Out of the Fog: Therapy for Depression

When you’re living with depression, it can feel as if you’ve lost access to yourself. You may wake up with a sense of weight already pressing down. Simple things — answering a message, getting out the door, making a meal — can feel strangely difficult, as though you’re moving underwater.

For some, depression shows up as deep sadness. For others, it’s more like a flatness — life feels muted, colorless. You might feel cut off from joy, from motivation, or from the people around you. The gap between how you feel and how you think you should feel can deepen the isolation.

And when the struggle lingers, it’s easy to wonder: How did I get here? What’s wrong with me? What happened to the person I used to be?

For many people, it can be helpful just to name what’s happening — to understand that depression is a common condition, one that many people struggle with at some point in their lives. It has nothing to do with weakness or failure. It’s treatable. And with the right support, it is possible to reconnect with life and with yourself.

Recognizing the Signs of Depression

Depression takes many forms — it’s not always obvious, even to the person living with it. You might notice:

• Persistent sadness or emptiness

• Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed

• Fatigue or low energy

• Changes in appetite or sleep

• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness

• Anger or irritability (this can be especially common in men)

• Emotional numbness

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Withdrawing from relationships

• Thoughts of death or dying

You might also feel the weight of depression physically — in tension, aches, headaches, stomach discomfort, or a general sense of heaviness in your body.

If you’ve ever quietly wondered, Do I have depression? — therapy can help you understand what’s happening, and begin to find relief.

Why Does Depression Happen?

There isn’t one single reason why depression develops. It’s often a mix of experiences and factors, such as:

• Past trauma or loss

• Ongoing life stressors

• Relationship ruptures or isolation

• Chronic illness or pain

• Early attachment wounds

• Genetic predisposition

• Long-standing patterns of emotional suppression

Sometimes clients tell me that their depression seemed to come out of nowhere, with no obvious cause — which can feel especially confusing. But no matter the origin, depression is not a failure of willpower — it’s often a sign that some part of your emotional life has been overwhelmed, pushed down, or left unmet.

Therapy offers a space to explore what’s underneath — to be compassionate with yourself, but also honest about what’s been holding you back — and begin the process of healing.

How Depression Therapy Can Help

Depression is often more than just sadness. It’s a kind of disconnection — from your emotions, your relationships, your own inner aliveness. In therapy, we work together to understand that disconnection and begin to restore connection in a way that feels natural and sustainable.

My approach is relational, experiential, and trauma-informed. I draw from integrative models, including Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Together, we’ll explore:

• What’s beneath the symptoms of depression

• Unprocessed emotions or experiences that may be contributing

• Protective patterns that once served you, but now keep you stuck

• Ways to gently reconnect with your emotions and sense of self

• How to manage depression in daily life — with greater trust in yourself and your capacity to feel

This isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about facing your struggles honestly, understanding how you’ve been dealing (or not dealing) with them, and finding new ways to move forward with more connection and ease.

What to Expect in Our Work Together

Therapy for depression is a collaborative process. We’ll start by creating a space where you can explore what’s been keeping you stuck — at your own pace, without pressure.

You may find yourself speaking about things you haven’t said out loud before. That’s welcome here. Together, we’ll make sense of the patterns that have shaped your experience — and explore ways to shift what no longer serves you.

Over time, many people find they:

• Think with greater flexibility and perspective

• Develop a more accepting and compassionate view of themselves

• Reconnect with a full range of emotions

• Rebuild relationships

• Regain energy and motivation

• Wake with a greater sense of purpose

• Approach life’s challenges with resilience and self-trust

Therapy doesn’t erase life’s challenges — but it can help you meet them with more clarity, resilience, and hope.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Depression can make it hard to imagine that anything could change — like you’ll always feel this way. But reaching out is a powerful first step toward something different.

If you’re ready to explore therapy for depression, I invite you to contact me today. Together, we can begin to make sense of what’s been holding you back — and move toward the life you want to live.

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