Depression Treatment San Diego
Therapy for Depression in San Diego, CA
Find support and healing with our personalized, evidence-based therapy for depression.
Overcome Depression with Compassionate, Proven Therapy
If you think you might have depression, Inward Healing Therapy can help. Depression is more common than you might think—in the United States, nearly 1 in 5 Americans (approximately 18.4% of U.S. adults) will experience a depressive disorder in their lifetime. Moreover, depression is a leading cause of disability among individuals aged 15 to 44.
We offer compassionate, evidence-based depression treatment in San Diego, designed to help you get to the roots of your depression and experience renewed joy in your life. Our licensed therapists work with you to build practical tools, reduce emotional pain, and reconnect with a sense of purpose.
To learn more about our online depression therapy, reach out to Inward Healing Therapy today.
Do You Need Depression Treatment?
Whether you have clinical depression is a matter for a professional evaluation. However, you are more likely to require help if any of the following statements apply to you:
- You used to be a happy person, but now you are beset by low mood
- You feel like you should be enjoying your life, but you can’t
- You find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning
- You feel a lack of motivation to complete basic tasks, such as cooking, washing or going to work
- You have a gut-wrenching mental pain that won’t go away
- You regularly cry and don’t want to be around others
You feel guilty for enjoying simple pleasures, such as eating or indulging in a hobby - You feel like there is a dark aura surrounding you and you can’t escape
- You aren’t cleaning your home or looking after your living environment
- You don’t have energy to provide loved ones with the attention you feel they deserve
- Many people in San Diego and throughout California experience these signs of depression in the course of an ordinary day. However, for those with depression, these feelings may persist for two weeks or more.
It is also important to recognize that untreated depression can increase the risk of developing serious physical illnesses such as heart disease and stroke . Additionally, while some reports suggest that 16–25% of individuals with depression may attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime, recent CDC data showed 49,476 suicide deaths in 2022—a rate of 14.8 per 100,000 population—which underscores the serious risk factors associated with this condition.
If you feel that any of these statements apply to you, Inward Healing Therapy can help with our online depression therapy. Our team plots a course through your suffering so that you can emerge on the other side as a stronger, happier, more joyful person.
Critically, our therapists sympathize with your situation. We understand what depression is like on the inside, and we know that it is not your fault. If you have a persistent low mood, talk to us today and see how we can help.
Situations That Trigger Depression
People who experience the following situations are more likely to develop depression and require treatment
- Long-term unemployment
- Divorce or relationship breakdown
- Stressful work
- Abusive or uncaring relationships
- Loneliness and isolation
- Redundancy
- Serious illness
- Death or loss of a loved one
- Interpersonal conflict
Depression also relates to other personal factors. For instance, women are more likely than men to become depressed; in 2021, 10.3% of adult females experienced at least one major depressive episode compared to 6.2% of males . Moreover, research shows that the median age of onset for major depressive disorder is approximately 32.5 years. Additionally, children of parents with depression are more likely to feel depressed, and substance misuse is also more common among those with the condition.
How Our Depression Treatment Works
Inward Healing Therapy tailors depression treatment to your situation. The type of depression therapy you receive will depend on the severity of your low mood and what is causing it.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is designed to change the way your brain processes thoughts, emotions, and impulses to improve mood and behavior. It’s especially effective when depression is tied to negative or inaccurate beliefs about the present.
Transforming Negative Thought Patterns
CBT empowers you to identify and reframe harmful thought patterns. By challenging cognitive distortions, you gradually replace automatic negative thinking with more balanced perspectives.
Adjusting Behavioral Responses
Beyond shifting your thoughts, CBT also targets behaviors that reinforce depression. Changing these actions helps break the cycle of negative responses and reduces avoidance behaviors, allowing you to manage daily challenges more effectively.
