Depression Counseling

 
 

Do You Suspect You Suffer From Depression?

Are you finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning? Have you stopped doing your daily activities because you’re always tired and lack motivation? Do you feel sad and hopeless for long stretches of time and wish you understood what is happening to you?

Perhaps everything feels overwhelming—even daily routines like taking a shower or getting dressed. Because you feel unfocused you may have begun missing appointments and meetings. You might have withdrawn from your friends and family and tell yourself they are better off without your company.

Perhaps you feel too tired to go to the gym, but when you skip exercise, you feel worse. You might have stopped eating or, conversely, overeat to comfort yourself. It’s possible you suffer from insomnia or that you’re sleeping more than you once did. Maybe you’re irritable all the time and get angry over minor things. Or you may experience crying spells that mysteriously come and go. The thoughts that run through your mind are mostly negative—you feel worthless and like nothing in life matters. The way you feel may cause you to question your faith.

 

It might be difficult for you to try to explain how you feel. You may ask yourself, “Do I really have depression?” because you think your life circumstances don’t warrant it, or you assume that symptoms of depression are far worse than what you’re experiencing. Perhaps when you’ve tried to confide in someone about how you’re feeling, they’ve told you that you have no reason to feel depressed because you have a “good life”.

If this sounds like you, you are likely experiencing depression. Fortunately, treatment can help you understand the symptoms of depression as well as teach you helpful skills and strategies to alleviate the pain they cause.

Although Many Of Us Suffer From Depression, It Affects The Black Community In Particular

Johns Hopkins Medicine estimates that approximately 9.5 percent of American adults experience depression at some point in their lives.[1] The causes of depression are numerous but they generally break down as either genetic, biological, environmental, or psychological in nature. For example, factors such as a family history of depression, changes in brain chemistry, experiencing trauma, or our worldview can make us more likely to experience symptoms. 

Those of us in the Black community are particularly vulnerable to depression. We may face additional risk factors, including difficult life circumstances due to racism, exposure to racial trauma, and barriers to accessing mental health care. As a result, when Black people are dealing with depression, the condition lasts longer. Sadly, a study from Medical News Today found that care providers provide lower rates of treatment for Black people suffering from depression than their white counterparts.

Moreover, many of us in the Black community were raised in the Christian faith, which may lower the likelihood that we seek treatment for depression. A lot of us don’t know how to overcome our depression because we were raised to believe we should avoid therapy and, instead, find solace and healing in the teachings of the Bible. Although spiritual and biblical counseling have their place in fostering faith and well-being, they usually lack the evidence-based modalities required for treating more severe—or clinical—depression.

Luckily, therapy for depression offers you a bridge to mental wellness. Once you acknowledge the signs of depression, you can work on identifying its root causes and finding positive ways to change your behavior that will in turn elevate your mood.

Depression Treatment Can Help You Regain A Sense Of Well-Being

If you are a Christian who is dealing with depression, you might be questioning your faith. You may wonder how you can be a disciple of God who follows scripture without being emotionally healthy—does it mean you are spiritually deficient? Although I am a Christian with a deeply held faith, I also recognize that when it comes to treating mental health disorders, religion has its limitations. I want my fellow Christians to understand that it’s okay to seek therapy if depression is a concern. Rather than a sign of weakness, getting help when needed is a sign of strength.

I provide a safe, non-judgmental space to help you discover the root of your depression while offering you strategies to cope with symptoms and cultivate healthier self-care habits. By utilizing an integrated approach that includes traditional talk therapy combined with mindfulness practices and evidence-based treatment modalities, you will learn strategies and skills to help you take courageous steps toward healing and transformation.

 

At our initial session, we will discuss the therapy process and I will answer any questions you may have. In addition to reviewing your background and discussing treatment goals, I will assess the severity of your depression and determine whether or not medication may be beneficial in treating your symptoms.

If your depression is mild, it’s likely we will not need to discuss medication, however, if you experience moderate or severe episodes, I will recommend you seek medication through your primary physician or a psychiatrist. Once your mood is stabilized, therapy is an effective way to manage your symptoms of depression in the long term.

In ongoing sessions, I will help you identify the underlying causes of your depression and connect those causes with how it manifests in your life, for example, lack of self-care or poor sleeping habits. Once we identify the symptoms, I will offer tools to alleviate them—such as breathing and mindfulness techniques— to restore emotional wellness. We will frequently review your goals and assess the progress you’re making. Because each client’s needs are different, I offer a blend of modalities and approaches to create a treatment plan tailored just for you.

 

A modality I often use in treating depression is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). With CBT, we will explore how past events in your life trigger thoughts and behaviors. Oftentimes your thoughts surrounding painful memories become distorted and irrational, so we will work to disrupt and reframe these thoughts whenever they arise. We will pay attention to the occasions that you jump to conclusions, focus on the negative, or overgeneralize the facts of a situation. Learning how to reframe your negative thoughts will help you react more positively.

Recovering from depression may require assembling a team, but I can help you access the tools you need to regain energy, focus, and contentment. With an individualized approach to your therapy, I will walk alongside you one step at a time as you shed the cloak of depression and restore a feeling of serenity in your life.

But you may be wondering whether depression treatment is right for you…

  • I aim to make therapy for depression as affordable to my clients as possible. In addition to accepting BCBS (BlueCross/BlueShield) and Cigna, a portion of my services may be reimbursable as an out-of-network benefit with your insurance provider. I am happy to submit a superbill to your provider for out-of-network reimbursement. In addition, I offer a sliding scale to my clients based on income. If you think you may be eligible, please request additional information when you visit my contact page.

  • Seeking treatment for depression is an investment in yourself. When you think about it, what could be more important than your health and well-being? If you suffered an injury or serious illness, you wouldn’t hesitate to seek treatment from a doctor, right? You can think about treating your depression in much the same way. It’s every bit as important and vital to your well-being to address your mental health as it is your physical health.

  • If you haven’t been to therapy before, the idea of it can definitely seem intimidating or embarrassing. It’s understandable to feel intimidated when you may not know how to describe what you’re feeling. Or you might be embarrassed discussing personal details about yourself. However, depression counseling takes place in a confidential, non-judgmental environment. Attending therapy can help you feel more empowered and take back control of your life.

Seeking Treatment For Depression Is A Worthwhile Investment In Yourself

By simply deciding today is the day to make a change, you can get on the path to a brighter future that feels lighter and more joyful. If you would like to schedule an appointment or discuss any questions you may have about depression treatment, please visit the contact page.