Depression
If you find yourself feeling very sad on a persistent basis, “down and empty,” worthless, and hopeless about the future, you may be experiencing depression. Maybe you’re stuck in habitual negative thought patterns about yourself, other people, and the world in general. You long to get out of this cycle. You ruminate trying to figure out what’s wrong with you, why you feel so bad, and how to fix the problem. When you aren’t able to fix your unhappiness, you see yourself as a failure, and this feeds the cycle of negative thoughts and sadness. But what if your unhappy moods aren’t actually the problem? What if instead the problem is the harsh critical thoughts you have about yourself when you are feeling sad? Maybe it’s not the sad feeling that’s the problem, but how you are responding to it.
How I can help...
Together, adopting an attitude of curiosity and kindness, we will help you to turn towards unpleasant feelings that have been avoided, walled off, and suppressed. We will bring awareness to the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations that have triggered habitual reactions that turn passing unpleasantness into persistent suffering. As you develop skills to better relate to these experiences, you will begin to see them as passing mental events, feelings, and sensations, rather than clear evidence that you will always be unhappy and never feel worthy. By making space for the painful and unpleasant feelings – seeing them as they are – we will create more space for joy and happiness in your life.