Has Your Life Turned Out Differently Than You Expected?
Have you been struggling with feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness lately? Do you feel like you haven’t accomplished what you thought you would in life? Maybe you look back on what you expected from yourself many years ago, and your dreams still haven’t come true. Perhaps the career you chose didn’t work out for you. Or maybe a romantic relationship you built your life around has fallen apart, and you’re living alone now. When you take stock of where you are in life, perhaps you start to feel like a failure.
One of the first signs of depression is constant self-doubt or self-loathing. Your feelings may consume you to the point where you can’t focus on anything else in life. You probably feel little to no motivation—it’s a struggle just to leave your house, go to work, or spend time with friends. You may experience changes in sleep patterns and appetite and wind up neglecting basic self-care needs. What’s more, if you’re a part of the African-American community—with whom I closely work—you may be facing systemic oppression that only adds to your depression.
Deep down, you probably wish you could stop doubting yourself, but you don’t know how. In depression counseling, my goal is to help you improve your self-esteem and embrace the future with confidence in who you are and who you’re becoming.
Depression Is Often Mistaken For “The Blues”
Although clinical depression is very common nowadays, it’s hard for many people to make—or find—the time to talk about it. In American culture, there’s a tendency to suppress emotions and pretend to have it all together. As a result, many people dealing with depression bottle up their troubles. Without an outlet for grief, they suffer in silence.
For women in the African-American community, it’s especially hard to talk about issues related to mental health. Some women are told that they can solve all their problems by praying or going to church. And for those struggling with trauma from past abuse, there’s often a fear of hurting abusers or embarrassing the family by coming forward about the past. These communal attitudes and expectations prevent many sufferers from getting the help they need.
What’s more, many people mistake depression for ordinary sadness or “the blues.” It isn’t always easy to recognize the symptoms of depression for what they are. This is why it’s so important to seek help. Counseling is a chance to learn about how depression is affecting you, gain the skills to overcome it, and move forward with a newfound sense of purpose.
Depression Treatment Can Help You Find Joy, Peace, And Purpose In Life
Few people truly understand depression, which makes it hard to find someone who can empathize with the symptoms it presents. Here in depression therapy, I provide a space for you to be yourself and pour out your emotions without any fear of judgment. With me, you’re free to talk about painful things you may not be able to with anyone else.
In the intake session, I will go over the initial paperwork with you, review your familial and individual history, and answer any questions you have. From there, we’ll formulate a plan for coping with depression and discuss your goals for counseling. We’ll examine what the roots of your depression are and identify the things that make you lose your cool. If you’re struggling with low self-esteem, I’ll help you explore what past events or relationships have contributed to your sadness. There may even be unresolved trauma in your life that we can look into, as depression often stems from trauma.
My approach has a very relational focus. I like to concentrate on how past relationships have influenced the relationships you have today. For instance, there may be romantic and platonic relationships in your life that mirror relationships with family members. My goal is to expand your self-awareness so that you can recognize these connections for yourself.
One of the central approaches to my practice is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which explores the intimate link between thoughts and behaviors. Essentially, CBT operates on the assumption that what you think is what you are. By challenging negative thought patterns, you can bring positive change to every area of your life. The idea is to get ahead of the habits and behaviors that are exacerbating your depression symptoms.
Beyond alleviating stressors, however, the goal of depression treatment is to help you find joy, peace, and purpose in life. No matter how hopeless you feel, I can assure you that you are not beyond hope. With the right care, support, and commitment, you can find relief from depression and live with peace and assurance in your own unique identity.
You may have some concerns about depression treatment…
I’m worried that I will be diagnosed with something.
My goal is to help you expand your self-awareness and learn new skills, not give you a diagnosis. Besides, I will only do what’s comfortable for you. If you don’t want to receive a diagnosis, I will respect that wish. The whole point of therapy is addressing the concerns that brought you here, not telling you how to feel or lecturing you on what ‘condition’ you have.
I’m worried that I will be judged for my feelings.
I work with people from all walks of life, and there’s very little I haven’t heard or seen. Depression comes in all shapes and sizes. Most people who struggle with it experience strange or disturbing emotions from time to time—it’s part and parcel of the condition. No matter how embarrassed you feel, I can assure you that what you’re experiencing is valid. We can’t always control what goes on in our brains, so I encourage you to be kind to yourself.
I’m worried about the stigma of being in therapy.
We live in a country where seeking help is often seen as a weakness of character. Thankfully, this attitude is rapidly changing. There is more awareness around mental health today than there has ever been. Going to therapy is quickly becoming the norm. Anyone can benefit from it—and contrary to what people once thought, it doesn’t mean you have an “illness” or that there’s “something wrong with you.” It simply means you’re being proactive about your emotional well-being and want to learn, grow, and expand self-awareness.
Bring Positive Change To Every Area Of Your Life
If life has worn you down and you feel like your hopes and dreams are slipping away from you, I encourage you to contact me. Working together, we can empower you to find peace and strength amidst the storms of life. To get started, you can call me at 504-224-9959 for a free, 15-minute phone consultation. You can also connect with me via email or the calendar link on my website.
At the moment, due to COVID-19, all my depression treatment sessions are happening online or via phone.
