Perhaps the ongoing problems you are experiencing have less to do with your professional life and more to do with your intimate relationships.

You may find yourself feeling alienated in your friendships or struggling to know which next steps to take with your significant other. Alternatively, you may be having difficulty navigating separation, divorce, and/or issues of co-parenting.

Any one of these realities can deplete your energy and leave you feeling incapable of solving life’s problems, creating a serious deficit in your self-confidence.

You may find that your sleep has been impacted or that you are relying on alcohol and other substances to get you through the day. Or you may be grappling with physical symptoms like chronic pain, digestive issues, and general discomfort.

As men, we are bombarded with the message that we have to push past whatever’s going on and “be strong.” There remains a stigma in discussing aspects of mental health or seeking help for depression.

We are socialized to be strong, independent, and powerful, and any negative emotions—besides anger—are interpreted by our culture as signs of weakness. We are made to feel as though an inability to solve our own problems means that we are less strong, capable, and manly.

So often, the shame associated with seeking help prevents successful and high-functioning individuals from accepting that an outside perspective may be necessary in mitigating these negative effects and symptoms.

Confronting your challenges head on is a sign of strength and therapy may very well be the first step in setting you along the path to healing and overcoming depression.

In fact, a 2017 study showed that over 17 million American adults have suffered from at least one depressive episode—with more than 20% of the population experiencing a major depressive disorder over the course of their lives.

Of course, this statistic has only grown in the recent past, as our country faces global health emergencies, political unrest, and an uncertain future.

Regardless of your age, gender, cultural background, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, symptoms associated with depression can have unfortunate consequences on all aspects of life.

The truth is that no matter who we are or how we identify, an outside perspective can help us to better process and understand the roots of our emotional experiences. Depression, like so many mental health disorders, skews our perception of what we are dealing with and how we are reacting to our circumstances.

Therapists, counselors, and other mental health professionals are essential in the process of seeing ourselves more clearly so that we can chart a path forward and solve the problems created by depression.

By understanding the underlying factors impacting your thoughts and feelings, you will have more clarity about what’s required in order to make progress and move beyond the limitations of depression.

In breaking down your self-limiting beliefs, the therapeutic process allows you to identify your strengths more clearly and learn how to self-advocate so that your needs can be met.
Working together to determine the influence that your core belief system has on your thinking process, I will help you gain clarity on how to manage and process your reactions to the counterproductive thoughts so often associated with depression.

The therapeutic process, in essence, allows you to understand how you filter information about yourself and the world around you so that you can better pinpoint how to affect meaningful change in your life.

Modalities, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and control mastery theory, exist for the purposes of helping you explore your family history and understanding how learned self-beliefs impact your current thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Using elements of these approaches, we will work together to make it so that your feelings begin to inform your decisions instead of controlling them outright. By incorporating mindfulness into this treatment, in order to calm your nervous system and bring you into the present moment, you will develop newfound awareness and empowerment to find the solutions necessary in overcoming depression.

In removing the obstacles that are hindering your ability to find solutions and make progress, you will be equipped with the lifelong toolbox needed for managing stress, anxiety, and depression in the future.

I know that right now, it may feel as though you are hopeless, alone, and in a fog. However, I am prepared to enter that space with you and help you get to the place where you want to go. I have seen the tremendous impact that therapy can have on helping people to navigate and process their depression in search of relief. If you can make the commitment to this work, I would be honored to walk alongside you in charting a path forward.