Germantown, MD—Depression Counselors and Therapists in Montgomery County
Thriveworks is built on the notion that everyone can benefit from working with a counselor, therapist, or life coach and improve their life through mental health help. It’s our mission to provide quality mental health services and help people just like you to live a happier, more successful life through this important work.
“Therapy is not about having someone take control of your life or ‘feeling good.’ Therapy is about learning to take control of your life and making changes.”
The therapists and psychologists at Thriveworks Germantown have devoted their lives to becoming experts in the mental health field. Their extensive schooling, training, and experience enables them to assist you in addressing and overcoming the challenges in your life, such as the debilitating symptoms of depression. You can find healing through depression counseling and work with one of our skilled, caring professionals at our Montgomery office. They’ll help you understand what is contributing to your depression and how you can better manage it moving forward.
What Is Depression? Am I Depressed?
Depression is a serious mental illness characterized by a down mood and loss of interest in daily activities—even those the individual used to enjoy. This is a common illness that 300 million people around the world are dealing with right now, according to the World Health Organization. These individuals can experience the following symptoms, in addition to a depressed mood and loss of interest in their day to day:
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Significant changes in weight or appetite
- Difficulty sleeping (e.g., insomnia)
- Loss of energy
- Fatigue
- Lack of concentration
- Poor decision-making
- Suicidal thoughts or ideation
Symptoms vary from person to person, as does the severity of one’s depression. Fortunately, depression counseling is designed to be flexible. Your counselor will analyze your particular presentation before coming up with a treatment plan, of which might include weekly sessions with your counselor and/or medication. It all depends on your presentation of symptoms, your needs, and your goals for therapy.
How Can Depression Counseling Help?
As we just mentioned, depression counseling is often designed on an individual basis. In your first session, you’ll discuss your symptoms with your counselor, as well as what you would like to accomplish in counseling (if you have specific goals in mind). Then, they will design and put a plan a place for moving forward with your sessions.
That said, there are common themes and tools in depression counseling. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often an effective approach, of which targets a person’s negative thoughts. The idea is that negative thoughts contribute to negative feelings and an overall unhappy life. Your therapist will help you identify these negative thoughts and adopt a more positive outlook. Here’s an example of how therapy can help someone with depression:
Jackie’s friends and family have noticed significant changes in Jackie’s behavior. She used to be the first person to plan fun weekend activities, but lately she hasn’t been up for socializing. She prefers to stay home and in bed. Also, she’s cut back on her work hours. When she started her job, she told her manager she wanted as many hours as possible—but now, she asks for the minimal. She doesn’t enjoy being at work anymore and can’t concentrate when she is there. Additionally, she hasn’t been eating or sleeping well. She says she has no appetite and can’t fall asleep at night.
After a few weeks of observing this behavior in Jackie, they recommend she meet with a counselor. Reluctant, Jackie agreed—but couldn’t be more thankful a month later. Her counselor diagnosed her with depression and then helped her feel happy again. This involved discussing problematic thoughts, practicing self-care, and reconfiguring her action plan when things don’t go her way. Her counselor assisted her throughout this entire process, and she still sees her once a month to make sure she stays on the right path.
Start Depression Counseling at Thriveworks Germantown, MD Today
If you think you might be depressed, consider working with a depression counselor or psychologist at Thriveworks Germantown today. The providers at Thriveworks are uniquely qualified to help you with this illness (as well as many other issues), as they possess critical skills, training, and experience.
To set up an appointment, all you have to do is give Thriveworks Germantown a call. A scheduling specialist will greet you and ask a few simple questions so that they can pair you with the right counselor. They’ll also work with you to set up an appointment at a convenient time for you. Keep in mind that we offer daytime, evening, weekday, and weekend sessions, to ensure that all of our clients get the help they need, when they need it. We look forward to meeting with you soon!
