Depression Counseling in Cherry Valley, CA.

Depression is essentially the suppression of emotions, we learn to do this in childhood. My approach will encourage you to explore and express your emotions in order to experience a lighter sense of existence. Underlying depression usually means that there is a negative sense of self. My approach works to find the roots of these beliefs and process through them to see yourself more clearly.

It can often seem like society expects us to be happy and positive at all times, that any admission of sadness or a loss of motivation, energy, or engagement with life is a personal failure. But Depression isn't a personal failure, and it is also more than just "feeling sad". If you find yourself down in the hole of disconnection, surrounded by a fog that is interfering with your life and relationships, you need a hand to help you climb out. A trained therapist understands the mechanics of depression and can help you understand it and find strategies to make your way up and out of it, and back into the light. Please contact me so we can begin to work on this process together.

I use several methods for helping you overcome depression. I support you in maintaining safety. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I help you to identify unhelpful thoughts and learn how to restructure your thoughts. I help you identify root causes of your depression and find ways to reduce their impact by replacing them with activities and relationships that support you in increased positive mood and personal responsibility. Depression can be comorbid with other issues you may be struggling with and I take a holistic approach to help you address what is needed in order to become a more fulfilled, and satisfied individual.

Depression is a common mental health disorder, affecting all age groups, that causes intense & persistent feelings of hopelessness, sadness and personal emptiness. Depression affects how you feel, think, behave and could lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems, left untreated. If you are struggling with depression you don't have to be alone, seeking help is the first step to improving your symptoms. Psychotherapy has shown to improve the symptoms of depression. Together will develop a comprehensive treatment plan specific to your concerns, needs and symptoms to improve the quality of your life.

Working with the experience of depression is much more than changing our thoughts to change our behavior. Our brains are wired to notice the negative; it's part of our survival. I support my clients in expanding what they notice, and help them discover what works for them by creating a tool kit through experiential relational interventions in session. When I see children, I utilize play therapy as the modality, including Child Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, and Prescriptive Play Therapy. When working with adolescents and adults, I utilize expressive arts, DBT, CBT and Narrative Therapy.

Depression can be debilitating and lonely. I understand the complexities of depression and have found that my psychodynamic, psychoanalytically-minded technique is very successful in treating depression. I have found psychotherapy to be very effective in helping individuals find a way to overcome their struggles and reclaim energy and purpose in their lives.

I believe there are at least two kinds of depression. One is more biological or "hard-wired" and may need a biological-level intervention. Therefore, I may refer you to be evaluated by a doctor or psychiatrist for medication. The other kind of depression often arises from injured relationships or facing obstacles in life. Sometimes, depression can be a combination of both. If your depression results from a hurt relationship or failures in life, I can help you to rise above it. As a Family Therapist, I treat problems through a relationship-oriented perspective. Therefore, I may be able to address the kinds of relational issues that often worsen depression.

Are you feeling sad? Hopeless? Worthless? Are you struggling to find motivation? How about the energy needed to connect with friends? Or are you feeling isolated? All of these (and more) are very common symptoms of depression. As your therapist, I will use CBT therapy to improve your quality of life. I love using CBT for depression because it makes common sense. We learn to notice those negative thoughts. Then we learn together which thoughts are hurting you and causing you to feel emotional pain. Lastly, we work together to change and replace those thoughts with something better. It's not a magical cure, but this is a long-standing and proven technique for depression and I find it helpful!

In treating depression, I take care to understand the circumstances which have led to you feeling the way you do. Then, we work together to help you develop new coping strategies that will help you manage your difficult emotions as well as take steps towards meaningful actions in your life. I use tools drawn from several different evidence-based therapies, which are therapies have proven effective in research studies.