Depression Counseling in Rolling Hills Estates, CA.

Depression is a complex condition that involves changes in mood, behavior and thinking. It can effect our most important personal and work related relationships. Physically, it can interrupt our sleep, appetite and energy level. Sometimes, a medical solution is needed and other times a psychological approach is best while other times a combination of both is the optimal treatment. As a psychotherapist with 32 years experience, I have helped many people overcome their depression through proven treatments that change the patterns of thinking, acting, and relating that tend to maintain depressive moods. Psychotherapy can greatly benefit the person seeking relief from this condition.

Depression is a mood disorder that can cause a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that can interfere with daily functioning. Reaching out for help is a step towards wellness. Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person, but it is a very treatable condition. Therapy for depression helps you overcome the feelings of hopelessness and despair and to gain control of your life.

Depression often results following some type of loss. However, often it is not the loss itself that causes the depression, but the person's assessment and thoughts about the loss that produces feelings of depression. Cognitive therapy, as practiced by Dr. Levine, can help reverse such clinical depression. It is normal to feel sadness following a loss or unexpected negative life event and cognitive therapy is frequently an excellent method for insuring that normal sadness does not morph into clinical depression. If medication might help in addition to therapy, Dr. Levine will help direct you to a competent psychopharmacologist to provide this additional assistance, if you choose.

Talk therapy is incredibly beneficial for all areas of treatment, especially depression. Psychotherapy will help the depressed client to identify and understand life problems. Therapy will explore life problems and the cognitions behind the thoughts that lead to the depressed feelings. Together, in a safe and warm environment the client will be able to regain a sense of control and pleasure.

There is no reason for you to go through this alone; depression is like a dark cloth over your life. I have years of experience in helping individuals to throw off the cloth and to reconnect with themselves and their loved ones. We will work together to reclaim your life, to build healthy habits for the future, and to build the life that see for yourself.

In our life journey we inevitably come across a period of darkness, depression or lack of motivation. Sometimes it is triggered by an event or failed relationship and sometimes we come to the realization that much of our lives has already been lived in this gloominess. Through the counseling process you can share what you've truly been experiencing and explore the depths of your depression in a private, safe environment all while coming to an understanding of what it means to be good to yourself. And in turn others.

If you tend to look at your past, present and future as painfully sad I can help you develop a plan to lift your mood and help you to become more hopeful. You will be able to measure your progress based on changes you can achieve and believe in, step by step. We can work together at whatever pace you need. Learn tools you can use for a lifetime. Taking the first steps by gettting expert help can make the difference.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression has been shown to work time and again with decades of research supporting its efficacy. There is a light at the end of the tunnel! When you are depressed motivation and desire are hard to come by. I hope to help you create and put into action a plan that does not rely on motivation to enact change. You will begin to learn how to catch the thoughts and behaviors that keep you stuck and change them to healthier alternatives. My goal is to help provide you with the tools and skills you need to find joy and pleasure in things again and to be able to envision your life worth living.

As a couple we bring an enhanced experience of support and collaboration in dealing with feelings of depression. If you are feeling lonely, hopeless or isolated from your partner, we strive to put you back in each other's care. When we are both in the room we bring safety to the exploration of obstacles and patterns that are keeping you from getting what you need. We make it easier to ask your partner for what you want and bring connectivity back to your life.

Depression has a way of taking away our zest for life, our sense of vitality, and even sometimes our will to live. I begin my work in depression treatment with a thorough assessment of not just the number of symptoms of depression but as importantly the quality of the depression. Depression that stems from guilt has a different feel than that which stems from shame. I observe and interact with my clients and I provide my observations back to them for their assessment and collaboration in this very engaged and intimate process of identification. I make note of how my client is feeling during these conversations and I make my observations and senses my guides in treating depressive feelings.

Talk therapy, when combined with medication, can play an important role in helping clients manage depression. Working together with a professional therapist helps you gain a new perspective on any issues you may be facing at work, with family or friends or in your general life. Having the support of a therapist through a depressive episode will provide you with an ally who will see you through your depression, help you manage your medications and be able to monitor the progress should it become worse.

When working with depression I take an eclectic approach. At the outset of therapy I work with the client to establish concrete goals. I employ various techniques including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and take a psychodynamic approach to examine the underlying causes of depression. I believe depression should be approached in a holistic manner and often times requires incorporating other techniques and interventions outside of the clinical setting.

When we feel depressed we can forget about taking care of our basic needs. Simple things like running errands or making the bed can feel insurmountable. Isolating from others can feel like the right thing to do but propel us further into a depressed space. Often we are unaware of how our mindset contributes to this state. And we try to cope by engaging in habits that increase feelings of shame and hopelessness. I can support you in your journey of coming out of the heaviness and into a lighter way of being. We can look at how shame may play a role in remaining stuck. We can look at unresolved fears and needs along with cognitive distortions that may keep you from moving forward.