There are times in everyone’s life when feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or depression occur. In most situations this sadness is a direct result of a stressor that is identifiable and generally will pass in a short period of time. However, there are times when depression can take over and you begin to feel hopeless that things will not improve. Some individuals have a genetic predisposition to depression and go through periods when things feel great and then all of a sudden they begin to feel a loss or control or an overwhelming sense of sadness. When depression begins to affect your life in a negative way then therapy may be indicated to help you to learn ways to manage or overcome the negative feelings and or thoughts.

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Signs of Clinical Depression can include:

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-Decrease or Increase in Sleep

-Decrease in interests you normally enjoy

-Increased feelings of guilt or hopelessness

-Decreased energy or not wanting to get out of bed or leave the house

-Decrease in concentration or focus

-Decrease or increase in appetite

-Decreased motor movements

-Thoughts of harm to yourself

-Increase in negative thinking that becomes hard to control

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Depending on the level of emotional distress, therapy can help decrease the symptoms and help you to regain your life.

 

Therapy can help in many ways including:

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-Decreasing symptoms with specific behavioral techniques

-Increasing a sense of control over symptoms including identifying the earliest signs 

-Providing tools to help change the thought process so negative thoughts do not take over

-Giving family or significant others tools to help support individuals in distress

-Providing a supportive environment to process and problem solve underlying causes

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Call for a consultation to see how I can support you or a loved one at 805-427-5183

If you are having current thoughts of suicide or are in a crisis with which you need immediate assistance, please call 911, or the 24 hour suicide crisis line at (877) 727-4747