What to Expect from the Clinicians at Great South Bay Therapy, LCSW PC

Depression and mood disorders  impact millions of people each year in the U.S. alone. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression such as prolonged sadness, loss of interest in what used to be enjoyable activities, irritability,  chronic anger,  lack of energy or motivation, and/or physical symptoms such as changes in sleep or eating patterns,  please know you are not alone.

The good news is Depression and other Mood Disorders are treatable. You don’t have to live with depressive symptoms or try and manage them on your own. If you’re struggling, consider talking to a therapist at Great South Bay Therapy. We know depression can make it feel difficult to even get out of bed in the morning, but if you take the first step and reach out to our office, we’ll be here to help you to start feeling joyful, purposeful, and hopeful again. Our clinicians are happy to welcome clients of all ages, from children to adults, who want to work through struggles with depression.

Do I Really Have Depression or Am I Just Sad?

Many people who have never experienced depression think of it as just being really sad or not being able to get over feeling sad. While sadness is certainly one aspect of depression, it is not the only characteristic. People who struggle with depression often feel hopeless, helpless, and lack interest in things that once brought them joy. People describe depression as feeling like the light has gone out of the world around them. Others describe it as a weight that holds them down. Whatever it feels like for you, if you’ve been dealing with depressed mood for a prolonged period or depression is starting to impact your daily life, it may be time to consider scheduling a therapy session.

Does Counseling Help with Depression?

Depression can strip the joy and hope from your life. You may find yourself no longer looking forward to the day ahead of you. Instead, you’re struggling to even get out of bed in the morning, and even when you do manage to get up, you feel like there’s no point or wish you could just go back to bed. This is the bad news. Depression is tough. It drains your energy and keeps you feeling down. There’s also good news. Therapy can really help. Depression is a highly treatable condition that responds well to therapy. Evidenced-based treatment approaches include Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Trauma Informed CBT, Positive Psychology and other approaches help you take strategic steps toward recovering and healing from depression. Here at Great South Bay Therapy, we rely on an integrative approach to mental health which means we also focus heavily on lifestyle factors that impact mood such as diet, exercise, sleep and other holistic approaches. If you’re struggling with depressive disorder, don’t just try to get over it or ignore it. Please reach out for help. The Great South Bay Therapy team will be there when you’re ready.

What Happens During Therapy for Depression?

Every person’s experience and therapy goals are different. Your therapist will adjust their treatment approach based on your immediate needs and remain flexible to address concerns that arise during your therapy sessions. The goal of therapy for depression is to help you learn to recognize the sources of your depression, understand how your emotional disorder impacts your life, and find ways to manage depression and feel better. We don’t focus on one specific approach to therapy because we believe that it’s important to adapt and respond to your needs.

Although treatment is unique to each client, our approach almost always is shaped by the following CBT framework:

• Establishing connection, safety, and confidentiality.
• Completing thorough client histories and assessment of presenting concerns.
• Sharing our clinical impressions with clients to identify a shared plan of action.
• Education around mood disorders and treatment approaches.
• Shared development of treatment plan and client goals.
• Collaboration with relevant family members and/or other professionals (only at client request of course).
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction & other calming techniques.
• Exploration of lifestyle factors (i.e sleep, nutrition, exercise, etc)
• Complementary and alternative approaches explored (Integrative health strategie)
• CBT specific skills and interventions.
• Frequent assessment of progress and plan.

We’re Here When You’re Ready

We understand that asking for help can feel like a big step, but we are so happy that you’re considering reaching out to us. When you’re ready, the Great South Bay Therapy team is here to help. We offer therapy services to help you achieve your individual goals, build better relationships, and increase your self-esteem and self-compassion. When you’re ready, we’re here for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out.