Depression Treatment
Have you lost interest in what you used to love?
Perhaps it has become difficult to find enthusiasm about anything.
Are you experiencing low self-esteem?
You may have noticed your anxiety levels have increased.
Are you isolating more than usual?
Do you find yourself more quickly moved to anger.
Depression can affect every aspect of your life.You may find yourself worrying about finances even though you have no particular financial problem. You might experience unexplained emotional discomfort, such as guilt or dread. Perhaps the future seems bleak, or at best, uninspiring.
Depression can be crippling, even physically painful. People with major depression are four times as likely to develop a heart attack. It can also manifest in lesser ways, as a nuisance that gets in your way of enjoying life. Depression can make it hard to fall asleep at night and hard to get out of bed in the morning. Yet depression is treatable. You can find long lasting relief from depression.
Depression Is a A Normal Part Of Life.
Everyone experiences some depression from time to time. Sometimes a life event, such as a job change, relationship difficulties, grief, or a move can trigger an episode of depression. Anything that increases your stress levels can lead to depression. However if depression is getting in the way of your having the life you want then it is probably time to do something about it.
Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States, leading to an annual 210.5 billion dollar loss in wages. Yet 80% of those seeking treatment for depression show improvement within six weeks. You can have relief from all those painful negative thoughts. You can overcome depression.
Depression Treatment Can Bring You Long Term Relief.
With a skilled compassionate therapist you can find relief from depression that you may not have believed possible. The most vital part of any therapeutic relationship is the relationship. Emotional wounds are relational wounds and therefore healing happens in relationship. Compassion matters because it helps develop trust. Trust is vital in the treatment of depression because so much of depression has to do with what you reject in yourself.
Depression does not mean you are broken and therefore I cannot fix you. This may seem like an odd statement from a therapist to make. What I can do is guide you to seeing how what you are doing is Contributing to the belief you are broken, and then help you find a way to do things differently.
I utilize a variety of methodologies and philosophies in my approach, all having two things in common: an emphasis on relationships, and a focus on the body. These are all combined in an approach to therapy called Applied Existential Psychotherapy (AEP) developed by Dr Betty Cannon at the Boulder Psychotherapy Institute, where I am currently a primary trainer. Some of the influences on AEP are:
Mindfulness; which is all about bringing compassion to all life. It involves sitting quietly and learning how to suspend judgment. This happens in therapy by calling attention to the connections between words, emotions and the body. Our emotions live in our body. By making these connections You can develop a healthy relationship with all emotions.
Existential Therapy; which is about taking responsibility for our freedom and our choices. You may not choose your situation but you do choose the meaning you make of those situations. Through this approach you will be empowered to take control of your life. My approach to therapy is mainly influenced by two existential philosophers:
Martin Buber, who influences my approach to the therapeutic relationship. Buber talks about the I-Thou relationship. He says there are two primary relationships, I-thou, and I-it. In the I-thou relationship, two humans meet heart to heart. In the I-it relationship, I turn you into an object, to be manipulated into a non-broken state. An I-It relationship is to be avoided in a therapeutic relationship. From my perspective, healing only takes place in an I-thou relationship.
Sartre, who wrote extensively about the nature of consciousness, and how it relates to freedom and choice. If we are freely choosing our stance in the world, based on the context of which we are making those choices, we can choose a different stance. This is important with depression because it means you don’t have to be stuck. As Dr. Betty Cannon likes to say, “We do life. Life doesn’t do us.”
GestaltTherapy- which is existential at its roots. This approach involves the therapist letting go of interpretations and setting up experiments that enable you to see what it is that you are doing that brings you suffering. Then you begin experimenting with new ways of doing things. Gestalt is also rooted in the existential I-thou relationship of Buber. Gestalt can be a playful approach to overcoming depression.
SomaticPsychology- Which has its roots in the work of Wilhelm Reich, the farther of body-oriented version of psychoanalysis, and his student Alexander Lowen, who founded bioenergetics. The basic premise of this approach is that in reaction to the environment we freeze our way of being in the world in order to feel safe. This freezing shows up in how we hold our bodies and how we allow energy to flow through our bodies. Much of modern trauma therapy is rooted in Somatic Psychology.
Psychodynamic Theory- Which began with Freud. From my perspective the most important influence of Psychodynamic Theory on my approach is the idea that not all of our motivations or actions are conscious, and that many of our difficulties begin in childhood.
In summary I work with all of you; body, mind, beliefs, spirit. We work collaboratively, building trust between us. When trust is established it then becomes safe enough for all of you to emerge.
If the joy has gone out of your life it is time to welcome it back. In relationship with a skilled therapist that works holistically you can achieve deep lasting relief from depression. It is time to experience the joy and lightness of being.
Will Therapy For Depression Just Make Matters Worse?
You may have heard that people often feel worse at the beginning of depression treatment. This does happen. The reason for this is that when you focus on your discomfort you come to recognize how much you hurt. An analogy would be if you had a rock in your shoe you might experience a vague feeling of discomfort until you focus on your foot and realize how much it hurts. Then you remove the rock and your foot begins to heal.
I Am Wondering If I Should Just Take Medication
The topic of medication for depression is complicated. Antidepressants do offer some people help with their depression, especially those suffering with severe depression. However antidepressants are many times more effective when accompanied by therapy. Most people do overcome depression without the use of medication.
I am not a psychiatrist and therefore cannot prescribe medications. If you are thinking about taking an antidepressant I highly recommend making an appointment with a psychiatrist.. You can combine medication with relationally oriented psychotherapy to get more lasting results.
I Am Afraid That I Can’t Get Better
One of the symptoms of depression that makes seeking help difficult is the feeling that you are broken and unfixable. One of the outcomes or depression treatment is the recognition that you are not broken. It is an act of courage to ask for help for your depression. It is also an act of self love.
You Can Experience The Joy And Lightness Of Being.
If you would like to schedule an appointment, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 720 841 1836.
I offer a free consultation so that you can see if we are a good fit, or to answer any questions you might have.