Depression Counseling in Highlands, NJ.

I address depression by exploring its roots in childhood. What were the negative influences that made you believe things would never get better? What made you feel it was pointless to try? Where does your low self-esteem come from? Together, we can identify these factors and how they affected you, and then question their validity in your present circumstances, as an adult with adult capabilities. In addition, I will teach you coping strategies, including mindfulness practices, self-compassion and self-care, that will help you reduce depressive symptoms on a day-to-day basis.

You can find a way to eliminate depression, get depression help with depression counseling, and jump start your life. Depression is not just emotional it is physical as well. The exhaustion and fatigue can be the hardest part. We will work on becoming more connected to your life and your loved ones. When this happens you will get a renewed sense of energy and begin to feel good once more.

If you have a pulse and a heart, you have been sad. Using the science of happiness rather than standard interventions for depression we focus on increasing positive emotion, engagement, and meaning rather than directly targeting depressive symptoms. In using these interventions with clients I have noted the effects of these interventions in a variety of settings. In informal and clinical settings these interventions have commonly been reported to me and referred to as “life-changing.”

Social anxiety and shyness can easily lead to feelings of depression. If you feel depressed because you feel alone, isolated and have trouble making friends, you might be glad to know that there is a way to learn and practice the social skills you missed learning as a child. You can learn and practice new skills, meet new people, learn how to start conversations and create your own social circle. Life can change and it takes just one step to start the process rolling in the right drection.

Someone once said that depression "can't hit a moving target". Unfortunately, it also makes you so tired you can't move! Your experience of depression, and the solution is likely as unique as you are. Often treatment includes exploring patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that may be holding you back. There is life after depression. Together we will gently explore the cause of your experience, and discover the best approach for you. I am trained and certified in several evidence based practices to treat depression.

Depression is a feeling that can feel incredibly heavy to hold. Sometimes we experience challenging life events that leave us feeling much sadness, grief, inner pain and lack of joy, which interfere with our daily functioning. That is called depression. With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (challenging unhelpful thoughts) and psychodynamic modalities, I can help you work through that sadness, heaviness and pain, so that you may begin the journey of healing work. This is the first step towards holding the sadness, addressing yourself in a safe space so we can slowly help you process and shift to start feeling lighter and start seeing the sunshine and tasting the small joys in everyday life.

Through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, patients will learn the relationship between their thoughts, feelings and behavior. They will learn relaxation techniques and coping strategies to tackle difficult situations. Patients will learn coping skills to handle stressors which may be precipitating a change in mood. Developing interpersonal skills is key to establishing better relationships with significant others, family, and friends.

In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression, we address negative thought patterns and behaviors contributing to your feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Together, we identify distorted thinking and replace it with more realistic, balanced thoughts. Through structured exercises and homework assignments, you'll learn coping skills to manage symptoms and challenge depressive beliefs. We also focus on behavior activation, gradually reintroducing enjoyable activities and routines into your life. With CBT, you'll gain tools to break free from the cycle of depression, cultivate self-awareness, and develop healthier ways of thinking and behaving, leading to long-lasting relief.

Hal helps clients understand depression and better cope with the nasty and persistent erosion of hope. Hal encourages his clients to understand the reason(s) for their depression and unique ways to climb out of it. He also encourages clients to connect to, express, even write about their depression. Hal believes that only by facing it head are we able to effectively disarm depression, while increasing self-esteem.

Depression can hold you back from living and enjoying life to its full potential. My goal is to provide you with skills, techniques, and an open environment for you to process your past and present, and create an improved platform for your future. As a postdoctoral psychology resident, I am highly trained, and strive to create a safe and supportive environment. I believe that each relationship is a unique interaction, and tailor my approach to each client’s needs, integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, and a Humanistic approach.

Depression is often controlled by our unconscious feelings, thoughts, memories, and dreams. Drawing on Positive Psychology and other therapeutic models, I help clients to understand how we relive early experiences unconsciously, and I coach them on behavioral techniques they can use to overcome the vicious cycle of negativity and change their present. These include a blend of empirically based techniques clients can use at work or at home to overcome depression, end self-sabotage, and get unstuck.

We all do our best to have an abundance of hope in our lives. Sometimes circumstances, emotional wreckage and frustration prevent our reaching our goals and expectations. By identifying the emotional toll charged by an endless cycle of frustration, a personal plan of growth will be put in place. This approach short-circuits frustration and provides hope now and into tomorrow. Dr. Eljay has 20 years of counseling experience in lessening this burden.

I work with clients experiencing depression by helping them identify negative thought patterns and explore underlying causes. My approach includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), EMDR, and interpersonal therapy to promote healthier coping mechanisms and emotional resilience. I support clients in regaining motivation, building hope, and improving their overall well-being. Together, we work toward long-term healing, fostering a renewed sense of purpose and joy in life.