Depression Therapy

Depression Makes You Feel Alone—Even When You’re Not

You’re all alone in the middle of a crowd. 

It’s like there’s a tinted glass wall between you and everyone else. 

You keep hitting against the wall, but you can’t break through. Everything still looks distorted on the other side. 

Depression has clouded your perspective. There are people saying they want to help and connect with you, but it doesn’t feel that way. Instead, you feel alienated from friends and family. So you end up alone in front of the TV each night, feeling guilty for wasting time but unable to muster up the energy to do anything else. As a result, you’re wondering if it’s time to get support.

Depression is Like a Weight That Drags You Down

It makes you slower. Every motion is more difficult – to the point where you’re so tired that even your thoughts are slower. Even the smallest tasks require too much effort. 

And depression is insidious. The very things it tells you to do – stay home, don’t go out, nothing will help, nothing is worth the effort – are the very things that allow depression to maintain control over your life. 

Thankfully, you don’t have to keep living this way. With the right help and support, you can renew your sense of joy and participate in life without it hurting so much. Here at IntrinPsych Woman, our approach to therapy can help you manage your depression symptoms, find more energy, and explore new ways of connecting – even if you start out from behind the tinted glass. 

Many People Misunderstand Depression And Think It’s Just A Feeling

We’ve all heard it – people throwing around the phrase “I’m so depressed” whenever they feel sad, angry, or burnt out. And while those feelings are often part of depression, depression is not a feeling. It’s a state of being. It’s a biological and emotional state that persists regardless of your circumstances. 

That said, there are many experiences that can lead to depression and warrant therapy, such as trauma, chronic illness, relationship issues, and pregnancy or postpartum. Depression can be seasonal, too. Although seasonal depression is usually associated with fall and winter, depression is also surprisingly common in the summertime.* Many people experience the blues in July, when everyone else is out having fun, and in August as the summer winds down and they anticipate returning to the grind of school and work. 

Depression Makes Everything Seem Futile – Even Getting Help

It has a way of skewing your perspective so that everything feels more hopeless than it really is. You find yourself talking your way out of getting support because you think nothing could ever help. And it’s hard to shift away from that outlook when all you have is your own thoughts reverberating in your mind.

Sometimes you need someone else to help you fact-check your thoughts and see the alternatives. That’s the value of therapy. It’s a chance to have someone in your life who can help you untangle all the complexities of depression so that you don’t have to keep struggling alone. 

Therapy Can Help You Step Out From Behind The Tinted Glass Of Depression

Let’s face it: not everyone understands depression. Not everyone knows what it’s like to live as though you’re crawling through molasses, unable to complete even the simplest of tasks because of how drained you are. People may tell you to just “get out more” and “stop being so depressed,” as if you can turn your depression on and off at the flip of a switch.

At IntrinPsych Woman, our counselors know how hard it is to wrestle with depression and we know that many people simply don’t “get” it. We’ll offer validation, understanding, and support. Our mission is to help you function in the world without so much pain and suffering. 

What To Expect In Depression Counseling Sessions

Depression is a state of mind – but states can be changed. We’ll give you concrete skills to improve your mood, manage negative emotions, and tolerate your distress so that it isn’t so debilitating. We’ll also help you understand which thoughts and behaviors are reinforcing your depression – and what you can do to change them. 

After all, self-awareness is the key to healing. By learning about what triggers a depressive episode, you can come up with more effective strategies to keep yourself from spiraling down. You’ll gain insights into the relationships and dynamics that led you to this deep, dark place and learn to prevent yourself from going there again. 

Tailoring Your Depression Treatment Plan

Our practice draws from a wide range of approaches to treat depression, including Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).

Psychodynamic Therapy can help you understand how past experiences are connected to negative beliefs and behaviors in your life. CBT focuses on overcoming negative thought patterns and developing targeted coping strategies. And DBT gives you action-oriented steps for increasing mindfulness, improving your interpersonal skills, and tolerating and reducing distress. 

In the end, it’s important to know that depression is highly treatable. You don’t have to keep carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. A lighter, freer, and less burdensome life awaits you with therapy. 

You May Have Some Concerns About Depression Therapy…

I’ve tried therapy before – it didn’t work. 

Interestingly enough, the relationship between client and therapist is more important than the type of therapy itself. So when you tried counseling before, your therapist may not have been a good fit for you from a chemistry standpoint. This is why it’s so vital not to give up hope. The right therapeutic fit can act as a catalyst for change and a healing balm that softens the rough edges of depression. 

Will I have to take medication?

No, you won’t. Medication isn’t for everyone and we understand that. There are many, many techniques that your therapist can use to help you overcome depression. But if you decide you want to try anti-depressants, we would be happy to connect you with a prescriber.

How long will depression therapy take? 

We know there are lots of places that estimate a certain number of weeks to get you better. We won’t do that, because you are unique and you deserve to heal at a pace that’s right for you. Therapy lasts as long as you want it to – if your mood has improved and you find it possible to manage your depression symptoms after just a few weeks, it’s okay to discontinue treatment. But if you want to pursue long-term treatment, that’s okay, too. It’s all about what’s best for you.

Depression Doesn’t Define Your Story

If you want to free yourself from this deep, dark place and experience healing and transformation, we encourage you to try depression therapy with us. To get started, call us at (917) 750-1330 to schedule a free, 20-minute phone consultation.

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