Is Unexplained Sadness Or Grief Complicating Your Life?

Are you feeling empty, alone, or hopeless, but you don’t understand why? Do you find it difficult to function normally at work, school, or during other situations where you feel you should be happy? Have you been sleeping too much, and waking up feeling just as tired as when you went to bed the night before? Has your energy level been depleted, making it difficult to complete tasks at work, school, or around the house? Do you worry about not being fully present for your partner or children?

Maybe the hopelessness you feel has started to take a physical toll on your body: everything aches, but you can’t name a specific cause. Perhaps your inability to name what’s wrong makes you feel worse – especially if you can’t pinpoint a specific event in your life that could make you feel so down about yourself and about life. Your friends and family may have noticed something “off” about you and have told you to just “buck up,” “smile,” and “be happy.” But you know it’s not that easy – and maybe you’ve started to isolate yourself, cutting off communal support, which only makes you feel worse.

Depressive symptoms can arise in response to many different life stressors. It’s common for depression to present itself to new parents after the arrival of a baby (Postpartum Depression), in the wake of a tragedy such as loss of a loved one, in the aftermath of a traumatic event, following difficulty with a difficult life adjustment such as a divorce, in response to changing seasons (Seasonal Affective Disorder; SAD), or perhaps it has been in the background of your life for many years like a white noise machine and it’s difficult to pinpoint the origin.

Do you wish you could name what it is that you’re feeling? Have you been wishing you could live a more vibrant life?

Clinical Depression Is Common Among Many Adults

Many people experience depression at some point in their lives. While it’s common to feel depressed after a major life event, such as the end of a relationship or loss of a job, depression doesn’t always need a reason. That’s because clinical depression is a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain, sometimes due to genetics. It’s not your fault or indicative of some kind of character flaw. Having depression doesn’t make you a “weak” person; it means you have an illness. Like the common cold, when you get sick, you seek treatment. Depression is no different.

Many people are hesitant to engage in depression treatment due to a persistent lack of energy, while others think that talking about their depression will only create more discomfort and worsen psychological pain. But avoidance of pain doesn’t treat the cause of the problem; it only masks the symptoms, and only for a short while.

With the help of a skilled depression therapist, you can target the root cause of your depression. Better yet, therapy with a doctoral-level psychologist can help you develop a specific plan to manage your symptoms so you can get back out there and live well. Thanks to newer models of therapy, you don’t have to wake up every day with a sense of dread, feeling stuck in place but lacking the energy to make necessary changes.

Depression Therapy Can Help You Live A Better Life

Therapy isn’t like what it used to be, where a psychologist merely asks you what’s on your mind. Newer therapy models confront the very thoughts that trigger depression in order to change your relationship to them. At Breyta, we believe that acknowledging and learning to accept unpleasant thoughts and feelings is more effective than trying to avoid them. We also know that when you don’t move towards things that matter you feel “stuck” and it can make your depression worse. For that reason, we help you engage in action based on what matters to you, and design achievable plans to help you do it. Confronting the darkness in your mind may seem scary, but it can help you start to feel better and we’re here with you every step of the way.

Psychologists at Breyta provide you with skills and knowledge that allow you to build valuable insight into which situations might trigger worsened moods or depression, as well coping tools so that you can weather those storms. By naming the moments in which depression hits you hardest, we can begin bringing clarity into the situation. In addition, we educate our clients about the neurobiology of depression, putting it in historic and scientific context so they can understand that what they are experiencing is a legitimate medical condition. You aren’t “crazy” or weird for being depressed, and seeking treatment is an act of self-care.

While change is possible, it doesn’t happen overnight. The focus of sessions with your psychologist will be, “How can you function within the parameters of the here and now in order to live your best life?” To help facilitate this,  we teach you mindfulness and acceptance skills to help you be able to identify what matters even in the midst of unpleasant feelings. You and your Breyta therapist will work on some basic steps you can take to help you move toward self-care and things that feel meaningful to you, even if you may not feel better yet. Those steps can be small, such as taking a shower, cleaning one room of the house, or building up to functioning well within your community once again. Our methods are rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). CBT enables you to identify negative or distorted beliefs you may have about yourself, while ACT helps you change your relationship to unhelpful thoughts and feelings, be more present, and engage in meaningful behaviors.

Depression counseling and treatment assists you in taking back your life by giving you a fresh perspective on how to manage your symptoms. You’ll learn helpful coping skills that will get you through times when you’re feeling sad and help you build hope and momentum towards future goals and healthy behaviors. Furthermore, we will help you manage the negative self-talk in your head that keeps you feeling bad about yourself. We will help you understand that this negative “roommate” in your brain is lying to you, and you are not your thoughts. By adjusting the way in which you think about yourself, you will start to see a real change in your emotions over time.

Remember that depression can happen to anybody, no matter how successful or happy they appear to be on the outside. Reaching out for help is an act of bravery, and is something to be celebrated. Depression therapy can help you can start to feel better about life and once again find satisfaction the things that bring you joy. Even if you’ve struggled with depression for a long time; it’s never too late to live the life you envision for yourself. We’re here to help you every step of the way. Depression counseling and therapy can renew your hope in the future.

You May Have Some Concerns About Depression Therapy…

Is therapy expensive?

Therapy is an investment in yourself, your wellness, and in your future. Because our treatment methods are evidence-based, you will have fewer sessions to get your life on track as soon as possible. You won’t be sharing your feelings on the couch for months or years at a time – saving you money in the long run.

I’ve tried therapy before, but it didn’t work.

It’s likely that the therapy you tried before used treatment methods that weren’t evidence-based. If your previous therapist did not have a specific treatment plan or goal in mind, but instead consisted of talking about negative feelings and experiences, you may want to consider trying again. At Breyta, our goal is to equip you with specific, concrete tools to help manage your depression so it won’t get in the way of living the life you want. Furthermore, Breyta is staffed exclusively by doctoral-level psychologists. Our clinicians hold the highest degrees and most advanced training in the mental health industry. We put our considerable expertise and training to work for you.

If I’m seeing a depression therapist, does that mean I’m crazy?

Absolutely not. Mental health is just as much a part of your body as everything else. If you have a toothache, you go to the dentist; if you’re depressed, you go to therapy. Getting help can restore a sense of normalcy in your life, and help you build a better future.

Are You Ready To Learn How To Manage Your Depression?

You deserve to feel good again! If you’re ready to begin the road to recovery through depression treatment, we invite you to call us at (919) 245-7791 x1 and schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.

We Can Help!

If you have any questions about our clinic or the therapy process, give us a call and we would be happy to answer them for you. Our clinicians offer complimentary fifteen minute phone consultations prior to scheduling your first appointment. If you have general inquiries or would like to schedule, contact our front desk at (919) 245-7791 or admin@breytapsych.com. Call or email today!