek out therapy services. Because I am trained in a variety of therapeutic approaches, I am able to offer you a holistic approach to depression treatment. Sometimes depression is habitual, other times it is caused by your cicumstances, and still other times we need to work through the root causes of depression. These may be childhood abuse, traumatic events, bereavement or problems in your relationships or lack there of! I am highly trained and skilled at treating all types of depressions and can help you work through the feelings to resolve even long term depression. Call me! I can help!