Depression Therapy
If you have been struggling with depression and you are looking for a counselor who can help, you are in the right place. Maybe you are struggling to get out of bed in the morning. You might notice that you are spending nearly all of your time off from work either sleeping, or “vegging out.” You might also be feeling irritable, lashing out at others, or having difficulty sleeping.
Sometimes depression physically hurts. You may notice headaches, body aches, stomach problems, or just a general sense of feeling heavy and drained. Crying spells and thoughts of hopelessness are not uncommon with major depression. Maybe this is the first time you have felt like this, or maybe you have had depression before and you know it is time to find a therapist.
There are many different reasons a person can become depressed and there are many different ways the symptoms show up. What is really important is that if you are feeling these things, it is time to get help. At Shift Counseling, PC, all of our therapists are experienced with treating depression and we can help you find the path to recovery that works for you.
Our depression therapists accept several types of insurance, provide in person and telehealth services, and have convenient appointment times available. Often, we can have your first appointment with a depression counselor scheduled within a week of the day you reach out. You can use the link below to view our schedule and request open appointments. It’s that easy to get started!
How does therapy help with depression?
Talking to someone who is genuinely interested in understanding you and helping you can actually do a lot to help you feel unburdened. After a good first session with a depression therapist, people often say they feel “lighter.” It feels good to get things off your chest, but that is just the beginning of how things can change.
After you have a chance to let it all out and feel understood by your depression therapist, they will help you figure out what parts of the problem you have control over, and start working on a plan of action. This can mean learning coping skills, learning to reframe negative thoughts, setting limits, learning better ways to be kind to yourself, etc. As you start to apply the things you learn in therapy in your life outside of session, you will start to see changes and you will feel less hopeless. Over time, if you keep working at it, you will get better and better at making the changes that really make a difference in your life.
What is different about the therapists at Shift Counseling, PC?
We do not believe in burnout culture at Shift Counseling, PC. The last thing you should have to worry about when you are seeking therapy for depression is if your therapist is OK. As caretakers, we also take care of ourselves by having boundaries and not seeing excessive numbers of clients. Our therapists have the time and emotional energy available to be present with you. You are not “bothering them” and you are not “wasting their time.” These are often fears that we hear from people who are seeking help but also struggling with the fear that they don’t deserve it.
When seeking depression treatment, you don’t have to justify to us that you “deserve” help. Yes, there are others out there who may have it worse. But if you are not feeling like yourself and we are happy to get help to get back on track. If you there is one less person in pain in this world and we see that as a wonderful thing. We also know the positive effect that healed people can have on those around them. Getting help for yourself often has a positive impact on others, as well.
What types of people get depression therapy at Shift Counseling, PC?
We specialize in providing individual counseling for adults, young adults, and teens. Our therapists are from diverse cultural backgrounds and all of our therapists work with clients from backgrounds similar to, and different than their own. We have therapists who specialize in treating women’s issues and men’s issues. All of our therapists are In Network with BCBS PPO, Blue Choice PPO, Most Aetna PPO plans (but not Aetna Better Health) and most Cigna/Evernorth plans.
How long does it take to get treatment for depression?
Sometimes people need short term treatment while they work through a temporary stressor that is causing their depression. Other times, therapy for depression is a longer journey as people unpack family issues, learn to manage a chronic illness, or slowly work their way out of an unhealthy relationship. Whether your path to recovery is long or short, we look forward to helping you find your way.
How do I know if I need counseling for depression?
Common symptoms of depression include:
Crying spells
feelings of hopelessness
suicidal thoughts
lack of interest in things that the person used to enjoy
isolating from family and friends
sabotaging relationships
Appetite disturbances (lack of appetite or increased appetite, sometimes with significant change in weight)
difficulty falling or staying asleep
early morning awakening or difficulty getting out of bed *fatigue during the day
feeling down on themselves
not showering or keeping home clean
feeling too tired to follow up on self-care
over use of substances
irritability
rumination (going over negative subjects in their mind over and over)
feeling overwhelmed
difficulty concentrating
procrastination
negative thinking about themselves and others
To meet criteria for a diagnosis of a depressive disorder, these symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.
What if depression therapy progress stalls?
If you are feeling like you are not making the progress that you were hoping for. Or feeling like you are not quite on the right path, please mention this to your therapist. This is actually really helpful feedback and our therapists are glad to hear how clients are feeling about their progress. We are not going to be angry or frustrated with you. This as an opportunity to explore needs, and fine tune our approach. These conversations are usually quite fruitful and often improve therapy outcomes.
What about using medication to help treat depression?
Sometimes medication is helpful, but it is not always necessary. At Shift Counseling, PC, our approach is medication neutral- If a client is interested in trying medication services in addition to therapy, we fully support this. If not, that is OK, too. We have no prescribers at our office, but we can provide referrals to people who provide this service. The only time we might strongly encourage someone to use medications is if their symptoms are so severe that they are having a hard time taking care of themselves, or their behavior is putting themselves or others in danger. Everyone’s road to wellness is different. Using medication does not mean that a person is not trying hard enough in therapy or not doing enough to manage their symptoms between sessions. We do not believe in shaming people for using or not using medications. We understand that mental health issues have a variety of root causes including genetics, differences in brain structure, previous trauma history, and current contributing factors.
Begin treatment for depression in North Riverside or Online:
Relief for your depression can begin within a week. All of our therapists treat depression, and several have open appointments. Use the link below to see if we have appointments available that would work with your schedule. Our therapists are in network with BCBS PPO, Blue Choice PPO, most commercial Aetna plans, and Cigna/Evernorth. We will verify your benefits and give you an estimate of your out of pocket costs before your first appointment.
Get support. Feel better.
Work together with us towards a better mental health.
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