Depression Counseling in Lake Arrowhead, CA.

I believe there are at least two kinds of depression. One is more biological or "hard-wired" and may need a biological-level intervention. Therefore, I may refer you to be evaluated by a doctor or psychiatrist for medication. The other kind of depression often arises from injured relationships or facing obstacles in life. Sometimes, depression can be a combination of both. If your depression results from a hurt relationship or failures in life, I can help you to rise above it. As a Family Therapist, I treat problems through a relationship-oriented perspective. Therefore, I may be able to address the kinds of relational issues that often worsen depression.

When one is depressed the range of thoughts and feelings encompass a wide spectrum. Sadness and despair might be pervasive. One can feel as if they have fallen into a deep dark pit where everything is covered in negativity and hopelessness. In this state, one can feel inadequate, discouraged, unable or unwilling to make decisions. In addition, guilt, shame, profound low self-esteem and loss of interest in relationships, sex, career and even life itself are commonly found. A variety of evidence-based tools, specific to the needs of the individual, applied skillfully at the right time, can dramatically lift one out of that deep, dark pit and help avoid relapse.

Depression can make even the smallest tasks feel overwhelming—and it can leave you feeling disconnected from yourself and those around you. I take a compassionate, strengths-based approach using both Solution-Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients gain traction, shift unhelpful thought patterns, and reconnect with hope. We’ll work together to identify what’s getting in the way, build small but meaningful goals, and create daily tools that foster motivation, emotional regulation, and lasting change. You don’t have to do this alone.

It can often seem like society expects us to be happy and positive at all times, that any admission of sadness or a loss of motivation, energy, or engagement with life is a personal failure. But Depression isn't a personal failure, and it is also more than just "feeling sad". If you find yourself down in the hole of disconnection, surrounded by a fog that is interfering with your life and relationships, you need a hand to help you climb out. A trained therapist understands the mechanics of depression and can help you understand it and find strategies to make your way up and out of it, and back into the light. Please contact me so we can begin to work on this process together.

In treating depression, I first want to make sure clients have investigated whether there may be particular medical conditions that are causing the depression. Then I will investigate with the client the possible circumstances or relationship issues that have led to the depression. Depending on the results of such investigation, we then take steps to resolve the issues or establish means of coping.

Grey Matters International, Inc. and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, Ph.D. handles depression and other emotional disorders in a very unique way. Most of therapy or counseling processes utilize validation, unconditional positive regard, and reframing as common techniques to get someone to heal from their depression. Though this can be helpful, it rarely fixes the core problem behind it and for tough cases we then refer them usually to a psychiatrist for medication which can have tons of side effects. Instead, why not try a natural and arguably more effective way to not just change your mind, but change the brain--where the depression is rooted. Contact us at kevin@kevinflemingphd.com.

Andrea is certified in IPT for depression. This is an Interpersonal psychotherapy. It is a brief, attachment-focused psychotherapy that centers on resolving interpersonal problems and symptomatic recovery. It is an empirically supported treatment that follows a highly structured and time-limited approach and is intended to be completed within 12–16 weeks. IPT is based on the principle that relationships and life events impact mood and that the reverse is also true.

Are you struggling with sadness, loss of motivation, low energy, feeling down, hopelessness or helplessness? Life these days are not easy and can bring on depression and loneliness. I want to be a support to you and help you through this part of your life. I will help you find hope and identify coping skills to manage your symptoms. It would be my pleasure to walk by your side and find a new path of hopefulness!

Are you feeling tired, sad or overwhelmed by life? Does it feel like there's a dark cloud over you and nothing will ever get better? You are not alone. So many people are struggling with sadness, but you can choose today to learn how to move through it and have the life you've longed for. I support you emotionally and spiritually to come to a place of peace. Let me help you bring light and joy back into your life.