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Depression

Depression can be experiencing a void, a loss, feeling empty, and alone even when in the presence of others. Depression can also be irritability. 

As with anxiety, Depression manifests in FOUR main ways: THINKING problems/difficulties, unwanted BEHAVIORS/problematic behaviors, and uncomfortable PHYSIOLOGICAL experiences such as fatigue, body aches, and pains, little to no energy, heaviness or what feels like dead weight, and OVERWHELMING EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES, such as feeling inadequate, miserable, alone, defeated, weak, helpless and hopeless, like things will never change. 

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Examples of THINKING difficulties include but are  not limited to the following: seeing everything through dark lenses; only focusing on the negative; finding yourself in a rabbit hole or hamster wheel  of one negative thought after another.

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Examples of unwanted BEHAVIORS: isolating from others, no longer doing things you used to enjoy, calling off work sick where it has become a problem, no longer having an appetite so you have stopped eating, etc, difficulty with sleep (sleeping too much or restless sleep)

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I will work with you to bring the following states of mind to your Depression: MINDFULNESS, ACCEPTANCE/ALLOWING, COMPASSION, KINDNESS, TOLERANCE, AND PATIENCE. 

I will work with you to help you think of a depressive moment as just ONE MOMENT in time, rather than viewing this experience as never-ending. 

I will help you identify other parts of you that are not depressed, and that are not experiencing thoughts of wanting to die. 

A brilliant author and therapist Dr. Janina Fisher teaches us to think of ourselves as having various parts. The depression dark hole can be a part. Your cheerful adventurous self is a part. The part of you that goes to work and handles business is your adult part. 

Breaking our experience of ourselves into parts allows the heaviness of the depression to feel less heavy.  It is also more attainable and feasible to see the light, and not just the darkness. 

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The tools I will teach and practice with you will help you better tolerate the presence and existence of depression when it happens, and ultimately work towards significantly reducing experienced depression. You and I will also work on exploring the underlying causes of your specific depression and address those causes accordingly. 

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Disclaimer:

 

The content provided on this website is intended solely for general educational and informational purposes and should not be considered a substitute for professional mental health care, diagnosis, or treatment. Information shared here may not reflect the most current psychological research or clinical guidelines and is not tailored to individual needs. Engaging with this website, its materials—whether free or paid—does not establish a therapist-client relationship. If you are experiencing emotional distress, mental health concerns, or are seeking therapeutic support, we strongly encourage you to consult directly with a licensed mental health professional in your area.  Visitors should not make decisions about their mental health or well-being based solely on the information provided here. Please refrain from sharing personal or sensitive information through this website, as such disclosures may not be protected by therapist-client confidentiality or privacy laws.

 

To uphold professional boundaries and avoid dual relationships, Melissa Barsotti, LCSW, provides all digital products and resources at no cost to current and former clients (within the past seven years). This ensures that no financial relationship exists between Melissa Barsotti and these individuals, in alignment with California law and the ethical standards of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

If you are a current or former client and wish to access these resources, please reach out directly to verify eligibility. Use of these materials does not imply or create a continuation of therapeutic services.

For mental health support or clinical services, please consult a licensed provider in your area.

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