Depression Counseling in Lake Arrowhead, CA.

In treating depression, I first want to make sure clients have investigated whether there may be particular medical conditions that are causing the depression. Then I will investigate with the client the possible circumstances or relationship issues that have led to the depression. Depending on the results of such investigation, we then take steps to resolve the issues or establish means of coping.

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 counseling involves assessing and making appropriate changes in the physical, emotional, and relational aspects of a client's life that are contributing to depressed mood. I work with clients to both remedy the underlying causes and their resulting cognitions, and the lifestyle habits that hinder their recovery. Often it is appropriate to work in conjunction with medical professionals who may suggest medications and/or nutritional supplements to correct the biochemical aspects of depressive episodes. Clients benefit most when their treatment is comprehensive and avoids dealing solely with symptom relief.

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.

Andrea is certified in IPT for depression. This is an Interpersonal psychotherapy. It is a brief, attachment-focused psychotherapy that centers on resolving interpersonal problems and symptomatic recovery. It is an empirically supported treatment that follows a highly structured and time-limited approach and is intended to be completed within 12–16 weeks. IPT is based on the principle that relationships and life events impact mood and that the reverse is also true.

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.

When one is struggling with depression, it feels like being at the bottom of a big, black hole, always looking for a way out/up and not finding one. I provide emotional support, administer depression inventories, provide referrals for medication evaluations (if necessary), and help with cognitive processing to change thinking patterns which add to the depression. Don't try to face your depression alone. There is help available!

Are you feeling tired, sad or overwhelmed by life? Does it feel like there's a dark cloud over you and nothing will ever get better? You are not alone. So many people are struggling with sadness, but you can choose today to learn how to move through it and have the life you've longed for. I support you emotionally and spiritually to come to a place of peace. Let me help you bring light and joy back into your life.

Grey Matters International, Inc. and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, Ph.D. handles depression and other emotional disorders in a very unique way. Most of therapy or counseling processes utilize validation, unconditional positive regard, and reframing as common techniques to get someone to heal from their depression. Though this can be helpful, it rarely fixes the core problem behind it and for tough cases we then refer them usually to a psychiatrist for medication which can have tons of side effects. Instead, why not try a natural and arguably more effective way to not just change your mind, but change the brain--where the depression is rooted. Contact us at kevin@kevinflemingphd.com.