Depression Counseling in Petaluma, CA.

Depression can rob your life of pleasure and meaning. It can become difficult to do things that could make you feel better. Instead, you'll often do the things that make you feel worse, like eating or drinking too much and avoiding the people you care about.  We believe that your depression has meaning.  Whether the cause is a long-term issue or a sudden crisis, or a feeling that there's more to life, depression has something to teach you. Our goal is to help you understand what's going on and help you regain a life of joy and meaning.

There are many causes for depression and many forms of depression, from reactive depressions to deep internal depressions. Sudden depressions as well as long lasting depressions are not to be ignored. They are serious emotional responses which can benefit extensively from appropriate counseling and therapeutic interventions. Having a caring and listening ear to talk to during a time of depressive despair can be extremely healing. It is often stated that a healthy listening relationship can heal beyond measure. There are depressions which will benefit from medical interventions along with talking interventions. In general, cared for depressions will greatly improve and most will pass.

When one is depressed the range of thoughts and feelings encompass a wide spectrum. Sadness and despair might be pervasive. One can feel as if they have fallen into a deep dark pit where everything is covered in negativity and hopelessness. In this state, one can feel inadequate, discouraged, unable or unwilling to make decisions. In addition, guilt, shame, profound low self-esteem and loss of interest in relationships, sex, career and even life itself are commonly found. A variety of evidence-based tools, specific to the needs of the individual, applied skillfully at the right time, can dramatically lift one out of that deep, dark pit and help avoid relapse.

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.

Depression is a serious issue. I know it is difficult to seek help when you are depressed and you probably feel hopeless that there is any help at all. It is the nature of the illness that keeps you from getting the help you deserve. Psychotherapy can help! Depression is treatable and you can live a happier and more productive life. I provide a safe place to help you understand and deal with the depression and together we will create a plan to help you feel better.

Psychotherapy can be used to treat a depression. Therapy can help lift the depression, sometimes forever, sometimes for a period of time. Therapy works by addressing some of the causes of depression. Those things that seem to be related to depression include: difficult relationships in the past and present, traumatic experiences from the recent and distant past, emotions that are unexpressed in healthy ways, and ways of thinking that were learned from those around you, from both childhood and adulthood. The problem here is that if you are depressed, you may not feel like you deserve treatment. Your depression may have increased a sense of hopelessness, and low self-esteem. I