Depression Counseling in Redwood City, CA.

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

Depression affects millions of people worldwide. Depression can leave you feeling disconnected with yourself and others, frozen in time, and without purpose. Therapy for depression starts with understanding how your symptoms are affecting you. Behavioral activation is a tool for helping to lift your mood. Understanding what may be causing your depression will help you move toward change, self-expression, relief, self-awareness, meaning making, and growth. Healing from depression will result in more vitality, direction, appreciation, and joy.

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.

I believe depression is caused when we shut down our emotional expression. As in if we shut down one part of ourselves, such as our anger, or our desire, or our fear, or any other one part, we can't just shut down the one channel and we end up shutting them all down, leading to depression. The solution is to create the safety and trust needed for the person to finally be able to express and feel what they have been blocking and thus move past the depression into more aliveness.

In depression treatment with me, you will feel that you are deeply heard, that your symptoms are understood, and that your process is respected. Initially, I will teach you some valuable skills to help you take the edge off of your depression to make way for deeper healing. By experiencing compassion and receiving effective coaching in sessions, you will be able to begin to process your pain more effectively so that you can let it go and move toward more consistent happiness and satisfying relationships. Call me with any questions or to schedule an initial appointment.

Feelings of sadness, depression, and loss of pleasure can be a heavy burden. Therapy can offer a space to process your experience without judgement. Often when individuals feel depressed the pull can be to isolate and withdraw from others. Having a place that you can talk about your experience can be an important step in changing a dynamic. Set up a free phone consultation to ask questions specific to your needs.

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 manifest itself in different ways. It's most well-known manifestation is tearfulness, isolation, low self-esteem, hopelessness, and negative self-talk. Depression can also show up as irritability, patterns of avoidance, aggression, and anxiety. Because of 1) the more popular face of depression and 2) the stigma attached to it, people encounter difficulty in reaching out for and receiving help. It can be a really frustrating, hopeless place to feel stuck. I will help you to come to a place of understanding your depression and give you tools to understand and manage the symptoms.

Depression is undoubtedly one of the most tragic conditions a person can be in. The feelings of isolation, the lack of joy and pleasure, and the way that life seems to lack anything worthwhile can be crushing. The most important element of getting through depression is to not be alone. That is the first thing I can help with. I've certainly been there and worked with many others who have as well. I know that depression often comes with feeling hopeless, but don't stay there. Give me a call and we can start finding a way through together.

While most of us feel gloomy sometimes, for many, these feelings don't last very long. With depression, these feelings can affect your daily life and ability to function, and they can last a long time. Without help, depression can impact your relationships, job peformance, and other aspects of your life. Since depression doesn't always look the same or start for the same reason, I can help you identify and understand your own triggers as well as develop effective pathways to recovery.

In the years that I have been treating clients with depression, I have learned that not all depressions are equal; they have different causes. The first thing I do is rule out physical causes by asking my clients to make sure they have had a recent physical exam. Many depressions are caused by illnesses such as thyroid disease. I have many tools up my sleeve to get rid of depression. Many are in- the- moment exercises and some are dredging up past experiences.

Our understanding of depression and its origins has deepened in recent years, especially with the much more nuanced knowledge we now have about the influences of both our early lives and neurobiology in shaping how we experience and respond to stress and adversity. If you are depresses, it is important to understand whether it is a response to situational, and possibly temporary circumstances, a biological tendency, a response to long-term trauma or a combination of triggers. If you wish to explore how I could help with your particular situation, please call me at 415-533-9724.