Depression Counseling in Placerville, CA.

I will help you view your depressive state with curiosity and without judgment, in an effort to understand and heal the source of the depression. Simple identification of the source of depression can enhance treatment outcomes and provide some relief from depression. I can help you recognize and access your inner strength, autonomy, and capacity for change.

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.

When struggling with depressed moods, everything feels heavy and you lack a sense of meaning and purpose. Even the most simple tasks can feel impossible. If you find yourself turning to alcohol, substances, or other addictive behaviours to cope with depressed moods, there is a way out. I help clients with addictions overcome the depressed moods causing them to turn to substances or addictive behaviours to cope. Everyone is different, so I work with you to develop a plan that fits your unique situation. If you are unsure where to start, send me a message. If I'm not the right fit, I can connect you to resources that will allow you to start getting help today, without having to wait.

Depression is more than having the blues. When you have depression, you may feel like getting up in the morning, brushing your teeth, or getting dressed all feel like too much. Sometimes life even feels so hard that killing yourself seems like a reasonable solution. Though medication may help, it is often not the whole story. Depression often masks other emotions that have been buried, sometimes from childhood, sometimes because a person was taught that only "positive" emotions were acceptable. Learn to uncover what is causing your depression and regain your aliveness so that you can once again, or perhaps for the first time, feel that you are living a full and productive life.

Depression can feel debilitating at times and wipe you clean of your motivation and overall luster for life. I use a CBT approach which is found to be an effective treatment for depression, as it addresses thinking barriers and stuck points that increase negative thoughts-commonly found in those who suffer with depression. Together we can identify triggers, barriers, process challenges and provide tools you can apply to increase the likelihood of feeling more in control over your feelings and thoughts.

Free 30 minute zoom call - Depression often really just means "repression". It is usually a sign that the human system is overwhelmed with thoughts & emotions that have become unmanageable. People with depression are often stuck & unmotivated. A shift in circumstances is usually needed for people suffering from depression AND expressing emotions through a variety of outlets is extremely helpful.

Depression can have many different signs: tearfulness, loss of motivation, loss of energy or joy in life, weight changes, inability to concentrate, sleep disturbance, irritability, loss of interest in sex, feelings of worthlesssness and hopelessnes, among other symptoms. Sometimes depression seems to come out of nowhere, and other times depression can be directly linked to a stressfull life event. I will help you identify the factors that might be causing or maintaining your depression, and also develop a plan with you to begin to feel better and to live better. Depression doesn't have to constrict your life. Our goal will be to return your life to vitality, purpose, and meaning.

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.