Depression Counseling in Pollock Pines, CA.

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.

When you’re depressed it makes life feel like you’re walking through mud, everything is more difficult and tiring and you feel less motivated to do anything. This can make depression incredibly difficult to deal with because it requires taking action to overcome. I have personal and professional experience in recovery from this unpleasant disorder, which gives me an edge and helping people to heal from depression.

For clients experiencing depression, I help them explore both external and internal circumstances that are impacting their mental health and look for relationships in their lives that are impeding the healing process. Then we do relational work together to move out of a place of hopelessness and helplessness into a place of strength and empowerment.

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.

First, it's important to me to understand what my clients mean by "depression" because how one client experiences depression can be very different than another client. This is necessary so I can customize the strategies I use for each specific client based on their unique experience of depression. Ultimately, my clients can expect to discover real-world steps they can take to feel not just "less depressed" but better about their life - and more positive and hopeful.

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.

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.