Depression Counseling in Oakley, CA.

Depression is usually caused from helplessness in the face of overwhelming situations. This can be a learned response from unresolved traumas in your past. My approach to depression is multifaceted, beginning with getting to know you and understanding your life and its hardships. Very quickly, I like to move into using Somatic Experiencing to help resolve past trauma and retrain your nevous system to be able to re-regulate itself in the face of what used to be overwhelming circumstances. I have seen a lot of people rise up out of the hell of depression, with and without medication, to live the lives they were meant to live.

Depression can feel isolating and overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. In depression counseling, I work collaboratively with clients to explore the root causes of their feelings and provide compassionate support in navigating their emotions. Through a combination of evidence-based therapies like Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MCBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), we’ll focus on identifying negative thought patterns, building emotional resilience, and fostering a sense of hope. Together, we’ll explore practical strategies to shift your mindset, increase self-compassion, and help you rediscover a sense of purpose and joy in your life.

Ugghh! The crushing, heavy feeling of depression can make it difficult to get up in the morning, to find connection to others and to the world, to move forward at all. Worse, symptoms of depression can, in themselves, make us feel more depressed still, creating a downward spiral into an an abyss of emptiness. It's so hard to motivate one's self to do anything about depression because of the weight of it all. It can feel immobilizing. You don't have to keep feeling that stuck, awful feeling. I can help! Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been shown to be as effective as medication for treating depression and getting you back to the life you want to live.

When struggling with depressed moods, everything feels heavy and you lack a sense of meaning and purpose. Even the most simple tasks can feel impossible. If you find yourself turning to alcohol, substances, or other addictive behaviours to cope with depressed moods, there is a way out. I help clients with addictions overcome the depressed moods causing them to turn to substances or addictive behaviours to cope. Everyone is different, so I work with you to develop a plan that fits your unique situation. If you are unsure where to start, send me a message. If I'm not the right fit, I can connect you to resources that will allow you to start getting help today, without having to wait.

Struggling to live life with overwhelming sadness and apathy is often miserable. Depression can take over and become all consuming - unless you get help. A safe place to talk can begin easing the emotional pain controlling your life. Through exploring issues and emotions we can begin to identify and work through possible underlying causes. We can then begin to identify strengths and resources to start the process of moving you forward and out of the depths of your darkness. You can attain a more satisfying and productive life - one in which getting out of bed is not the biggest challenge of your day. Make that life saving phone call today and I will walk through this with you.

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.

When depression hits, it's like a ton of bricks weighing on you. It feels like there is no way out of the fog. It can be helpful to have a place to explore this and validate how difficult it can be to experience depression. Therapy is a safe place for you to understand what underlying issues might be making the depression more difficult to manage. I will provide that safe place for you to gain understanding about yourself and the depression you experience. I will also work with you to find tools that can help you move through it with more ease and confidence. I look forward to supporting you through this process.

Working with the experience of depression is much more than changing our thoughts to change our behavior. Our brains are wired to notice the negative; it's part of our survival. I support my clients in expanding what they notice, and help them discover what works for them by creating a tool kit through experiential relational interventions in session. When I see children, I utilize play therapy as the modality, including Child Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, and Prescriptive Play Therapy. When working with adolescents and adults, I utilize expressive arts, DBT, CBT and Narrative Therapy.

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!

First, it's important to me to understand what my clients mean by "depression" because how one client experiences depression can be very different than another client. This is necessary so I can customize the strategies I use for each specific client based on their unique experience of depression. Ultimately, my clients can expect to discover real-world steps they can take to feel not just "less depressed" but better about their life - and more positive and hopeful.

When you’re depressed it makes life feel like you’re walking through mud, everything is more difficult and tiring and you feel less motivated to do anything. This can make depression incredibly difficult to deal with because it requires taking action to overcome. I have personal and professional experience in recovery from this unpleasant disorder, which gives me an edge and helping people to heal from depression.