Therapy for Depression, Self-Harm, and Suicidal Thoughts

Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental health concerns among teens and adults. Depression is having a persistently low or irritable mood, not just feeling down or sad occasionally. Depression can make you feel overly tired, less motivated than usual, and hopeless. It can cause changes in sleep, appetite, and concentration. Depression can interfere with work, social activities, and daily life. Some people with depression also have suicidal thoughts or engage in self-harm. Depression often co-occurs with anxiety, stress, and trauma.

Depression in Children and Teens

Depression in children and teens can look different than adults. Children and teens may seem "moody" or "irritable". They may not be interested in their normal activities, such as hobbies and hanging out with their friends. There might be a change in their grades or behavior at school. Children and teens may also have emotional outbursts, and may argue more than usual. Some parents say that they feel like they are walking on eggshells and worry that their child or teen will become upset over seemingly small things. Children and teens can also have suicidal thoughts or engage in self-harm.

Therapy for Depression

I specialize in treating depression in older children, teens, and adults. Many of my clients also have co-occurring anxiety and stress. I also enjoy working with clients experiencing depression in high-stress environments, such as challenging schools or jobs, which may result in burnout. I use a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to treat older children, teens, and adults who are battling with depression. CBT and DBT are evidence-based treatments that have been shown to treat depression across many age groups. During your or your child/teen's therapy, we will work together to identify healthy and useful coping skills, challenge unhelpful thoughts, and create a plan to re-engage in activities. I strive to combine compassion validation with actionable behaviors to create a lasting change in your mood. 

Suicidal thoughts and self-harm can be upsetting and cause significant distress to individuals and their loved ones. I also specialize in managing and treating suicidal thoughts and self-harming behavior in older children, teens, and adults. I have worked in acute psychiatric inpatient settings and am comfortable helping clients and their loved ones create and follow safety plans. I have worked with clients who have been recently discharged from intensive psychiatric settings. DBT is a particularly helpful treatment for suicidal thoughts and self-harm.

Where do I start?

Are you ready to start therapy for your depression, or seek therapy for your child/teen? Fill out this form to request an appointment. Contact me if you have more questions or want to discuss services.

Please note: I do not provide crisis services. If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911, 988, or view these crisis resources.

  • Depression can look different for each individual. The main symptoms of depression are:

    • Low or depressed mood, or irritable mood in children and teens. Lower-than-normal interest in hobbies, social events, and other activities, or not feeling enjoyment in your usual hobbies. In children and teens, this might look like declining or refusing typically enjoyed activities.

    • Changes in appetite or eating habits that may result in unintended changes in weight.

    • Changes in sleep habits, such as sleeping too much or too little.

    • Feeling restless or fidgety, or feeling slow or sluggish.

    • Low energy or feeling fatigue.

    • Feeling hopeless, worthless, guilty, or empty.

    • Difficulties with concentration or in making decisions.

    • Suicidal thoughts, such as not wanting to be alive or thinking of ending your life.

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the leading psychotherapies and is used to treat a range of mental health concerns. CBT focuses on the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and actions/behaviors. Because changing feelings, such as sadness or anxiety, by themselves is often challenging, CBT focuses on how to change your thoughts and behaviors to change your feelings.

    During CBT, we will work together to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and then create more helpful thoughts and behaviors. This can result in fewer uncomfortable feelings and an increase in desired feelings, such as happiness and joy. With practice over time, this can also reduce and even cure depression and other mental health concerns.


    Learn more about CBT here.

  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on helping youth and adults manage intense emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviors, and improve relationships. It was originally developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat folks with borderline personality disorder, but it has since been adapted for many other conditions involving emotion regulation challenges, such as depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders, and substance use concerns. 

    DBT helps people build the skills needed to tolerate distress, manage their emotions and behaviors, and interact more effectively with others. This approach combines principles of both acceptance and change. In practice, this means that people recognize their current circumstances and also work towards meaningful change. The term “dialectical” refers to the concept that two seemingly opposite ideas can both be true at the same time, such as “I am doing the best I can, and I can do better.” The dialectical perspective is especially important because many people with difficulties managing emotions can fall into an extreme way of thinking, like "people are all good or all bad." Extreme thinking patterns can cause emotions to intensify and become more difficult to cope with, which can in turn cause people to act in harmful ways to try to manage their emotions. In DBT, people learn to embrace both acceptance and change.

    DBT can be particularly effective for folks who struggle with suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and depression that has not improved with CBT.

    Please note: I do not provide comprehensive DBT services (e.g., phone coaching).

    Check out my blog post on DBT.