Depression Counseling in Ballard, WA.

Depression can leave you feeling drained, disconnected, and hopeless. But healing is possible. In our work together, you’ll gain tools to shift negative thinking, reconnect with joy, and rediscover your strengths. I provide a safe and supportive space where you won’t be judged or rushed—just gently guided toward renewed motivation, healthier coping strategies, and emotional relief.

There is a way to move beyond depression and make sense of suffering. We will work together to help you develop a new and different relationship with your painful thoughts, feelings, and behaviors so you can have greater life satisfaction. Struggling with your feelings pulls you away from the life experiences you want. By learning ways to let go of the painful struggle with difficult thoughts and feelings, you are free to connect with what is meaningful to you. I want to help you become more grounded in the present moment, gain clarity on what really matters to you, and commit to living a full, satisfying life.

Take charge of your depression. I can help you learn tools to lessen depression and start feeling better. Our thoughts, our current lifestyle, friends or lack of, all contribute to how we feel. Past failures tend to repeat themselves until they are understood. When getting motivated, completing tasks, or social relationships are a struggle the stress of this can lead to depression. Don't put up with feeling other people have more enjoyment in life than you do. Research is showing us that there are ways we can feel better without using medication.

Depression feels like a hole you can't escape, no matter how hard you try. Together, we'll work on reconnecting with the sense of vitality, peace and joy within your body. We'll understand the roots of your depression and find ways to compassionately hold those feelings while still being able to live the happy, joyous life you desire. We'll listen to your body for any signals of unresolved trauma or relational wounding and work gently with the body to heal.

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 keeps millions from gaining a sense of self and identity in the world while keeping them in darkness. Do not suffer alone. Therapy will bring to light issues you are struggling with and help you gain control of your life and meet the goals you've set for yourself. There are many ways to tackle depression, I've found that psychotherapy, self-exploration, CBT and RET works wonders with clients going through depression.

Depression. It's one of the most core maladies to all of humanity. Catholic monks used to call it "acedia" or the noon day demon; robbing one's will, the ability to freely engage in life. In the modern day, we have more methods than ever to "escape" the feelings we don't like. Yet depression is one of the ones that stick around. My work focuses on facing depression while not villainizing it. I pay particular attention to both your life story and who you are here and now. Through this we can learn to work with our emotions and find new ways of dealing with the messiness of life.

When depression takes over, saps all color from life, drains passion from relationships and interest in activities, takes you by the throat, squeezing your chest, deadening your limbs, making it difficult to breathe or move, I hear a cry for the authentic being within to be truly seen, heard, loved, and accepted. We work to gently help the true you rise through the layers of pain, layers of expectations and lies, layers of imposed identity, that bury your heart and spirit. We work to release or transform all those layers, creating a foundation for and affirming the worth of your authentic self and rebuilding your sense of purpose.

Depression is sometimes describes as sadness. While sadness is often a very real part of depression, there is often much more to it than that. Feelings of emptiness inside, hopelessness about the future, feelings of guilt, worries and anxieties about the future, and a feeling of being weighed down by life in a manner that becomes suffocating often accompany depression. It is a very real problem that we are finding has very real negative effects in the lives of individuals, communities, and places of work. Treating depression takes time and commitment, but the truth is there is hope that you will not always have to feel this way.

You are not alone. Depression is not who you are and can be treated with psychotherapy and sometimes medication. The longer you wait, the more set in depressed ways of thinking and behavior can become which makes it more difficult, not impossible, to remove. We are naturally inclined to feel happy so when your mood is depressed it is simply telling you that something has gone wrong. The tendency to become depressed may have genetic, social and personal factors. Merrie Day, PhD 425-747-0155 and Ken Drummy, MSW 425-895-7295, of Day-Drummy Life Coaches, understand how depression works and can help free you to become happier in your life. There is a solution and we can help.

Depression can be an endless weight that interferes with a sense of purpose, meaning, and connection in your life. Together, you and your therapist will explore what is contributing to your depression (cognitively, behaviorally, biologically, and situationally), brainstorm manageable solutions, build skills to implement those solutions, and create plans that support lasting change.

We want to acknowledge how strong you are for looking for help. Our therapists cultivate a safe and nurturing environment to explore your emotions, thoughts, and behavioral patterns. Throughout therapy, you will gain valuable coping strategies to challenge negative cognitive patterns, foster self-compassion, and engage in meaningful activities that boost purpose and happiness.

Depression isn't just a lack of happiness, for many, it can also be a debilitating condition that robs you of the ability to live your life to the fullest. With understanding, care, and non-judgement, I will teach you the skills you need to help you overcome your depression so you can live the life you want, with the strength and resiliency you deserve.