Depression Counseling in North Arlington, NJ.

Hal helps clients understand depression and better cope with the nasty and persistent erosion of hope. Hal encourages his clients to understand the reason(s) for their depression and unique ways to climb out of it. He also encourages clients to connect to, express, even write about their depression. Hal believes that only by facing it head are we able to effectively disarm depression, while increasing self-esteem.

Depression is exhausting and isolating, but it’s also highly treatable with effective psychotherapy. My approach is collaborative and gentle, and I believe that healing happens when we feel connected and supported. I integrate a variety of therapeutic techniques including CBT, mindfulness and insight oriented interventions. I help my clients alter thoughts and behaviors that exacerbate depression, improve their relationships, and address underlying and unresolved feelings that lead to depressed mood. Together, we can help you through and out of your depression to live a balanced and happy life.

While implementing a cognitive behavioral approach, I have extensive experience in helping clients improve their mood and quality of their life. I utilize evidence-based methods that can relieve emotional pain and aid clients’ recovery from debilitating symptoms. Treatment can bring back positive feelings, allowing you to improve your connection with yourself and others, achieve fulfillment and help you to function at your best.

Research shows that the most effective treatment for depression is psychotherapy. Depression can range from feeling down to major symptoms such as having trouble even getting out of bed or contemplating suicide (if you have suicidal thoughts or plans, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255). Online counseling is effective for depression because it is easy to access: you can start treatment without even leaving the house.

Depression comes in differant forms, sometimes people become depressed because of situations in thier lives, be that losses or traumatic life events. Situational depression is real and can be treated very effectively through psychotherapy. Chronic depression is a more organic condition that can be a long term condition, however, good psychodynamic psychotherapy can be extremely helpful. With either situational or chronic depression, psychotherapy is an important part of part of the path to recovery.

I believe that depression is nature’s way of shutting us down when there is some element in our life or our past that overwhelms and burdens us. It is often something experienced that our usual ways of coping cannot remedy. A client experiencing depression is often ‘turning off’, ‘shutting down’ and going inward in response to something in their life or in their relationships that is just too much to bear. I help depressed clients discover what it is in their life that is overwhelming them and help them find the strength and power to directly face the matter that is causing the turn inward and the shutting down.

I help my clients learn how to let go of their depression and replace it with acceptance and joy. Depression often occurs when we take situations and others' behavior personally. When we think they mean something about our self-worth. You can learn how to define your own self-worth and not allow anything outside yourself to determine your mood. I can help you learn how to take better care of yourself by learning to heal the deeper feelings underneath your depression like sadness, helplessness and loneliness.

I help people who are depressed and need thhelp getting to a better place. Common issues I help with: unhappy in your marriage or relationship and don't know what to do about it, depressed and having trouble eating, sleeping or getting out of bed, you're feeling very isolated and alone, feeling very sad about your relationship, divorce, feeling rejected or abandoned, low self-esteem, you're not even sure why you feel depressed, you're feeling very irritable, stressed, overwhelmed and miserable most of the time. I'm easy to connect with and genuinely interested in help you find better coping skills and make positive changes.

Depression is a mood disorder where it is important to seek out a professional. Chris has treated many people with depression and other mood disorders. Millions of Americans are effected by Anxiety and Depression with various symptoms of low mood, irritability, loss of pleasure. As a veteran psychotherapist who has treated many clients with depression, proper assessment is essential that can include coordinating care with a physician. While not all individuals need medication, having a therapist who can identify symptoms and offer empathy and understanding to individuals who suffer from a mental health disorder is beneficial. Chris uses a cognitive behavior therapy approach to help clients.

I work with many people with depression whether as individuals, or in the context of couples therapy. I help people to become aware of their thoughts, feelings, and the experience they have in their bodies around their depression. I work cognitively and behaviorally to help them understand distorted thinking. I also work to "externalize" the feeling of depression, and help people understand that, "you are not your thoughts." Depression may be visiting you, but you are not depression. Mindfulness is a tool I use with depression to help people understand what is happening to them in the moment, and to begin to open to emotions that may be blocked.

Depression is very difficult to address on ones own. Often clients don't know its depression as their thoughts and feelings almost begin to feel normal. They forget about how life once was and need a help in climbing out of the dark hole that they feel there in. I will use few different approaches including referrals for medication when a client feels they are ready or request it.

You did not choose depression, and it is not something that can simply be “shaken off.” Depression is real, life-altering, and can convince you that happiness or peace will never return. Yet depression does not define you. Together, we can acknowledge its weight while also challenging the painful story it tells. My role is to walk with you through the heaviness, to hold space for the difficulty, and to help you discover that hope and healing are possible. You do not have to face this alone.

Someone once said that depression "can't hit a moving target". Unfortunately, it also makes you so tired you can't move! Your experience of depression, and the solution is likely as unique as you are. Often treatment includes exploring patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that may be holding you back. There is life after depression. Together we will gently explore the cause of your experience, and discover the best approach for you. I am trained and certified in several evidence based practices to treat depression.