DEPRESSION Therapy
Has Depression Made Everything Feel Like A Chore?
Do you feel hopeless about the future? Are you struggling with low self-esteem and negative self-talk? Do you wish you had the energy to improve and move forward in life, but you feel too lethargic and unmotivated?
Depression has a way of making everything in life feel like a chore, even the things you normally enjoy. Maybe it’s a struggle just to get out of bed in the morning and start your day. You might turn down social invitations and spend less time with friends and family. And the more you isolate, the worse you probably feel—creating a vicious cycle of loneliness and depression. As much as you want to break out of this cycle, you might not know where to start.
Depression Often Stems From A Low Sense Of Self
One of the trademarks of depression is low self-worth. Deep down, you might feel unwanted and unlovable and worry that you’ll never amount to anything in life. It seems like everyone else is living a charmed life—making new connections, getting into happy relationships—while you’re stuck on the sidelines.
But just as depression starts with the self, healing starts with the self, too. Therapy with Archer Counseling Group gives you a chance to find value in who you are, increase your self-compassion, and overcome the hold depression has on your life.
The Epidemic Of Loneliness In America Today Makes Depression Inevitable
Depression often goes hand in hand with isolation. And in American culture today, we’re more isolated than we’ve ever been. We are social creatures and we all need community to feel valued and encouraged. Yet technology has taken human interaction out of so many aspects of American life. Millions of us work from home, go to school online, and get our social fixes from Instagram and Twitter.
The more we isolate, the more we are left with nothing but our own negative thoughts. It becomes easy to lose perspective and spiral down. What’s more, being less social increases the chances of social anxiety. And when we are anxious, we generally keep to ourselves, making depression all but inevitable.
Relationships are the healing balm that soothes the rough edges of depression. By working with a therapist, you can find the connection you’re missing and use it as a springboard for your own growth.
Depression Therapy Can Help You Achieve A More Positive Sense Of Self
Because depression makes everything feel hopeless, it can seem like there’s no point to seeking help. Therapy is a chance to do right in spite of your feelings. It’s a chance to do what’s best for you even when your sense of motivation and energy tells you otherwise. By putting your wellbeing first, your motivation and energy will likely return, allowing you to conquer the cycle of depression.
Above all, therapy with Archer Counseling Group is a chance to relax, be yourself, and think out loud about how depression affects your life. We want to help you get to the bottom of your struggles and give you coping skills to use whenever you feel down.
What To Expect In Anxiety Treatment Sessions
Since depression usually stems from low self-esteem, therapy often starts by exploring where your negative self-beliefs from. Sometimes this means delving into the past and working through unresolved trauma. Maybe there were toxic relationships in your life that made you feel like you weren’t good enough or didn’t deserve love and acceptance. Therapy is a chance to deconstruct these beliefs and challenge the cognitive distortions at the root of your depression.
In addition to the deeper work, we want to give you practical strategies for combating depression in day-to-day life. This can be as simple as coming up with a plan for when your symptoms flare up (e.g., maybe you choose someone specific to call or somewhere specific to go). It can also mean giving you calming and grounding skills to help you center yourself and stay present.
Using Mindfulness To Combat Depression And Increase Self-Compassion
One of the main ways that our practice helps clients ground themselves is through mindfulness. When you feel yourself spiraling down, mindfulness activities can help you pause, check in with yourself, and notice that there’s a thought process leading to your depressed mood. Once you recognize this thought process, it becomes much easier to break out of it and avoid the downward spiral.
This can go a long way toward improving your self-compassion. Learning to be mindful of your thought patterns can help you take a step back and understand why you feel negatively about yourself. You’ll learn to challenge automatic thoughts—such as “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll never be successful”—and create new ways of determining your value.
In the end, the goal is to lead you back to a positive sense of self. Doing so can help you restore your sense of hope and reconnect with your purpose in life. Depression may be weighing you down right now, but with our support, we are confident that you can improve your self-worth and embrace a brighter future.
In addition to the deeper work, we want to give you practical strategies for combating depression in day-to-day life. This can be as simple as coming up with a plan for when your symptoms flare up (e.g., maybe you choose someone specific to call or somewhere specific to go). It can also mean giving you calming and grounding skills to help you center yourself and stay present.
You May Have Some Questions About Depression Therapy…
What if talking about my depression makes it worse?
Here at Archer Counseling Group, we will always move at a pace that’s right for you. You’ll never have to talk about something that makes you uncomfortable. Our therapists are trained to help you discuss depression in a way that won’t make your symptoms worse. That said, we know that working through depression isn’t easy. If you ever feel your emotions get out of control, we can give you strategies to help you stay grounded and at ease.
Why can’t I just work through depression by myself?
It’s not that you can’t work through some aspects of depression by yourself. It’s that you’re limited to your own perspective when you do. A counselor can help you take a more objective look at your situation and help you get to the bottom of your depression. There is no shortage of mental health apps these days promising quick fixes and instant relief—but in the end, they can’t provide the human interaction so essential to combating depression. They also can’t address the core issues fueling your depression that are unique to you. Counseling can.
How long will depression therapy take?
It all depends on your situation and your goals. If you want to learn some practical strategies for managing your symptoms, depression treatment may only take a couple months. If you want to experience deeper healing and spend time exploring the roots of your depression, therapy may take longer. Regardless of how long it takes, we encourage you to be patient with yourself and go at a pace that’s right for you. You don’t have to feel better overnight.