Depression Counseling in New York City
Are Depression Symptoms Keeping You Isolated And Alone?
Have you been experiencing difficulty sleeping lately—or are you sleeping too much? Maybe you’ve been having unexplained body aches, accompanied by a desire to eat too much or not enough. On top of physical symptoms that leave you feeling worn down, you may be struggling with a lack of self-esteem that is affecting your quality of life.
It may be that you’ve noticed negative thoughts and feelings are beginning to seep into your personal and professional relationships, but you aren’t sure how to communicate your needs openly and honestly. Even when you aren’t feeling overly depressed, you may be too numb or disinterested to participate in activities that used to make you happy. Consequently, you may feel increasingly lonely, isolated, and misunderstood, with few people to turn to for help or encouragement without judgment. Depression counseling can help you understand these feelings and work to resolve them, and ultimately make a change in your life for the better.
Alternately, you may be the parent of a child or adolescent who is struggling at home or at school. You might not know exactly what is “off” with your child, but you know that they haven’t been themselves. Or maybe there has been a recent traumatic event or life change, and your child can’t or won’t open up to you about it.
Whether you’re concerned about yourself or your child, you may need help understanding what is wrong and what you can do to find relief. Do you wish you or your child could find the support and guidance you need to feel more like your old selves again?
Adults And Children Alike Struggle With Depression
An estimated 13.3 percent of adolescents between the ages of 12-17 and 7.1 percent of adults in the U.S. have had at least one major depressive episode in the last year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. And millions of adults and adolescents live with depression but have never received a diagnosis or treatment. While this makes depression one of the most common mental health challenges in the world, it also means it is one of the most studied, and that has resulted in extremely successful, scientifically validated treatment methods. Roughly 78 percent of people, and 4 out of 5 adolescents, who receive treatment notice an improved quality of life.
Despite how effective depression therapy has proven to be, many people avoid or put off seeking help for their depression. You may think you’re the only one suffering, or that you should be strong enough to overcome this on your own, and feelings of guilt or shame are keeping you from sharing your needs with others. Or perhaps you’re used to taking care of others, and the thought of asking for help feels like an admission that you aren’t strong enough to do it on your own.
For children and teens, they may lack the words to explain how they feel. Or maybe they’re too embarrassed or ashamed to approach you, especially if they aren’t sure why they feel so down. As a parent, it can be difficult to acknowledge that your child has a problem—especially one that you can’t solve for them.
The truth is that everyone experiences depression differently and for different reasons. Some people have a genetic predisposition to depression, while others experience signs of depression as a side effect of a trauma or a major life change. Regardless of the reasons depression initially developed, it rarely heals on its own. Left untreated, depression can manifest in physical symptoms, such as back pain, headaches, sleeping disorders, or eating disorders. Making things more difficult, common depression symptoms among all age groups tend to be exacerbated by insecurities regarding physical appearance, relationships, professional success, and self-worth. This can leave you feeling frustrated and trapped in a cycle of negative beliefs about yourself or the future.
Depression can be very sneaky; it’s hard to find the way out on your own. But when you have someone who can offer guidance and understanding, you can start to heal. Working with a depression counselor can help you to better manage depression symptoms and triggers, as well as provide concrete steps you can use to foster greater calm and happiness in your life.
Having Your Feelings Validated In A Safe Place Can Help You Overcome Depression
Struggling with depression is nothing to be ashamed about. You may feel insecure about your ability to function in life, but reaching out for help is a sure sign of strength. You are stronger than you think, and you may be surprised at how you’re able to open up when you have a safe space and a compassionate counselor who accepts you as you are. For many people, simply having their feelings validated can go a long way toward establishing a healthier sense of self.
One of my strengths as a depression therapist is that I’m easy to talk to. I accept you as you are, and without judgment. I also know how difficult it can be to share your experience, and I incorporate humor into my sessions when appropriate to help you see your situation from a new perspective in a safe, positive way. As we explore what you are struggling with and what you really want out of life, we can identify the underlying issues behind your depression and practice healthy coping skills you can use to challenge negative thinking and take charge of your life. My goal is to help you feel accepted so you can better accept yourself. When you feel truly understood, it empowers you to let down your guard and accept outside help.
Throughout our work together, I will draw from a variety of proven treatment methods to give you the personalized support you need. Specifically, I’m trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a method of depression treatment that helps you identify invasive negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Depression is a very good liar: it can convince you of things that are not true about yourself or your life, which may be keeping you in a persistent negative state. Drawing from CBT, I can help you see how negative self-beliefs are affecting your emotions and behavior so you can learn to push back against them.
I have been working with adults and children with depression for about 10 years. I have also worked in a school for at-risk teenagers, many of whom needed help dealing with mental health. In that time, I’ve seen that hope and healing are always possible. When you have the right support system and a treatment plan tailored to your unique needs, you can foster greater confidence and joy in your life.
You May Have Some Concerns About Depression Counseling…
I’ve been to depression therapy before and it didn’t help me.
In my 10 years as a depression therapist in New York, I have seen that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. If you tried therapy in the past and it didn’t help, it may be that you didn’t have a good rapport with your therapist. Or perhaps they tried to fit you to a set treatment plan instead of adapting to your needs. I take the time to connect with you and understand your experience, and every session together is personalized to your situation and goals. I know how hard it can be to seek help, especially when it has fallen short in the past, and I invite you to call me for a free consultation to see how my approach is different from therapy you may have tried in the past.
How is talking about my problems going to help my depression?
You might be surprised at just how healing it is to share your feelings and have your experience validated, especially if you have kept those feelings bottled up and hidden from others. Talking about your challenges and the goals you have is often the first major step toward healing. But we won’t just talk during sessions. Together, we will develop a tailored plan and concrete steps to help you deal with depression symptoms that may be holding you back.
Depression Counseling with Pinny Farkas Can Change The Trajectory Of Your Life
If you are ready to work with a depression counselor in New York City, I invite you to reach out to me by calling 516-666-0374. You can also reach me by email at hello@pinnyfarkas.com. I look forward to hearing from you.