What is depression and how can therapy help?
Depression can feel like a heavy fog over your life. On the outside, you might still be functioning - showing up for work, answering messages, completing tasks - but on the inside, everything feels harder and heavier. You may feel tired, empty, irritable, or disconnected from things that used to bring you joy.
Many adults describe depression as:
A loss of interest in things they used to enjoy.
A sense of heaviness or sluggishness without an end in sight.
Difficulty getting started or finishing tasks; lack of motivation and energy. (Note: For some people, these patterns can also overlap with attention and regulation difficulties, where starting tasks, maintaining focus, or managing energy feels consistently challenging (you can read more in my post on ADHD and executive functioning)).
Feeling emotionally flat, distant, or numb.
Wanting to isolate, withdraw, and hide.
Sometimes there’s a clear cause: loss, stress, change, or illness. Other times, depression shows up gradually, and you only notice how bad it has become once you’re deep in it. For example, in some cases, depression can also be connected to earlier relational or emotional experiences that continue to shape how you feel and respond in the present (you can read more in my post on trauma). Whether depression follows a clear event or surfaces gradually, it can make it hard to reach out, ask for help, or feel hopeful about change.
How therapy helps with depression
Therapy doesn’t promise to erase sadness or difficulty in life. Instead, it can help you feel reconnected to yourself, your values, your loved ones, and your hopes. In sessions, we may:
Explore what has contributed to your low mood.
Notice patterns of withdrawal, self‑criticism, or avoidance.
Experiment with small, manageable changes that slowly rebuild energy and engagement.
Identify and reframe your thoughts, assumptions, and beliefs that worsen a sense of worthlessness and hopelessness. Note: Depression is often closely tied to patterns of self-criticism and deeper shame-based beliefs about worth (you can read more in my post on shame and self-worth).
Because depression can affect your sleep, appetite, concentration, and sense of worth, therapy often includes:
Building more structure and routine.
Reducing self‑criticism and shame while incorporating self-compassion.
Clarifying what still matters to you, even when motivation feels low.
Over time, people often find that depression becomes less all‑consuming. They feel more able to tolerate difficult emotions, take small steps, and reconnect with people and activities that feel meaningful.
If you’ve noticed that your mood has changed, your motivation has dropped, or your days feel longer and heavier than before, you may be ready to work with a psychologist who understands depression and can help you move toward more clarity and connection. You can book a consult to talk about whether therapy is the right next step.