Depression Counseling in Mantua, VA.

Depression affects and is affected by your actions, thoughts, and emotions. We will stop this vicious cycle by starting to acknowledge the factors that contribute to your depression and develop strategies that will provide relief. As you gain ground against your depression, we will target more complicated problems and develop more comprehensive strategies. You will start with simple behavioral changes. You will follow with changes in how you think of yourself, others, and the problems you face. You will continue with changes in how you strategize and solve problems. Finally, you will develop methods to maintain these changes and continue to accomplish your goals with confidence and hope.

Depression frequently comes from feeling overwhelmed by the issues life presents to you--sometimes work, sometimes family, sometimes both. The stresses lead to negative thoughts which become hard to handle. In therapy we work to turn those negative thoughts into positive statements, and find the strategies to work through, or around, the problems which gave rise to the depression.

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.

Depression can vary from a vague sense of unhappiness and disquiet to crippling experiences of hopelessness that feel as though they will swallow you completely. Regardless of how your depression is manifesting, you cannot work through it alone. I would be honored to help you grow and heal such that you experience hope, joy and peace again (or perhaps for the first time). You do not have to be stuck in the darkness of depression--our brains are built with the ability to heal, and I would love to help you experience that.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Seeking counseling from me, who is experienced and truly understands depression, can provide you with much relief. When in the throes of depression, many individuals develop tunnel vision and feel trapped.I can help eliminate self-destructive patterns.In your counseling sessions, you can begin to identify and address depression symptoms, learn ways to take better care of yourself and those who depend on you, and learn how to live your life in more constructive and empowering ways.