Depression Counseling in Century City LA, CA.

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.

I use a blend of cutting-edge therapeutic techniques such as sensorimotor psychotherapy, internal family systems, and object-relations psychotherapy to create a personalized healing journey. Focused on working with individuals who desire more permanent solutions to their emotional pain, my approach to depression therapy is as compassionate as it is transformative. By engaging with these specifically tailored methods, clients find themselves nurtured, understood, and empowered, unlocking new pathways to well-being and joy. This personalized care provides clients with a value-driven and life-enhancing experience that goes beyond traditional therapy.

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.

Clinical depression is not something that someone "gets over" or can manage on their own. It is real, painful and harmful. I will provide you the tools to help you overcome this debilitating condition. We work on stopping and changing those negative thoughts that can spin out of control, and also how to change some behaviors, such as being more active and social. It's difficult but we can do it together.

Depression often results following some type of loss. However, often it is not the loss itself that causes the depression, but the person's assessment and thoughts about the loss that produces feelings of depression. Cognitive therapy, as practiced by Dr. Levine, can help reverse such clinical depression. It is normal to feel sadness following a loss or unexpected negative life event and cognitive therapy is frequently an excellent method for insuring that normal sadness does not morph into clinical depression. If medication or TMS might help in addition to therapy, Dr. Levine can help direct you to a competent psychopharmacologist to provide this additional assistance, if you choose.

Depression presents itself uniquely in each individual. Further, in working with children and young adults, they can too often be misdiagnoses as their behavioral presentation is labeled as disruptive and oppositional. Having a clear understanding of depression impacts the behavioral outlook of the individual is pivotal on developing an effective plan in addressing these concerns. By working with my clients and families in understanding the depression we are often able to shape the environment in which the depression exists. Joining this with cognitive behavioral and evidenced based interventions, we are then able to more effectively address these symptoms in our pursuit of long term goals.

Sadness vs. Depression? Which is it? Treatable YES! Everyone feels sad or 'blue' on occassion. People tend to grieve over a loss, but usually, the feelings of grief tend to lessen over time. Depression occurs when feelings of extreme sadness or despair last for at least 2 weeks or longer and tend to interfere with activities of everyday living. Deperessed feelings include helplessness, hopelessness and even thoughts of death and possibly suicide. People with these feelings may feel overwhelmed. Causes may be from body chemistry which influence mood and thought. Chronic illness can accompany depression. Start feeling better. Give me a call and make an appointment now. Dr. Sobo

Depression is far more common than has been generally thought. Folks find themselves feeling hopeless, unable to concentrate, lacking initiative, having difficulty making decisions, trouble sleeping etc. Depression involves a slowing down of the entire human organism as well as lowered self-esteem. Often our dreams and images can lead us to discover the deeper meaning of the depression. Therefore sometimes depression can be a pathway to self-discovery. As we explore how you feel, I listen in a way that provides the client with clarity, offer guidance without imposing decisions, accept the client as they are, without making judgments, as they move forward in achieving

Depression can express itself in a variety of forms. The symptoms of depression vary from person to person. While occasional depression might be considered normal, it is not normal for it to become a hinderance to enjoying and living life. If you are depressed, allow me to provide you with tools to manage the depression while we explore the roots of the depression to create a path out of it.

Using the narrative therapy approach, clients will feel dignified by using their values as a compass. A lot of times self-worth is heavily influenced by the world around us and the expectations of it. Part of the work is learning to filter out the static from society and find your authentic self. I notice a lot of clients will come in with doubt as part of the depression but will later learn what feels true to them.

Life can be very stressful these days. Cell phones, I Pads, smart phones, e mail, social networks all are fun and wonderful but they also bring with them higher expectations from work, family, friends and even ourselves. Our world keeps speeding up and the pressures can be great. Depression as an outgrowth of the stresses and pressures that surround us is becoming increasing common and a part of each of our lives. Most of us will experience depression at one or more points in our lives. Medication can help but is usually not the long term answer. We will work to identify the problems, find solutions, set goals and work toward minimizing the causes and find more peace and calm.

If you or your child / adolescent are suffering with symptoms of depression such as, loss of interest in activities, low self-worth, and mood changes then I would like to help. Untreated depression can negatively impact relationships, productivity, physical and mental well-being. Whether you understand the root cause of your depression or are unsure of why you are struggling, therapy can be the start you need to move towards healing.

Persistent depression can steal your passion for life and make everyday feel hopeless and pointless. Sometimes it can feel as though nothing will ever change. At VOBH, our psychologists strive to help you identify the roots of your depression so that you once again be optimistic and hopeful about your life. We strive to collaborate with you on ways to alleviate you depression and manage sadness through research-proven therapeutic techniques.