Takeaway: Depression can impact your mind, body, and spirit. That’s why our therapists who treat depression in Santa Clara take a holistic, integrative approach to treatment. Together, we can get to the root of what’s keeping you stuck and forge a path forward toward a life you feel good about. Connect with us today to get started.
Depression can feel like a puzzle of feelings and it leaves us confused, low, exhausted, in pain, isolated, and lost. It can leave you in a fog that covers everything, draining color from our world and leaving everything in black and white.
Depression can deeply impact our quality of life. This goes beyond just feeling sadness or down occasionally. When someone experiences depression, it often persists for an extended period and negatively affects us. This can lead to difficulties in daily functioning, such as problems with work, school, relationships, families, and even physical health.
In this article, we will provide some information about common symptoms of depression, treatment approaches that target depression, and how the different types of services at Cura Integrative Health might be able to help improve your mental health.
Does this sound like you?
Do you feel trapped in a cycle of sadness and emptiness, where even getting out of bed or daily tasks feel insurmountable? You’re not alone. Depression has a way of casting a dark shadow over life, making the simplest activities feel exhausting or impossible. The despair and exhaustion can make socializing seem overwhelming, robbing you of the connections that have the potential to bring joy and comfort.
Ever notice a heavy feeling in your chest or constant fatigue? This can be draining and leave you burnt out. Here’s a glimmer of hope: understanding that these struggles are part of a medical condition can be the first step toward seeking help and finding effective ways to find healing from the challenges of depression.
Working with a depression therapist in Santa Clara can help.
The struggle that is depression can make it feel as if no one will ever get it. Depression can be an isolating journey, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Here at Cura Integrative Health, we believe in the ability for those struggling to find healing. We are here to walk alongside you provide guidance to our patients.
We utilize an integrative approach to help understand and treat depression. We understand the fear or guilt in asking for help and ‘letting someone see’ what’s really going on. We go at your own pace and value your feedback and input. We incorporate Psychodynamic psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, Mindfulness, and other trauma-informed therapeutic approaches to help our patients heal from a diagnosis of depression.
We believe in not just treating the symptoms of depression to provide short-term relief, but we also focus on addressing the roots of depression for long-term healing, mental health and mood improvement. If you identify as feeling depressed and feel like you’ve either tried everything or don’t know where to start, you might be a good fit for our practice.
Our approach to depression counseling
We incorporate a variety of therapeutic modalities to help treat depression. Here are some of the approaches we tend to utilize the most that we’ve seen be highly effective for our patients.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
This approach focuses on the underlying processes and unresolved conflicts that might contribute to one’s depressive symptoms. This therapeutic method is based on the belief that past experiences and hidden emotions can shape a person’s current feelings and behaviors.
We make room for early life experiences and relationships and shed light on these past experiences and understanding how they relate to present difficulties. Increased insight can facilitate emotional healing and the development of healthier coping skills and foster personal growth.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
This is a model that views the mind as consisting of various “parts” or aspects, each with its own unique feelings, beliefs, and roles. With depression, these parts might contribute to negative self-perceptions, self-criticism, and emotional distress. IFS aims to identify and understand these internal parts, particularly those that perpetuate depressive thoughts and behaviors, and help integrate these parts to feel more whole.
The goal is to foster communication between these parts, ultimately achieving a harmonious and balanced internal system. IFS helps people learn to navigate their internal landscape, promoting self-compassion and enabling them to better manage their depression by accessing their own inner resources.
Mindfulness
The mindfulness approach to treating depression focuses on cultivating awareness of the present moment, accepting one’s thoughts and emotions without judgment, and developing a non-reactive attitude towards them. Mindfulness-based interventions often incorporate techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and body scan exercises.
Mindfulness also emphasizes self-compassion. Over time, this can lead to a more positive self-image and a reduction in depressive symptoms such as recurrent thoughts. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to be effective in preventing relapse, helping people cope, and improving overall well-being.
FAQs about working with a therapist for depression
How do therapists determine depression?
At Cura Integrative Health, we diagnose depression using a combination of clinical assessment tools, interviews, and clinical judgment. We typically use a combination of targeted questions during the initial intake, diagnostic criteria, various assessment tools and questionnaires, clinical judgment within the context of the therapeutic relationship, and ongoing patient feedback and input to diagnose the symptoms of depression.
Is it worth going to therapy for depression?
If you have concerns about depression, psychotherapy has been shown to offer many benefits. These benefits include: improved understanding about oneself, more robust coping skills, more authentic ways to express yourself, strengthened and healthier relationships, increase in self-esteem, and an increase in resiliency. Addressing both the symptoms and roots of depression in therapy also helps to prevent a future relapse of depression. Sometimes, other disorders, a reliance on alcohol or other substance abuse, insomnia, and anxiety can be indirectly helped by addressing depression in psychotherapy.
It’s important to note that different therapeutic approaches work for different adults and teens, and the benefits can vary. If you are unsure or have further questions, reach out to us to help determine which type of therapy might be most effective for you.
Which type of therapy tends to be best for treating depression?
We believe that a combination of different counseling modalities in the best approach for treating depression. Cura Integrative Health recognizes the unique needs of everyone that comes through our door and we have seen that having a variety of approaches and tools available is the most effective and efficient treatment approach to helping people heal from depression and move forward in their daily life.
Get the holistic depression support you need to heal.
If you’re ready to take a step towards healing from depression, or if you’re simply have interest and want to know more, we encourage you to reach out to our practice. You don’t have to face your challenges alone – our experienced and compassionate team is here to support you on your journey towards emotional well-being. We offer a safe and confidential space where you can explore your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Together, we’ll work towards understanding your unique experiences and equipping you with the tools to overcome obstacles and create positive change. Your path to healing begins with that first step, and we’re here to walk that path with you. Reach out today to start your transformative journey towards a happier and healthier life.