Depression Counseling in Hanover Park, IL.

You may have found that pushing through hard days just isn't working anymore. Maybe it is hard to get out of bed or experience joy as you once did . We use a grace based approach to find positive and healthy solutions to manage your overwhelming feelings so that you can find your energy and purpose. We will look at your life holistically to determine if there are health problems or biochemical reasons for your depression. We want you to be free of shame so you can develop a healthy sense of self worth, competence so you can experience joy and hope!

From mild to severe, the levels of sadness or depression that may color your world can be oppressive. We can help you understand the complicated nature of your own sadness or depression, including both the bio-chemical aspects as well as the emotional impact. Through this understanding, we develop a plan with you to access your strengths again, and see the world differently.

Depression can be paralyzing and make it challenging to have the motivation to take care of daily life activities. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can provide insight to your emotions and help with identify values that you want to live by. We can work together to not allow depressive symptoms to determine how you live your life. We will identify commitments that will build positive experiences and decrease depressive symptoms. The first step and often the most difficult is making an appointment and coming in for your first session, and you will begin feeling better once you do!

I think that my most important technique is to assist individuals in recognizing that depression is a condition and is not a form of laziness; many individuals have expressed a sense of relief as others have encouraged them to "just get over it". I utilize a combination of support and encouragement, including discussions of successes and challenges. I strongly discourage the use of the word "should" and any judgmental language. In addition, I believe that there is no specific time table for recovery, and that each individual is unique in their recovery.

People may medicate their depression with TV, alcohol, food, isolation, or excessive sleep. One definition of depression is "anger turned inward." Talking with a psychologist is one of the best methods to understand your down moods, unusual thoughts, and self-defeating beliefs. Friends may say, "Get over it" about your jealousy toward your sister or your sadness over your girlfriend who texted "it's over" 3 months ago. If you are on medication for already-diagnosed depression, therapy is important to bring new ideas into your brain. If you are considering medication, start with talk therapy. Don't keep waiting for "it" to go away. What's at the bottom of your depression?

Feeling depressed is one of the hardest emotions to deal with--especially if you have been suffering with it for a long time. Know that there is always hope for feeling better. First, I will closely listen to your story, and assist you in identifying what is contributing to your depression. Then I will recommend helpful resources to use, and begin to equip you with skills that will improve your mood and foster a growing sense of well-being.

People who struggle with depression often report feeling overwhelmed with life or less interested in activities. They struggle with maintaining focus and have difficulty in interpersonal relationships. While there are many types of therapy for the treatment of depression, today, most people with depression can be treated successfully with antidepressant medications, “talk” therapy (psychotherapy), or a combination of the two. Talk therapy is effective because it helps you to understand and work through the root of depression, helping you to identify patterns of thinking and behaving that underlie personal difficulties. With therapy, you will be able to live in accordance with your values.

Depression is an intruder. It gets in the way of personal happiness and pursuits. Depression also interferes in interpersonal relationships. So how do you deal with this intruder? Either you manage depression or it manages you. I assist my clients in developing coping strategies to manage depression so that it is less intrusive. Using modified thinking and acting strategies, individuals report improved mood and energy. I often hear my clients report, "I feel like myself again!"

When working with depression, I take a steady, supportive approach that combines understanding with practical tools. We’ll look at how your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions are connected, and work together to reduce feelings of hopelessness, increase motivation, and rebuild a sense of purpose. You won’t be rushed or judged—just met where you are, with a focus on small, manageable steps toward feeling better.

When it comes to treating people with depression, we pinpoint life events that contribute to your trauma. Afterwards we help you find ways to change or adapt and cope your day to day situations. We will guide you on how to overcome feeling of hopelessness, isolation, anger, and provide solutions on how to deal with discouraging and negative thoughts.

Depressive symptoms can stem from a variety of sources in an individual’s life usually reflecting a sense of loss. While medications can be helpful, it’s the behavioral symptoms associated with depression that can leave a lingering impact even after the depressive symptoms have stated to improve. Being pulled into depressive experiences over and over reflects both habits that can be difficult to break and/or subconscious issues that have yet to be addressed. Through processes such as hypnotherapy that address the whole person, we are able to capture a wider range of challenges and help the individual to regain the ground lost to he depressive illness.

As a mental health professional of considerable experience I've worked with individuals and couples with issues of demoralization, depressed mood and various forms of acute and long-standing depression. Depression isn't only an individual matter. as it sucks the life out of a couple and a family. In our work together clients often find hope by actively discussing their life issues, often their shame and anger at themselves and others for the predicaments they are a part of. Depression can be harmful medically and medical issues can cause depression. It can kill. I work well with the medical community, referring when necessary,

Are you struggling with depression? Do you find it hard to get out of bed in the morning? Have you lost interest in things you have liked to do in the past? Are you feeling down most of the time? Research shows that talk therapy can help get you back to living your life again. Together, we can work to come up with a plan to help you get back on the right track. For more information, please don't hesitate to contact me.