SUPPORT FOR DEPRESSION
“My life is slipping away from me”
The weight of depression can be crushing. A deep descent into darkness and despair. An unraveling of the soul. You may feel an immense desire to change, but no energy to pursue it. This isn’t your fault, and you are not alone.
In isolation, it can become easy to chain yourself to the pain of the past. Our thoughts create much of the world we live in. When they are colored by misery, it can feel like you are lost in a cloud of negativity. When we can see how much agency we have to change them, it can have a significant impact inside out. How we relate to our thoughts and emotions shapes our beliefs, which can determine much of the way we move through the world — for better or worse. If you spend a lot of time in your mind, let’s make it a nice place to be!
I also believe we can’t always rely on the mind to think it’s way out of a problem. The body can intuitively heal when we provide the right space and support. I weave behavioral and somatic elements into therapy to help cultivate a healthier relationship between you, your mind, and your body.
For many struggling with depression, feeling like a burden becomes a barrier to asking for help. If you are blaming yourself for feeling or living this way, you may be suffering silently under the burden of guilt and shame. I recognize this as a vicious cycle that can poison your view of yourself and therefore your capacity for self-compassion. It is my mission to defuse and heal these patterns with heart and curiosity. There are so many beautiful and dynamic parts of you waiting to be reawakened and celebrated.
I have great respect for your journey. It is one that only you can tell. I believe giving voice to your experiences can in itself be a powerful agent of change. Would you be willing to explore the roots of the issues you are cyclically facing if it helped you shed this shadow of hopelessness?
I will hold space for you to talk honestly about what you are feeling and peel back the layers of your unique story. Let’s help you move in and through what is keeping you down.
“In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”
— Albert Camus
Therapy can provide the relief you deserve
We can do this one step at a time…
If you are experiencing:
Negative self-talk and harmful/inaccurate beliefs about yourself
Feeling stuck in persistent patterns of behavior that seem counterproductive and resistant to change
Extensive and painful doubts about your trajectory in life and a feeling of hopelessness
Feeling like you have lost your sense of purpose or identity
Disconnection and numbness with others as well as within yourself
Experiences of invalidation which have led to feelings of unworthiness, invisibility, or powerlessness
Self-blame, an act with a gravitational center planted firmly in the past which keeps you from showing up for those you love in the present
Difficulty focusing on what is most important to you
A loss of joy in life and interest in activities or connection
Loss of appetite, low energy, inability to focus on work, impaired sleep, increased irritability or anger
Believing you just need to “get through the day,” or “survive the moment,” rather than believing you can build a rewarding, peaceful, and meaningful life
Know that you can:
Form a more attentive relationship with yourself
Establish an inward sense of self-worth, confidence and competence to build trust in yourself
Practice self-forgiveness and releasing harsh judgments
Identify and connect with what enlivens your life and envision a future with possibilities
Set goals based on what you value most and learn to mobilize energy to take important action
Feel a joyful sense of belonging to your life
Recognize triggers and alleviate symptoms as they rear up, and develop creative interventions for negative mood states (wise prevention)
Shift your perspective of your problems and “stuckness”
Move out of isolation to restore important social relationships and connection
Invite positivity and balance in your life with movement, healthy lifestyle changes and routines you can look forward to
Learn grounding techniques to soothe, manage, and redirect anger and irritability
Explore gratitude as a practice for enhancing the capacity to recognize and feel joy
If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are in a mental health crisis or emergency, you can call or text “988” to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which is open 24/7 and connects callers to trained crisis counselors for support and resources. Alternatively, you can text “HOME” to 741741 to speak to a trained crisis counselor through the NAMI hotline, open 24/7.
Please note that some crisis line workers are mandated to report calls regarding suicide to the police or may utilize call tracing. If this is a concern, you are encouraged to first ask about their reporting policies before sharing. For support, resources, or connection from a peer support line that does not trace or connect with police, you can call 888-407-4515 or visit Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line online.
