Therapy for Depression
Are you overwhelmed and exhausted with day to day life?
Do you feel like it's a struggle to find the motivation, energy, or desire to partake in activities you previously enjoyed or spend time with those you care about?
Have you noticed that you seem to be more easily irritated by small things that wouldn't have bothered you before?
Do you feel "different" or disconnected from those around you? Or maybe even disconnected from yourself?
Are you feeling hopeless or like things can't or never will get better?
Depression can show up in lots of different ways for people. Maybe it's a consistently feeling down, depressed, or hopeless. Maybe it's struggling to concentrate on things like reading or watching tv. Maybe it's difficulties sleeping or sleeping way too much. Maybe it feels like you're not good enough, you're a failure, or you feel like you've let yourself or others down. It may even sound like thoughts of being better off dead or of hurting yourself in someway. Whatever it looks like for you, you are not alone in your experience.
Depression can have a very real and debilitating effect on all aspects of our lives. It can effect relationships, our mental health, our physical health, the ability to function at school or work, and even our confidence. It's exhausting when you can't focus on anything but the negatives and feel like things will never feel any better. Many people feel like others don't understand "why they can't just be happier" and don't want to "bother" their loved ones with "always being a downer" so they often keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves, leading them to feel increasingly isolated and alone.
You just want the weight you're carrying to be lifted and feel like yourself again. I can help you make that wish a reality.
In therapy with me you will:
have a safe, comfortable place to express all the thoughts, feelings and worries you've been carrying around alone.
find support and validation for the way your depression has been making you feel.
start to identify where your depression is stemming from and what you can do about it.
learn coping skills to help reduce the frequency and intensity of your depression, and how to be more able to manage it when you have difficult days.
I use clear, understandable language and real-life examples that will make your depression feel less like a threat and more like something you can understand, confront and work through. I'll work with you to identify where your depression may be stemming from, identify thoughts that may be making it worse or that keep it hanging on, figure out what we can do about it, and start making changes that will help you relieve the weight you're carrying and find the peace that you're seeking.
You don't have to continue carrying the weight of your depression alone. Relief is possible.
* Frequently Asked Questions *
How do I know if therapy will be helpful for me?
This is a common question for those considering starting therapy. Often people feel they are "too broken" to be fixable. Well, let me ease your mind. If you are a living, breathing human person therapy will be beneficial. It's not magic or an overnight solution and it will take effort on your part. But if you meet with me regularly and are willing to start trying to make a change, you will see results.
How long will I need to be in therapy?
This varies from person to person and will depend on various factors like duration and intensity of your symptoms, whether or not you have other sources of support outside of session, whether you have a history of trauma, and what your goals are with coming to therapy. Some people have very short-term, solution focused goals while others enjoy having the option of more long-term, consistent emotional support.
Personally, I operate from the perspective of ‘this is your therapy’ and you get to choose. Typically, if a you are in crisis or having severe difficulties, then I suggest meeting weekly until things become more stable. Once the crisis is passed, we can move to bi-weekly or even monthly sessions. It depends on what you choose as well as what is in your best interest therapeutically and we will work together to determine what your needs are. But somewhere between 6 to 12 months is a good estimation to start from.
Do you accept insurance?
Yes, I am an in-network provider with Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna. I bill the insurance company directly for services provided. For other health plans not listed, I am considered an out-of-network provider. If you are with an insurance company that I am out-of-network with, you will be responsible for the cost of session at the time of service and I will be happy to provide you with a "Superbill" to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
For more information on my fees
For more information on my fees and practice policies, please click here.
Do you offer online therapy?
Most of my clients has chosen to resume session in person but I still off the option of online telehealth sessions via secure video. Video sessions offer the flexibility of meeting online without having the added worry about possibly being exposed to Covid-19 or needing to wear a mask to feel safe, especially during the cold and flu season. If using insurance, most plans cover “telemedicine” as a part of your mental health/behavioral health benefits and many are currently waiving co-pays for those using virtual sessions.
Will I have homework to complete between sessions?
This is a very common question and clients often have differing feelings about. The short answer is probably, but it's really up to you whether you choose to complete it or not.
The long answer is that I will often offer suggestions of coping skills to try between sessions, topics that it may be beneficial to reflect on before our next appointment together, books related to our work in session that you may find helpful or interesting, or I may ask you to keep track of specific symptom intensity or frequency or other information between appointments to help me have a better idea of the best way to help you during our time together. I will never suggest you do something outside of session that I don't believe will benefit you in some way.
But, ultimately you have the choice as to whether you decide to follow through on those suggestions or recommendations or not. You won't "get in trouble" or be marked down in any way if you don't engage in recommendations outside of session, but you will like likely notice more improvement and quicker improvement if you do complete them (even if you just do "a little bit"). It's important to remember that the changes you're wanting to make won't just magically happen on their own by showing up in my office once a week; it takes some work from you too.