Depression Counseling

It’s hard to find joy in life these days. Sometimes you’re just going through the motions.

The negative self-talk feels constant.

You’re losing your motivation and feel tired much of the time.

You wonder if these are signs of depression.

You don’t have to live with the emptiness any longer

You wonder, “Is this depression?”

Everyone feels sad, lonely, or upset sometimes. But this is different. Depression feels heavy. And hopeless. And exhausting. It’s an illness that can trick you into thinking there’s no way to feel better. That you are all alone. That you are the problem. But you aren’t the problem. Depression is the problem. Living with depression symptoms can make you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Common Symptoms of Depression

We all have different experiences throughout our life. Because of this, we all respond differently to situations. And, we often experience a variety of impacts from these situations. With this in mind, our depression counselors have many years of experience providing folks with depression counseling. And we understand that everyone experiences depression just a little bit differently. However, there are some common threads we’ve seen come up when someone experiences depression. Here are a few of the common signs of depression that we’ve seen in counseling for depression:

• Trouble concentrating, remembering things, and making decisions

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness. You may also struggle with a lack of self-esteem or confidence.

• Sleep disturbances; difficulty falling asleep or sleeping too much. It’s also common to feel tired all the time.

• Feeling negative; Nothing seems enjoyable anymore, even things that used to be fun. At times, you may feel hopeless.

• Irritability, pretty much regardless of the context.

• Overeating, not feeling like eating anymore at all, or weight change.

• Aches & pains that are often unexplainable.

• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings. At times, even having suicidal thoughts or attempts.

Maybe your depression feels unrelenting.

Maybe your depression makes it feel like you are drowning. You see that you’re going underwater. You feel yourself fading more and more into the background. Yet, you don’t know how to stop it. Maybe you feel trapped. It’s like you are a victim of your own mind. The intrusive negative self-talk doesn’t take a day off. Your mind is your own worst enemy. And, at times, it’s unbearable. It’s hard to hold onto the belief that things can be different. Perhaps even so much so that suicidal thoughts pop up throughout the day.

Sometimes people think that depression is something you can just talk yourself out of. If you just try harder it will go away. Maybe someone has even accused you of exaggerating your feelings. Or, just trying to get attention. Luckily, we know this isn’t how depression works. Depression is real. And it’s an illness. One that requires treatment.

Counseling can help you overcome depression.

The truth is that depression CAN get better. Just like a physical illness, once you acknowledge that this is real we can start talking about treatment. In fact, there are some really, really effective options out there for treating depression. And counseling often plays a really important role in helping you find ways to feel like yourself again or create the life you want.

The bottom line is this, it’s hard for you to find hope right now but there IS a reason to hope. Depression just makes that difficult for you to see. But our therapists are really good at what they do, and we’ll hold onto hope for you right now while we guide you along the path toward healing.

Our therapists can help.

Our expert depression counselors have worked with countless individuals who are suffering from depression. In fact, several of our therapists are trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy which was designed to help with really, really severe depression. So, we understand the illness and we’re familiar with the signs of depression and ways depression can creep into every area of your life.. And we’ll work to understand you. Then, we’ll work together to help you find healing.

Depression counseling is a safe place to explore and cope with the pain, sadness, or numbness. Counseling for depression in Columbia, MO can be a freeing process to help you cope and grow from your situation.

Depression Counseling With Aspire Can Help

I know it’s hard to believe right now, but you CAN feel better. People often enter our counseling in Columbia MO office unsure of what to expect. They just know they’re tired of feeling the way they do. The good news is that counseling can and does help. You’re tired of living with depression symptoms. In addition, you’re sick of feeling stuck. But, if you are ready for change, our depression counselors are here to help. Ultimately, we believe you deserve depression counseling that really truly works. In fact, we believe you deserve to feel like yourself again.  Our depression counselors can help you get there.

Our Approach to Depression Counseling at Aspire Counseling

As a Mid Missouri counseling clinic, the depression counselors at Aspire Counseling believe in the power of counseling. We’ve seen effective, compassionate counseling services help people overcome depression. Additionally, we’ve helped them find meaning and even bring joy back into their lives.  We want that for you as well.

 All of our depression counselors are well trained and experienced in using at least one type of therapy that is really well supported by research. The exact counseling methods your therapist uses depends on many different things. This includes your specific type of depression, motivation, and life circumstances, in addition to other factors. After getting to know you, your depression counselor might use Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.  This means that we’re not just flying by the seat of our pants and doing what feels right in the moment.  We’re using techniques that are proven by research to help relieve the symptoms of depression.

