Depression can come on like a tidal wave, or creep in slowly over time. Symptoms of depression can feel heavy, hard to see clearly, and appear impossible to change.

I want you to know that no matter what you’re struggling with right now, change and healing is always possible. Getting the right tools and support for your unique challenges is key.

I believe in a holistic approach to treating depression because your mental health is more than just your brain chemistry.

Navigating depression and creating lasting change in your life takes a whole person approach that includes caring for your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.

This month I’m offering some support for those of you struggling with depression and depression symptoms.

If you are curious about a holistic approach to treating depression and how holistic psychotherapy can help you, keep on reading!

How to Know if You’re Dealing with Depression

Depression dulls your light, convincing you that you are not good enough, not worthy enough. It rears its head with self-sabotaging behavior, keeping you stuck in an endless cycle of fear…loathing…numbness.

Depression isolates you from your inner knowing, your intuition, and your truth.

Needless to say: Depression sucks.

Depression can also feel elusive. Maybe you’ve had some of these thoughts:

• I’m not suicidal, do I still have ‘depression’?

• Some days are better than others, hopefully this will just get better

• I’m super critical of myself, but isn’t everyone?

• My life just seems ok, it’s not awesome, I’m sure there’s more I’m meant to do but I just can’t figure it out

• Hopefully no one can tell how insecure I am

Sound familiar? If your struggles are keeping you from living your best life, now is a great time to get some support.

Keep reading to learn more about some of the common symptoms of depression as well as how holistic counseling can help.

Some common symptoms and signs that you might be dealing with depression include:

• Lack of connection to your emotions

• Lack of motivation to live your life

• Tearful and crying more than usual

• Not wanting to live

• Overwhelming hopelessness

• A weight in your heart and/or gut

• No interest in experiencing pleasure

• No connection to your intuition or inner wisdom

• Sleeping more than usual

• Low self-esteem or self-loathing

• Over-reliance on food or substances to cope with life

How Holistic Psychotherapy Can Help With Depression

If you see yourself in the list of symptoms above, you are not alone.

With the right support, you can find the way back to yourself and your life. You don’t have to do it all alone.

Holistic Psychotherapy offers a mind-body approach to healing. It is just like traditional talk therapy, expanded to include what’s happening for you mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Because you are more than your thoughts, and change happens when we include all facets of our being.

A holistic approach to depression treatment includes tools for supporting the whole person, mind, heart, body and spirit and can include treatments such as:

• psychotherapy

• functional medicine

• acupuncture

• naturopathy

• yoga

• meditation

• breathwork

• medication

• dietary changes

• movement and exercise protocols

What are the Benefits of Treating Depression with Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is an effective treatment for most people struggling with depression and can be used as a standalone treatment, or in conjunction with medication and the alternative treatments listed above.

Psychotherapy provides many benefits for treating depression symptoms including:

• Relief from everyday stressors

• Accountability and motivation to make sustainable change

• Learning tools for navigating day to day challenges

• Learning new ways of getting unstuck from current negative experiences

• Learning more about the root cause of your depression and how to best support yourself in feeling like yourself again

• Learning how to heal self-doubt and criticism, so that you can live your life with more ease, joy and love

• Changing your depression symptoms before they become overwhelming and debilitating

• Support for living a life you love

Types of Therapy for Depression

Here at Kim Burris Holistic Psychotherapy, me and my team are trained in evidence-based psychotherapy methods for treating depression that include:

• Psychodynamic Therapy

• Interpersonal Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

• Compassion-focused Therapy (CFT)

As holistic psychotherapists we also incorporate mind-body healing modalities such as:

• Breathwork

• Yoga

• Meditation

• IFS and parts work

• Somatic Practices

• Tapping

When to Seek Help for Depression

If you’re here, you’re probably wondering how ‘bad’ your symptoms have to be for you to get support. Or maybe you’ve been struggling for so long you’ve almost given up hope that you’ll ever feel better.

I truly believe that healing and change is always possible. And that our suffering is rooted in a disconnect from our true essence and deepest truth. I believe there is always a path home.

And know this: No diagnosis or disorder is ever a life sentence. And you don’t have to meet the full diagnosis for a mental health disorder like major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder to get support.

Asking for help takes courage, and it takes guts. Psychotherapy can help. We’ll show you how.

How to Start Holistic Psychotherapy

Ready to get started? We’re here for you!

If you’re ready, or still feeling curious about starting therapy, the next step is to schedule a no-cost consultation call so we can chat to discuss logistics, and answer any questions you may have. On the call we can also schedule your first appointment with one of the awesome clinicians in our practice, and from there the journey to living your best life begins.

I’m rooting for you, and truly look forward to chatting.

-Kim