Despite your best efforts to pull yourself out of it, you continue to struggle in significant ways–and you’re realizing you want more for yourself. Whether depression therapy or body mind therapy doesn’t cross your mind because you can barely get out of bed, or you’re a little sad and don’t think depression therapy is necessary, these symptoms can really take a toll on your overall health and wellbeing.
Depression Therapy Works
Depression is so common that it’s rated as the top reason people seek therapy. The good news is therapy for depression is highly effective. In fact, research shows that it can lead to not only feeling better, but providing lasting results.
Whether it’s struggles you’re having inside yourself or with others, therapy can make all the difference. And it can help you in combination with medication or without it altogether.
Depression’s Body Mind Connection
When I see someone for depression, I work simultaneously with the body and mind, which is where all of our emotions are stored. In our work together I will create a safe and welcoming space to talk with me about anything.
My Approach to Depression Therapy
Here are some other things you can expect from our work together:
- In the safe space, I will encourage you to open up and explore areas of your life that may be causing problems or difficulty for you
- Address what’s working and not working for you in managing your mood
- Look at practical and easy steps you can make in the short-term
- Explore and process past issues that are causing problems in the present
- Come to terms with certain issues and work through other issues
Depression Therapy FAQs
Why not treat with medication alone?
Even if you and your physician find an antidepressant medication that seems to work with your body biochemically, there are other underlying issues that contribute to the symptoms. This is where therapy steps in.
Depression is considered a symptom of other problems going on in your life although that you won’t easily identify or connect with your depression without support. In the beginning, you just know you don’t feel right and that you want to feel better.
Maybe this is just how I am. How do I know therapy is what I need?
Depression can be confusing because you may not even realize you’re depressed. On top of that, a depressed mood can make it hard to reach out because you’re shut down or have lost motivation to do much of anything.
Please remember therapy for depression is effective. Dynamic interventions make a difference, especially when done within a compassionate and supportive therapeutic relationship.
Won’t it make me feel worse if I talk about feeling sad?
Some people think talking about their sadness will make them feel worse. Although it’s true you may feel more sad or down when talking about the struggles in your life, the process of doing so actually leads to feeling lighter, more grounded and peaceful. When we avoid talking about difficult aspects of life, it leads to us feeling worse in the long run.
Body Mind Therapy
You may feel a nagging annoyance that something’s bothersome but you can’t put your finger on it. Whatever that annoyance, it has the potential to awaken you to what can be instead of what isn’t. This is the perspective of body mind therapy.
Working Harder Isn’t Working
You are a ‘go-getter’ and capable of accomplishing a lot. But, you feel stuck, striving for the next thing. You often think: “If I could just get that job I want, then they the sky is the limit.” Or, you think, “If I could just meet that special person, then my life will feel complete.”
You know you’re working hard and doing a lot to progress in life. But it doesn’t seem to reach something deeper inside.
Unmet Body Mind Needs & Trauma
Individuals struggle in these ways because they didn’t get their relational, emotional and mental needs met early on in their lives. They experienced varying levels of trauma. Or they were neglected or mistreated in ways that resulted in insecurities and vulnerabilities to mental health problems.
A Body Mind Approach
Body mind or integrative therapy assesses how the mind and body are communicating and the effects of that communication. Our bodies store our memories, good and bad, at the cellular level. By taking a body mind therapy approach, we’ll get to the root of what’s stuck, stagnant and not working in your life today.
In a comfortable and safe atmosphere, we’ll get curious about the energy in your body. We’ll explore how this energy can be linked to feelings of shame, guilt, worthlessness, anger, sadness and fear. This is what we’ll work to release.