Look Forward to Life
Depression symptoms can manifest in unique ways for everyone.
Do you lack motivation? Do you struggle to get out of bed in the morning, have low energy, and feel as if you’re barely getting through each day? Have routine tasks become more difficult, as if everything requires more effort?
Do you feel as if you’re trudging through mud, your brain in a fog? Do you lack a sense of purpose and wish you felt more empowered to take control of your life?
You don't recognize yourself.
Perhaps your friends and family are noticing that you haven’t been yourself lately. You may seem tired, unmotivated, or stressed. You’re worried because you used to be ok but now you’re feeling sad, hopeless and insecure. You know something is wrong and you’re ready for depression help.
In adults, depression may feel like a weight on your shoulders that you just can’t shake. Things you once loved no longer make you happy. You may be eating too much or too little, sleeping all day or staying up all night, lacking the energy it takes to get ready to face the day. Maybe you’re worried about losing your job because you’re calling out sick from work more often, or your social life is on hold because you’re avoiding friends and family.
We get it.
Sometimes it’s too exhausting to put on a happy face and pretend that everything’s ok.
Dealing with depression can be confusing and complicated, but you don’t have to navigate this alone. With our help, we can get to the core of what is holding you back so you can connect with your true self, define your purpose in life, and live with greater confidence and authenticity.
Depression could be a result of nature (genetics) or nurture (environment), or a combination of both.
In the case of nature, you may have a genetic predisposition for clinical depression. You may have a parent or a sibling who was diagnosed (or could have been). Some will eventually choose to explore medication for their depression treatment and, while we at Englewood Therapy Associates don’t prescribe medication, we do have a network of trusted psychiatrists and nurse practitioners who do. We will work closely with these colleagues to coordinate your care and make sure we’re all on the same page when it comes to your treatment.
In the case of nurture, depression might be the result of past trauma, such as childhood abuse, neglect, or bullying. It’s not always the past, however. In many cases, modern life is a huge factor that contributes to the prevalence of depression in our society. The stress of “Keeping up with the Jones’s” can be too much.
The truth is, we live in a self-created spotlight and somewhere along the way we came to believe that our self-worth can be measured by, for example, the number of “likes” we get on social media. But thinking that way – comparing our “backstage” to others’ “center stage” – is unhealthy and sets us up for disappointment. Social media is not reality, but it can distort our lens and make us feel inadequate because it reinforces unrealistic ideas and expectations about how our lives are supposed to look.
Plus, we live in a culture of immediate gratification. Don’t know something? Look it up on Google. Need something right away? Order it on Amazon. It’s no wonder that so many who suffer from depression think they should be able to “fix it” on their own. When we can’t, we feel guilty. We feel like we’ve failed our children, our jobs, our families, and so forth.
You’re supposed to have it all figured out: Family, career, friendships. But you’re struggling to figure out where the person you thought you’d become, went. We all struggle as adults and it’s okay to ask for help and sometimes, a shift in perspective is all you need. We’re here for you.
A safe, no-judgment zone can make all the difference.
Bring a little to the table each session or pour it all out on Day One. Let’s work through this together.
When was the last time you enjoyed a meaningful conversation with someone without worrying about being interrupted…by a text, a child, an email? During our time together, you will have the opportunity to process life uninterrupted, honestly, and without fear of judgment.
Don’t underestimate the value of having a neutral space to work through your pain, receive validation, and develop the coping skills you need to move forward – the process can be empowering! We will work together to help you free yourself from the limitations of fear, self-doubt, and sadness, and we’ll clear the path to a more fulfilling life for you.
Treatment for depression is as unique as the person in the room. We’ll spend the first couple of sessions delving into your history (medical, school, family, career) so that your therapist could gain a deeper understanding of your needs and style. This way, we tailor therapy to what works for you.
Yes, you can expect the typical questions:
What brings you to therapy?
What aspects of your life are you happy with—and which aspects do you wish to change?
What do you think is holding you back from living your best life?
But, also expect to go deeper than that (at a pace that feels comfortable to you). Your responses to our conversations will inform our work together.
At Englewood Therapy Associates, we are big fans of tapping into your strengths. Too often, depression therapy will focus on what’s wrong and overlook what’s actually working. We will identify what you’re good at – what you love – to give you a greater shot at resilience and autonomy. In some cases we may explore your early relationships, elements of your childhood, or past experiences. However, rather than dwelling on the past, we prefer to acknowledge its impact on your present life while focusing on teaching you how to make progress in the here and now.
In terms of theoretical orientation, our work is from a Person-Centered perspective. What this means is that you should expect unconditional acceptance and encouragement when you’re with me. We are big fans of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a powerful approach to treating depression. You learn to think differently, so that you can interpret your world differently. We “name it and tame it,” and you begin to rewrite your story.
Together, we will work to challenge negative thought patterns, improve self-awareness, and restructure the perception you have of yourself so you can start living with greater clarity and direction.
We look forward to helping you make it happen.
Englewood Therapy Associates
60 Chestnut Street #4B
Englewood, NJ 07631
Email: info@englewoodtherapy.com
© 2021 Englewood Therapy Associates
