Does Life Feel Empty And Meaningless to You?
Are you struggling with feelings of hopelessness and loneliness? Do you feel like no one really wants to connect with you or be your friend? Have you ever wondered if you’re depressed, but you’re not sure?
Contrary to popular belief, depression doesn’t always mean you’re crying 24/7. Sometimes it’s about feeling blank and empty inside. You might suffer from feelings of numbness—nothing seems to move you or pique your interest. It’s like you’re just going through the motions of life but not enjoying it. Perhaps you wonder if you have depression, but you’re not sure. As a result, you may be hesitant to seek treatment.
Depression Can Be Deeply Isolating And Make It Hard To Open Up To Others
One of the hallmarks of depression is loneliness. You might struggle to build a social life for yourself and feel like no one wants to be your friend. When you do connect with people, you may find it hard to show your true colors. After all, you don’t want to burden others with your depression. This could lead you to bottle up your feelings and withdraw from social situations altogether.
In the end, isolating more just adds to your depression—causing a vicious cycle. If you want to break out of the cycle of loneliness and depression, I encourage you to pursue therapy with me. My goal is to help you improve your support system, learn new coping skills, and feel connected and whole again.
Our World Today is A Breeding Ground For Depression
Depression is one of the most common mental health struggles. We often refer to it as the “common cold” of mental health because of how many people suffer from it. Our best guess is that about eight percent of the US population—over 20 million people—experience depression at some point in their lives.[1] But given how many cases of depression go undiagnosed and unnoticed, the actual number is probably much, much higher.
It’s no secret that our society today is a breeding ground for depression. Millions of us are struggling financially and living increasingly isolated lives. We have to reckon with war, racism, sexism, climate change and many other existential threats. On top of that, social media amplifies all the problems in the world. All the violence, animosity, and bad faith acting in politics gets posted and magnified for all to see. Little wonder, then, that so many of us struggle with feelings of hopelessness.
Loneliness Is An Epidemic Here In The Pacific Northwest
It’s hard to make friends in our busy, disconnected modern world—but it’s especially tough here in the Pacific Northwest. I often hear from people who move to Portland that it’s much more difficult to meet people here than other places they’ve lived. All the isolation and lack of social connection just gives depression more time to fester and become a problem.
That’s why depression therapy is so important. It’s a chance to talk with someone who wants to genuinely connect with you and show you the care and attention that you’re missing.
Therapy Can Help You Heal The Emotional Pain That’s Driving Your Depression
Depression is an emotional problem that we often try to solve with everything but emotional solutions. We try to get out more and fill up our schedules to distract ourselves from our feelings. But since depression happens inside of us, external solutions can only do so much good. Counseling is about looking within. It’s about understanding, processing, and healing the painful emotions that are driving your depression.
Most importantly, counseling gives you an opportunity to work through depression in the context of a safe relationship. Processing and overcoming emotional pain is not easy, but that’s why I’m here. I want to act as a sounding board for your thoughts and feelings and provide comfort as you navigate your difficulties.
What To Expect In Sessions
My approach to depression therapy is very intuitive and happens at whatever pace is right for you. Generally speaking, the first thing you’ll do is learn to feel. This means safely processing all your feelings and figuring out what they’re telling you. Do they come from an unhealed wound from the past? Or do they reflect a current issue that needs attention? Answering these questions will help us discern what needs to be done. We will learn about what your emotions are telling you and use that information to improve your life.
All of this work happens with my guidance and care—you’re never left alone to figure it out. What’s more, I like to do all the heavy lifting in sessions when you’re here with me. Therapy with me is not about giving you homework assignments to do during the week. It’s about doing all the work in the safe container of therapy where you feel most supported and cared for.
Tailoring Your Depression Treatment Plan
I am trained in several different therapeutic approaches including EFT, AEDP, and EMDR. My work is experiential and emotion-focused. That means we use your actual experience to direct the work of therapy. Think of it like learning to drive with a trainer in the car instead of reading a book about driving. And rather than me leading the way, you’re in the driver’s seat—I am simply here to provide emotional support and help you find the answers within yourself.
I’ve been a counselor since 2007 and I’ve seen many people who suffered from depression experience healing and relief. This is what gives me hope for you. After all, I wouldn’t be doing this work if it didn’t produce results. With my guidance and encouragement, I am confident that you can discover a new, vital life ahead of you and develop a deeper sense of meaning and purpose.
You May Have Some Questions And Concerns About Depression Therapy…
Why am I depressed when my life isn’t even that bad?
If depression only arose because of bad circumstances, then good circumstances would be powerful enough to correct it. The truth is that it’s very common for depression to show up when things are going well. In fact, depression often arises after you’ve achieved a goal or fulfilled a dream of yours. You might realize that your accomplishment isn’t as meaningful as you thought it would be, leading you to feel disappointed and sad. In depression therapy, I want to help you create a sense of fulfillment that is tied to internal peace instead of external achievements.
Will my depression ever go away?
When you’re stuck in depression, the hopelessness can seem never-ending. Thankfully, there’s an overwhelming amount of evidence to suggest that treatment helps. According to the National Institute of Health, about 80 percent of people with depression show improvement after the first four to six weeks of treatment.[2] My own experience as a therapist echoes this—I’ve seen many people overcome their depression symptoms and improve their lives through counseling.
What if I have suicidal thoughts—will you send me away to a psych hospital?
No, I’m not just going to send you away. As a matter of fact, thinking about suicide is actually very common. Many people have thoughts about suicide, but that doesn’t mean they want to do it. As a therapist, my job is to help you gauge the seriousness of your suicidal thinking and understand what’s driving it. This will help us come up with a safety plan that can be regularly updated as we work on your underlying symptoms.
You Deserve To Have Someone Who Genuinely Cares For You And Supports You
If you wish there was someone in your life who could give you real, meaningful hope for the future, I would be honored to be that person. To connect with me, you can use the link below to book a free phone consultation with me.