You’ll also be a part of the process. Your therapist will ask about your priorities, goals, values, and past experiences. Together, you’ll choose the counseling techniques and plan that work best for you individually but are also shown to really help.

Why Choose Depression Counseling With Aspire?

Counseling at our office is so much more than just the type of therapy we provide. At Aspire Counseling, we go above and beyond to help you achieve growth. And, to give you relief from your emotional pain of depression symptoms. From the moment you start working with us, we want you to feel supported. Our therapists go above and beyond to meet you where you are. Whether this means creating a welcoming space in our physical office, meeting you in a park you feel comfortable in or logging in from the comfort of your own home for online counseling sessions-we want you to feel comfortable during counseling sessions.

Next, we want to listen to your needs, wants, and values. We strive to get to know you as an individual and our therapists want to create a strong therapeutic relationship with you where you know you have one more person in your corner who truly cares about you. Then, we want to go beyond the typical “tell me about your week” and choose therapy techniques that will help you get lasting results. In short, we care about helping you create a life worth living. In fact, a life you are excited to live.

What Sets Our Team of Depression Counselors Apart?

The depression counselors and therapists at Aspire Counseling are caring and compassionate. They value the therapeutic relationship and will validate you as an individual. They will help you identify what is most important to you. And, they will base your treatment on those values that matter in your life. We want you to feel cared for. And when you feel hopeless? Your depression counselor in Columbia will carry hope for you and guide you on your path through depression. What’s more, they’ll help you get back to a world filled with light and hope.

Therapy Can Help You Break The Cycles Of Depression

It’s possible to live a better life. Right now, the outcome seems bleak. But, we challenge you to use your imagination for a moment. Imagine living a life where you...

• Really feel good.

• Control how you respond to negative thoughts.

• Shift into a more positive and hopeful outlook on life.

• Get to the root problems and feel like you have the coping skills to solve them.

• Grasp hold of your life instead of depression weighing you down.

Our therapists want this life for you.

What is standing in the way of beginning depression counseling?

I’m too busy to come to counseling for depression.

Life is busy. We get it. Our lives are busy too. But if you don’t take care of yourself, who will? Here’s the thing. Your mental health, your life, your happiness. They’re worth it. How much more time & energy would you have if your depression were gone tomorrow. Would you be more productive? Would you be able to spend more time out of bed? Or would you simply savor the moments more? That is why making time for depression counseling is so important.

I can’t find the motivation to come to depression counseling in Columbia MO!

This is often the biggest barrier holding someone back from seeking treatment for depression. Lack of motivation is literally a symptom of depression. But it’s so important that you take the first step by picking up the phone and calling us. We hope that once you’ve come to our office a couple of times and started to form a connection with your depression counselor, it will get easier. Behavioral activation (i.e. making yourself get up and move) is a very effective treatment for depression. In other words, to get better you will need to reach deep inside yourself and find that tiny piece of motivation left inside and use it to get out and about. Counseling in Columbia, MO is a GREAT place to start!

Will counseling for depression even help?

You feel hopeless right now. Maybe you’ve even tried other things and they haven’t worked. Perhaps, you’ve seen other counselors, read self-help books, or listened to motivational speeches. Yet, here you are feeling depressed.

We know it’s scary to even think about feeling better. You’re afraid to get your hopes up that counseling will work. We get that. And yet…we’re asking you to try placing just a tiny seed of hope. Together we’ll water that seed and help it grow into a plant. Why? Because we know that counseling is effective.

So what are you waiting for?

When you are ready to find healing, we’re here to help. You deserve to feel better. Even if you don’t believe that right now, it’s true.

A note about finding a depression therapist:

The most important thing when you begin counseling for depression is that you have a good therapeutic relationship with your therapist. This doesn’t mean you and your therapist are best friends. In fact, your therapist doesn’t have to be anyone you’d ever want to see outside of session. But your therapist should be someone that you feel comfortable with. You should feel that your therapist cares about you and your goals for your life. It’s also important that you are confident in your therapist’s ability.

At Aspire Counseling, our intake team takes the time to try to pair you with the right therapist the first time. But we also offer a free consultation so you can ask questions before you even start. Why? Because we want to make sure you have the best possible chance of getting better and that begins with finding someone who will be a good fit. With that said lets get started with your intake session and an appointment with one of our therapists today!