Our therapists provide depression counseling in Boca Raton, FL

Amanda: My go-to approaches for treating depression are cognitive behavioral therapy, self-compassion therapy, and a strengths-based approach. I prefer these techniques because I like to explain the connections between thoughts, emotions, and actions while also giving compassion to the client to inspire them to do the same for themselves. I think it is helpful for clients to determine their strengths that will help promote positive change.

Iriny: Several different types of therapy are effective in treating depression, and depending on the client, I find the most benefit in using cognitive behavioral and interpersonal therapy because clients often see lasting improvements relatively quickly.

Amanda: I teach the following tools in counseling for depression:

• Self-care assessments - Determining and rating different areas of life that can help promote an improved sense of well-being and quality of life (i.e. emotional, mental, spiritual, professional, and social).
• Identification of triggers - Exploring external and internal triggers that impact the severity of depression to help determine roles.
• Processing thoughts and emotions - Discussing the thoughts and emotions related to depression for the client to gain self-awareness of how they are connected.
• Cognitive restructuring - Involves challenging, re-framing, refocusing, and shifting cognitive distortions to help look at other perspectives to reduce the intensity of emotions.
• Self-acceptance and self-compassion - Identifying ways to be a better friend to oneself and describing aspects of themselves they can accept and appreciate in order to shift the focus to what qualities they do have.
• Psychoeducation - Discussing information on depression, including signs, symptoms, and behaviors.

Iriny: During counseling for depression, clients learn to identify and replace maladaptive thoughts, as well as look at the physical and social aspects of health. Clients learn that they have agency in their own lives.

Amanda: I know a client is making meaningful progress in therapy for depression when they share they are starting to notice having more energy, having more hope, and looking forward to the next day.

Iriny: It is clear that clients are making meaningful progress in counseling for depression when their symptoms are improving and, in turn, their day-to-day lives feel more manageable.

Amanda: Clients can supplement their time in therapy for depression by using strategies that are taught during sessions or through information provided, checking in by using “mini self-therapy” sessions, self-monitoring their symptoms to discuss during sessions, engaging in fun activities, and practicing self-care.

Iriny: Clients can supplement counseling for depression by engaging in exercises discussed during therapy and practicing them in their daily lives.

Amanda: To prepare for your first session to address depression, you can think of what you would like to gain from therapy, your goals, what you would like to share with me about yourself, your history of the symptoms, and the impact the symptoms have had on your life.

Iriny: Keeping a journal or daily log is helpful in preparing for counseling for depression. The more information a client can share with their therapist about their mood, thoughts, and their environment, the smoother treatment and recovery tend to be.