Depression Treatment  

Depression is leaving you to feel empty and disconnected from yourself and others.

There is an emptiness or an almost painful heaviness.

Some days, it’s hard to get out of bed or do much of anything.

At first, you thought it was a matter of pushing through the darkness.  You tried to just look on the bright side, but that didn't work. You feel worse now because your mind is telling you something is wrong for not shaking this funk.  All you want is to feel joy again.

 If this sounds familiar, you may have depression. 

Depression is real, and it hurts.

There are a lot of misconceptions about depression. The lack of understanding about this mental health condition can make it difficult for people to ask for help.  

However, it’s important to know that depression is an actual illness. Depression is not your fault and not something that is just” in your head.”

Depression is exhausting and leaves you ineffective and trapped in pain, anguish, and despair. 

As a therapist, I’ve been supporting clients with depression for years. In counseling sessions for depression, I use effective, evidence-based strategies that give you relief from these debilitating symptoms of depression. Together, we will keep depression from robbing your life of joy, peace, love, and hope. At Therapy for Women Beverly Hills, we believing healing is possible.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression feels a little bit different for everyone.  However, there are some common symptoms people experience when they are depressed.

Loss of joy or interest in life

Pleasurable activities, especially things you used to enjoy, may not sound fun anymore. You may feel sad and feel like nothing can make you happy or feel better.

Feelings of Worthlessness or Guilt

You may feel like a failure. Your thoughts may dwell on negative events and experiences. It’s hard to see your positive qualities with all of the negative thoughts your mind keeps bringing up.  You may distract yourself for a short period, but the critical and negative thoughts keep coming back.

Sleep issues

You may sleep a lot and still wake up tired. Or, you may have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep all night. Maybe, you wake up and can’t fall back to sleep. Relief from depression is possible.

Loss of energy and extreme fatigue

Depression is exhausting. You may feel so tired that sometimes it's hard to get out of bed and perform regular self-care and hygiene. Furthermore, this exhaustion can cause problems at work or in your relationships.

Change in appetite

Maybe you've noticed that you forgot meals. Or sat down to eat, and nothing sounded good. Your depression may keep you from feeling hungry. Or, perhaps you've been eating a lot more than usual.  And the food hasn't been all that healthy.  Depression can also cause you to crave food and overeat. It feels like overeating will bring you comfort. While the food is sometimes comforting, that candy bar just doesn't taste as good as it used to or get the same joy.

Trouble concentrating and making decisions

This is a symptom of depression you may not even think of. However, it is related to depression and can be very frustrating.  Depression makes things feel overwhelming and scary.  Therefore, making it hard to weed through the negative thoughts and make a decision. For example, even watching TV or reading may feel too hard because you cannot focus or follow what is going on.

Depression can be painful, but it is treatable. With therapy, you can overcome your depression and lead a more joyful and authentic life.  Research has shown that most people who come to counseling for depression get better.

Even though you are struggling, change is possible. 

In counseling, we explore the negative thoughts maintaining your depression.

Therapy for depression can help you explore your thoughts. Through counseling sessions, you will uncover hidden assumptions, hurts, desires, and frustrations. All these things keep you from feeling like yourself and have contributed to your symptoms of depression.  You’ll create a new relationship with these thoughts, shift your perspective and begin to see the world a little differently.

For example, amid depression, you may hear thoughts telling you:

  • “I hate who I am and how I feel.”

  • “No one understands me and my pain.”

  • “I want to be alone, but I feel guilty for wanting that.”

  • “I am worthless, and nothing helps.”

If these or other thoughts have become part of your daily self-talk, you may be operating from underlying false beliefs and assumptions. You begin to respond to life negatively and fearfully.  Unfortunately, all these hurts, thoughts, and survival strategies block out the energy of your authentic self.

In therapy, I will co-journey with you to free your authentic and abundantly alive self. In this way, your depression can empower you to be your true self.