Depression Counseling in Litchfield, CT.

I feel that depression effects all of us at one time or another, however, my approach is simple and that is to focus your negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Much of the time, depression can be reversed through cognitive restating statements or "reframes." For example, " I get the summer blues because summer is over and there isn't anything to look forward too." A reframe would be, " summer is over, however, I am looking forward to the fall and beautiful colors of the leaves."

Depression is not easy. This affects so many areas of your life and you just want to be happy. Understanding your depression is a step to the healing process and getting you on the path of living your best life. Together we will work together to identify these factors of why you are depressed and start to build up the things in your life that make you happy. We will work together step by step and get you feeling better as soon as possible.

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.

Feelingings of depression can be organically or situationally based. Organic depression has a strong heritability factor, with everyday stressors exasperating it. Situational depression is triggered by transitions in people’s lives where their current coping mechanisms are not strong enough to create the resilience and ongoing fortitude required to counteract the mood shift. For 30+ years in clinical practice, I have assisted my clients in understanding how to embrace their mood states and build cognitive belief patterns and behavioral routines that allow them to feel that they are in charge of their life and that the depression does not own them.

Depression is the result of a loss of sense of self, disappointment with where we ended up despite the plans we had made, disruptions in life, and conflict in relationships. Therapy can help you to understand yourself better and learn how to develop healthier relationships with others to reduce feelings of isolation and more connections to your family and community. It starts with feeling heard and validated in the therapeutic relationship.

I believe that depression is anger turned inward. I would use psycotherapy to delve into the reasons for the anger. Where did it originate and discuss methods to use on a daily basis to resolve this anger through a spiritual life and gratitudes. I would also take a family history and have the patient get a medical exam to identify the possiblity of it being a genetic disorder or physical malady. Concurring with the medical doctor or naturopath I would discuss methods to use through diet and exercise, meditation and social outlets to deal on a daily basis with the depression.

You did not choose to be depressed and it’s not something most people can simply “shake off.” Depression is real. It’s life altering and can trick you in to believing that you can never be happy again. I am here to help. I would be honored to walk with you as we challenge the narrative of your depression while acknowledging how incredibly hard and real it is. You are not alone, and hope can be the beginning to your own healing.

Do negative thoughts or memories trigger waves of sadness? Has talk therapy or medication failed to get to the core? Does your depression keep coming back? First you need to know that you are not alone, many people secretly struggle with depression for years or decades. Many only get partial relief from medication and traditional 45-minutes-once-a-week talk therapy for depression. Thankfully, there is an alternative. I use 3-hour sessions to help you achieve up to 3 months of therapy in each session, focused on getting to the root & the core with an ACHIEVEMENT CENTERED approach that is more like a coach that gets you to run one more lap than you thought that you could.

Being in a depressed state can feel like a heaviness weighing on you. It can feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. This feeling can reduce your ability to enjoy everyday life. Some people are wired this way, and others have experienced sad situations. I use a holistic approach to explore and address triggers so we can make a plan to break the momentum of these feelings. Some of the modalities I use are cognitive behavioral therapy, logotherapy, Gestalt therapy, rational emotive therapy, and many behavioral strategies. I will teach you to challenge the thoughts that can bring you down and alter your perspective so it is more comfortable, ultimately improving your mood.