Depression & Suicide

It’s important to remember that there is a spectrum of health—sometimes we experience psychological struggles without necessarily having a mental illness. Often, the ideas of “depressed mood” and “depressive disorder” can become confused with one another under an umbrella term of “depression.” You may be struggling with depressed mood (feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness) but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have a diagnosis for a depressive disorder. Regardless of what your experience looks like or where you currently stand on the spectrum of health, therapy can help in managing and overcoming these challenges.

Some symptoms of depression may include:
• persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and/or hopelessness
• loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities
• significant changes to weight and/or appetite
• irritability
• significant changes to sleep patterns (too much or too little)
• chronic fatigue or loss of energy
• feelings of worthlessness and/or excessive guilt
• difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• recurring thoughts of death and/or suicide

Let’s talk about it—you don’t need to carry them alone. I worked on a suicide/crisis hotline before I became a therapist, I want you to know that you will not scare me away if you share these concerns with me.

Thoughts of death are common with or without depression. Death is a reality in our life on earth and you’re not crazy if you find yourself thinking about it. During therapy, we’ll explore these thoughts, emotions, and beliefs without judgment.

Many people will have passive suicidal thoughts at some point in their life. It’s also common to think about suicide (ideation) without necessarily wanting to act on it (intent). Just because you have a thought does not mean I will send you to a hospital; although, a hospital can be appropriate if you believe you are in danger of acting on these thoughts. With the majority of my clients, our work consists of talking about these thoughts, the pain underneath them, rebuilding hope, finding meaning in life, and bringing light into the darkness.

If you are currently considering taking your life or you do not feel safe to be alone with these thoughts, please call the National Suicide Lifeline (1-800-273-8255), 911, or go to your nearest hospital.

Working through depression is tough work. It’s exhausting and sometimes it hurts before it gets better. Every individual experiences depression and/or suicidal thoughts to varying degrees and intensities; my goals are to see you fully, understand you deeply, and walk with you gently so you’re not alone in your experience.

If you want to work with me from the perspective of your faith identity, we can explore how faith relates to your experience of depression and/or suicidal thoughts. I don’t view these struggles as a failure of faith, I see it as an opportunity for faith to deepen and grow through the reality of suffering.

My role as your therapist is to support you in processing painful thoughts, emotions, or experiences—especially the ones you may be actively avoiding. You may experience me directing your attention towards something that feels difficult or emotionally uncomfortable. When I do this, it’s not to force you or hurt you, it’s to help you see that you can move through this pain and move towards healing.

Your continued self-reflection between sessions will ensure that your healing journey continues beyond our therapy session.

I believe that lifestyle change is essential to the treatment of depression. In therapy, I’ll periodically ask about your sleep habits, diet/nutrition, exercise, substance use, and social connections. The reason for this is to reduce variables that may be contributing to your present symptoms—we’ll discuss this mind-body connection during sessions. Between sessions, I may ask you to commit to one small goal for the week, for example: improving your sleep habits, eating nutritionally balanced meals, or getting outside for 20-minutes a day. I may also encourage you to ask a friend or loved one to be your accountability partner.

If you struggle with suicidal thoughts, self-harming behaviors, and the intention to act on these thoughts/behaviors, we will work together to discuss your safety between sessions. The safety goals we create for you will adjust based on your individual needs at the time we meet.

Not necessarily. Some individuals benefit from medication(s) while others are able to manage their symptoms without it. I take a holistic approach and prefer the following order of treatment:
(1) therapy and any related interventions
(2) lifestyle change (i.e. sleep, diet/nutrition, exercise, substance use, social support)
(3) discuss medication as a possible option

Research shows that individuals who utilize medications have better results in managing their mental health concerns when their medication is combined with therapy compared to those who take medication alone. I cannot prescribe or advise on medications; however, should you choose to use medication, I would be interested in consulting with your doctor or psychiatrist for your ongoing care.