depression

A lot of people struggle with depression. Unfortunately, a lot of people struggle longer than they need to, because depression makes it hard to seek support. For some, persistent feelings of hopelessness or apathy rob you of your energy or ability to make decisions. For others, anger and irritability interfere with your relationships. Physical manifestations like sleep disturbances or digestive issues add to your overall malaise.

“All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul and they will never notice how broken you really are. ”
— Robin Williams

And depression is tenacious in its ability to stick around. It will tell you to self-isolate, or self-medicate instead of connecting with friends. Or it tells you to stay on your couch, glued to your phone instead of going for a walk. For some there are thoughts of suicide.

Here are some of the more common symptoms of depression:

  • Persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood

  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities once enjoyed.

  • Decreased energy, fatigue, a sense of “wading through molasses.”

  • Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness or helplessness

  • A sense of being numb - an inability to experience joy or pleasure (anhedonia). 

  • Restlessness and irritability.

  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions

  • Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

  • Low appetite and weight loss or overeating and weight gain

  • Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts

  • Substance abuse

  • School-refusal

  • Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders and pain for which no other cause can be diagnosed.

No matter how depression is showing up for you, it is important to know that there is hope and you do not need to suffer alone.

For some of you it, will be helpful to explore the roots of your depression. Here are some of the more common sources:

  • A denial of your essential self as a child (I.e., societal conditioning, pressure to fit in, etc.)

  • Experiencing ACES (Adverse Childhood Events)

  • Genetics (depression often runs in families

  • Experiencing a series of ungrieved losses

  • Attachment disturbances; as an infant, your needs were not consistently attuned-to and your brain triggered an alarm response that altered its neurobiology and stress hormone levels.

HOW I CAN HELP

While I tailor therapy to each individual client, my overall goal is to support you in reconnecting to your vibrant, essential self. The approaches I favor are Psychodynamics, EMDR, IFS, CBT and Somatics: 

Psychodynamics

  • This approach involves us working together to explore the roots of your depression. By having the chance to tell your story and have it witnessed in an accepting, compassionate way, you will be able to process painful memories, and gain insight into unconscious influences, patterns and protective stances that you are using in your present life.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • This is an eight-phase process in which I use bilateral stimulation (BLS) to desensitize and reprocess body memories. In the assessment phase, we identify the negative self-beliefs that you hold from the traumatizing experience(s) and also the positive self-beliefs you would rather hold. Then I use eye-movements, sounds or tapping to desensitize the negative beliefs, reprocessing them with the positive beliefs.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • This is a process in which I help you heal by identifying and unburdening your wounded and protective parts, which paves the way for your Core Self to take charge. Everyone has a Core Self, which embodies the eight Cs - calmness, confidence, courage, compassion, clarity, connectedness, curiosity and creativity. 

Somatics

  • This involves paying attention to what is happening in the present. When I notice what your body is doing and reflect it back to you, you will become more aware of information your body has for you. Somatic therapy is based on the idea that your body has information for you that you can’t access from thinking alone. The goal is that through our secure, compassionate relationship, your brain will grow fibers and synaptic connections in ways that help you experience more calm, clarity and vibrancy.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • This is a form of therapy that helps you reduce symptoms of anxiety by identifying and transforming unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. With CBT, I collaborate with you to understand activating events and the thoughts/beliefs they generate. Then we work together to explore those thoughts/beliefs, and the ways in which they might be transformed into something more helpful for you.