Therapy for Depression

If you are looking for therapy for depression, you or someone you love is probably struggling. Any of this sound familiar – Feeling sad almost all the time? Don’t seem to feel anything at all? Never seem to have the energy or motivation to do things? The idea of being around others sounds miserable? Life seems hopeless or maybe you’ve had thoughts about death?

How Do I Know If I Need Therapy?

The decision to start therapy is highly personal. There is no one hard and fast rule to determine if you need therapy.

However, there are a few signs which suggest you might benefit from support from a mental health professional:

• Thoughts of death or engaging in self-harming behaviors
• Risky behaviors (e.g. alcohol or substance use, reckless driving, risky sexual behaviors, etc.) without concern for the consequences
• You just don’t care anymore or nothing seems to matter  
• Symptoms are impacting your performance at work or school
• You don’t want to spend time with others or frequently lash out at others
• Unable to consistently do daily activities such as personal hygiene, cleaning, eating, etc. 
• Problems controlling your emotions (e.g crying, anger outbursts, excessive worry, etc.)
• Difficulty sleeping (e.g. sleeping too much, problems maintaining sleep, or both) and constantly feeling tired
• Always feeling overwhelmed
• Experienced a traumatic event
• Recent life change is causing stress

This is by no means an exhaustive list of reasons to start therapy. It is meant to give you a few signs to look for if you are unsure if therapy could be helpful for you. You can also take this this 10 question depression screening to get a better idea of the severity of your symptoms.

There are many other reasons people may seek out therapy, such as:

• I don’t feel like myself
• I want to better understand myself and change unhelpful behaviors
• I want to improve my relationships and communication skills
• A big change in my life is coming up and I want to get ahead of any problems

These are all normal reasons to seek out help from a mental professional! The goal of therapy is to help you improve your well-being, become the best version of yourself, learn strategies to manage life challenges, and develop healthy fulfilling relationships. If any of these are things you want for yourself, therapy can help!

What Should I Expect From Therapy?

GREAT QUESTION! Therapy, also referred to as counseling or psychotherapy, involves meeting with a trained professional to address concerns related to your mental health. The goal of therapy is to help you improve your well-being, become the best version of yourself, learn strategies to manage life challenges, and develop healthy fulfilling relationships. 

While every therapist is a bit different, you can expect a few things during your sessions. Your therapist will create a safe and confidential space for you to share. There is no judgment! Our goal at GBHC is for you to feel comfortable opening up so we can help you better understand yourself. By gaining insight into your behaviors and patterns, you can recognize when these are happening and do something different! 

You are encouraged to come to therapy with something you want to work through with your therapist.

This approach allows you to address issues that are important to you. Contrary to what you may think, your therapist is not going to tell you what to do, but rather they will walk with you as you navigate your journey. They will listen and support you, discuss different ways and strategies to address your specific needs, and help you figure out what option feels right for you. 

Therapy is an investment in yourself!

It is important to show up to your sessions ready to do the work. Your therapist will likely ask you to practice some of the strategies outside of session to help you build the skills you are working towards. You will see more benefits when you are more actively participating in the process.

Therapy is most beneficial when you meet regularly with the therapist to work through and develop strategies to address your challenges. The frequency and duration of sessions vary based on the person’s needs, goals, and practical considerations. However, the more frequently you attend sessions the faster you will get relief from your symptoms!