Depression Counseling in Dranesville, VA.

Depression is a cloud over one's life. For those afflicted with depression, please understand you are not alone. You are not going out of your mind, and the black cloud can be lifted. As a depressed Christian, don't feel ashamed. A sad truth is that many Christians attach spiritual failure to depression. So, they suffer in silence, hoping, and praying for deliverance. For clients wishing to be treated without habit forming drugs, I can assist in finding a reprieve, through Bibliotherapeutic, and God's earthly grown methods. If it is determined that medication is required, I can provide a referral. With both methodologies in place, the mind, body, and soul can be successfully restored.

My approach with clients who suffer from depression is a combination of talk therapy, lifestyle changes (such as diet, exercise, and sleep habits), and coordination of care with other medical professionals who may prescribe medication if appropriate. We work together to process your feelings, we problem solve how depression gets in your way of wholehearted living, and heal relationships that have changed. I believe that feeling joyful again is possible, but my optimism and hope will never negate your experience of sadness.

Are you feeling down thinking about your life? As your life coach I can help you get a life plan to help decrease your stress. Together we navigate the path to realizing your ideal life vision. During the coaching process, we work to identify your core values, enhance your strengths, increase your self awareness and to ensure that we find you a life plan.

Depression is a very general term and to define it without clarity is a not a good thing. Like everything, we have to find the trigger points; when and how it generates the "sliding down the hill", so to speak. As commonly noted, depression is believing a string of lies, mixed in with some reality and truth. These must be separated for us to resolve each experience. WOW, I see so many lives changed, as I just listen and see what is going on.

Whether caused by a specific event, a series of events, or no discernible reason, depression can cause enormous suffering and negatively impact lives. My focus begins with connecting with each client, understanding their particular story and offering guidance and encouragement while fashioning tools to fight the hopelessness, helplessness, and loss of joy that come with depression. These "tools" often involve expanded problem solving and learning new ways of thinking about problems . I also help clients gain control over depression by understanding its origins and determining what must change to feel better now and in the future.

Everyone experiences sadness, but depression is a heavier and more stagnant emotion that can isolate a person from life. Talk therapy is often not enough, and I use imagery, brainspotting and biofield tuning to help move the heaviness out of the body. There are ogifts in depression, and an essential part of the work is to discover those gifts.

Are you feeling bad about yourself, feeling isolated, or finding that you just don’t enjoy the things you used to? Sometimes when we feel stuck, the situation can seem hopeless. But no matter what you’re facing, you can feel better. Our time together will help you recognize your worth as an individual and appreciate the things that make you uniquely you. Together, we will use evidence-based techniques to help you cope with challenges, overcome negative thoughts about yourself, and start enjoying life again.

Robyn E. Brickel, M.A., LMFT, LLC treats depression and all mood disorders in her practice. By applying complementary therapy approaches and techniques, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life. Robyn provides a supportive environment, as well as a safe place in the clients' life to facilitate changes.

There are many varieties of depression, from the nearly universal experience of “blues” to soul-crushing, “can’t lift my head out of bed” depression. We help sort out the source of depression, which can include being emotionally “underfed”, to un-grieved losses, trauma experiences, biological disorders, family emotional inheritance, and a lack of connection with your inner source of guidance. After exploring the experience of depression, and the context of a client’s life, we collaboratively shape a plan of treatment, and carefully monitor progress. We coordinate with other care providers, such as physicians.

Life can present you with difficult situations which are hard to process and move past. These challenges are not on your timeline and affect everything. Having worked in many healthcare settings, I am familiar navigating life-changing events and grief. I understand the territory of encountering loss, coping with trauma, the complexity of the medical system and living with illness. These issues can have ripple effects on your relationships, sense of self and perceptions of the world. I know how complex things can get, and I will support you during this process.

Depression is a signal that your life is not in balance; it is also an opportunity and call to action for a better life. I provide a holistic and educational approach to help you: • Examine triggers of depression; • Identify and transform thoughts, behaviors and feeling tendencies that lead to depression; • Promote physical wellness; • Learn skills to resolve conflicts and improve relationships; • Adapt mindfulness skills for calmness, acceptance and compassion; • Enhance the body-mind connection; • Define values, create a life-vision plan, and pursue a life that is worth living. My approach is based upon a belief in everyone's lovability and personal worth.

You did not choose to be depressed and it’s not something most people can simply “shake off.” Depression is real. It’s life altering and can trick you in to believing that you can never be happy again. I am here to help. I would be honored to walk with you as we challenge the narrative of your depression while acknowledging how incredibly hard and real it is. You are not alone, and hope can be the beginning to your own healing.

Depression is often defined as a negative view of self, other and even the world turned inward. We will work to change your negative perceptions, attributions and quiet your inner critic. You will learn to recognize strengths in yourself and others as tools to send depression packing. You will learn positive ways to cope with stressors and soothe your mind.

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 can feel like a dark cloud that hovers over you. Sometimes it can come with no warning and feel like the cloud will never go away and like you’ll never see the light of happiness. Other times, you can see it coming. It can leave us with memory problems, forgetfulness, not having energy to do anything, eating changes, procrastination issues. I provide a safe place for people to talk about their feelings, thoughts and behavior. I also draw from many different techniques to help people get relief from depression, including somatic experiencing, mindfulness, expressive therapies, movement, and others, and lead more fulfilling lives.

Often times our circumstances in life can leave us feeling defeated and hopeless, sometimes even to the point of wondering if there is any point in moving forward. A big part of my approach to counseling is to help you discover your ability to create the life that you want, and to empower you to make the changes necessary to do so. I am so excited to walk with you as you discover your potential and become acquainted with the person you are meant to be.