When Is It Time to See a Therapist for Depression?
What is depression?
Depression is a common mental health concern and sometimes a person’s depression may actually be considered a mood disorder. The truth is, there may be multiple reasons and a variety of factors that may lead to depression. These could include a combination of mental, emotional, situational, and biological factors.
Signs you may be experiencing depression:
Depression can be a common experience that folks encounter when faced with some of life’s more difficult obstacles, loss, and so much more. While depression may show up differently for each individual, here are a few common symptoms that may signal you’re experiencing depression:
Feeling hopeless about the future
A general loss of interest in most activities, even the ones you normally enjoy
Sleeping significantly more than normal OR experiencing insomnia
A persistent feeling of sadness, despair, and emptiness
Fatigue and notably decreased energy or motivation
Difficulty concentrating and accomplishing basic tasks
Moodiness and irritability
Feelings of guilt, shame, and worthlessness
Being on the verge of tears or crying often
Body aches, pains, and digestive issues
Anxious thoughts and feelings
Changes in appetite, eating habits, and noticeable weight changes
Thoughts of death or suicide (if you are currently contemplating suicide, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255).
If you have been experiencing several of the above symptoms for over two weeks, you may have depression. However, before assuming that you have depression, we recommend consulting with a depression therapist in LA.
By the way, if you are located in California and are interested in holistic therapy, contact our Los Angeles psychotherapists for a free consultation. We’d be happy to explain what holistic psychotherapy could look like for you and how we can support you if you are experiencing depression on any level.
Do I have a depressive mood disorder?
As we mentioned earlier, depression can manifest differently for each person and the impact it has on someone can greatly vary as well. So there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question which is why it’s important to seek support from a clinical therapist.
Can holistic therapy help with depression?
Yes, holistic therapy is one tool that can be effective in addressing symptoms of depression. Depression is a common issue many of our clients seek support around when first attending counseling. With our holistic psychotherapy clients, we bring consciousness and healing to all parts of our clients. We examine these parts, their interactions, and how we can take an integrative approach to healing and supporting our client’s mental health.
We take a holistic therapeutic approach to depression, so we suggest treatments that address every area of your life. For example, we may recommend treating depression by:
Creating healthy habits. This could include eating healthy and nourishing foods, moving your body daily through exercise or walking (or whatever works for you!), getting sufficient sleep, and practicing regular self-care.
Seeing a therapist. We're biased (of course), but therapy is an excellent way to understand and ease your depression.
Making life changes. If you're able to identify things that trigger your depression, you can work towards changing them for the better.
Establishing a routine. One of the hardest parts of depression is not being able to do the things that you used to. Perhaps you can’t bring yourself to care anymore, or maybe you don't have the motivation to complete day-to-day tasks. A schedule can help you do what you need to do and get better.
Doing things you enjoy. Go to a fun movie with your friends, walk your dog in the park, listen to your favorite artist... although you may not feel entirely better, positive activities can help distract and uplift you.
Practicing kindness toward yourself. Consider how you talk and think about yourself. Offer yourself the same patience and kindness that you would extend to a friend or family member. You are deserving of that same grace, consideration, and softness.
There are other forms of treatment as well, like group therapy and medication.
When is the best time to start working with a therapist for depression?
Because depression can impact people in different ways, it’s important to consider your unique experience. It’s never too early to start working with a therapist to work through depression, even if you feel it’s manageable. A support system, whether that’s a friend or a therapist, is incredibly important.
If you're interested in working with us, you can head over to our contact page or schedule an appointment here. During a complimentary phone consultation, we'll answer any questions you have and see if we're a good fit for depression therapy.
During sessions, our therapists offer a nurturing and passionate approach and address all aspects of your life that may be triggering depression.
Questions to ask when seeking therapy for depression:
Picking a depression therapist is an important decision. When consulting with a new therapist, there are a few things to consider:
Did we connect? Spending time with your therapist should feel both natural and enjoyable.
Did I feel seen and understood? It’s important that a therapist is attentive, actively listening, and overall a good fit.
Did it feel safe? Therapy requires vulnerability so it’s important that you can trust your therapist.
Do they have experience in working with depression? Your therapist should have experience helping clients working through depression and other issues you may want to address in the therapy room.
You'll likely have a strong sense after the consultation if you and the therapist will work well together, but these can be good things to keep in mind.
WHEN YOU'RE DEPRESSED, YOU MAY FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO WAY OUT…
At Highland Park Holistic Psychotherapy, we treat the whole person. We take an integrative, soul-centered approach to depression therapy in Los Angeles, so we can get to the root cause of your depression and heal you from the inside out.
If you're interested in consulting with one of our depression therapists, reach out to us today. We offer complimentary 15-minute phone consultations for all prospective clients.