Integrating Talk Therapy and Journaling
We often combine CBT with talk therapy to explore the root causes of your depression. An essential part of this approach is keeping a journal, which lets you track your thoughts and identify recurring triggers. Common patterns we address include tendencies to:
- See the worst possible outcome instead of appreciating the full range of possibilities
- Personalize what people say, interpreting comments as indictments of your character
- Minimize or exaggerate the importance of specific events
- Automatically think negatively about yourself and engage in self-attack
- Discard positive interpretations of situations, telling yourself that they “don’t count”
- View situations in all-or-nothing terms, instead of recognizing shades of gray
- Dwell on particularly dark aspects of reality, such as nuclear war or economic collapse
Building a Healthier Mindset
Our Inward Healing Therapy counselors guide you through developing strategies like positive self-talk and realistic assessments of life events. These techniques help disarm automatic negative reactions and empower you to take control of your emotional well-being.
Safe and Effective Treatment
While confronting long standing patterns may bring up challenging emotions, the risks of CBT are minimal. Most patients experience significant improvements, learning healthier ways to manage depressive symptoms and respond adaptively to life’s challenges.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy is another approach for treating depression at Inward Healing Therapy. It explores how unconscious thoughts, beliefs, and traumas from the past might be causing your symptoms. It is helpful if there are no easily-identifiable triggers for your depression.
Sessions take the form of open-ended and extensive discussions of your thoughts, feelings, and impulses. You meet with your therapist for one session per week, with most sessions lasting under an hour. Unlike CBT, there is no formal structure to the therapy session. Instead, you engage in free association with your therapist providing feedback and direction where necessary.
Psychiatric Evaluation
In some cases, you may require a psychiatric evaluation. This is to check the severity of your depression and whether you may need medications to support regular talk therapies. Often, using a combination of interventions can be more effective for those with severe symptoms.
What Benefits Can You Expect From CBT and Psychodynamic Therapy?
Both CBT and psychodynamic therapy are clinically-proven methods for treating depression.
Currently, CBT is the most studied form of talk therapy. Dozens of studies back up its effectiveness, even over the short term. Research shows that people who receive eight to 12 CBT sessions over two to three months continue using and benefiting from the techniques that they learn more than a year later.
Psychodynamic therapy is less well-studied. However, a 2010 study by the American Psychological Association showed that the intervention may have longer-lasting benefits than traditional techniques. The intervention allows patients to gain valuable self-knowledge which they can then use to lead healthier, more productive lives.
What To Expect From Your Treatment
Every year, thousands of people in San Diego and millions across California experience depression. However, a vast number also overcome it and restore their quality of life.
1. Setting Your Treatment Goals
When you arrive at our clinic, your therapist will help you lay out your treatment goals. You’ll discuss the nature of your challenges and define what you’d like to achieve by the end of your online depression counseling.
2. Understanding Your Story
Your therapist will take the time to understand your personal story and uncover the root causes of your depression. This process builds self-awareness and helps reduce the shame and stigma associated with your symptoms. The unique therapeutic relationship is key to making lasting change.
3. Flexible and Responsive Treatment
As treatment progresses, you may notice your depression declining or even disappearing entirely. If that happens, you’re free to stop the sessions—and you can always resume therapy if your depression returns.
4. Empowering Recovery Strategies
During your sessions, your therapist will introduce powerful interventions to manage and prevent depression. These strategies include:
- Exercising regularly
- Cutting back on social media time
- Building strong relationships with stable, supportive people
- Reducing stress
- Minimizing daily choices
5. Proven Benefits of Therapy
Demonstrated benefits of CBT and psychodynamic training include:
- Improved daily mood
- More energy to spend time with the people you love
- Better focus at work
- Improved sleep quality and ability to fall asleep
- Enhanced interpersonal behavior and relationships
- Reduction in emotional outbursts and crying
- A cleaner, less cluttered home environment
- Less guilt for enjoying life’s simple pleasures
- A greater ability to feel joy in life
Get Depression Help Today
Dealing with depression can be challenging. But at Inward Healing Therapy, our compassionate team in San Diego, CA is here to help. Our experienced therapists use robust, clinically-proven strategies to help you experience joy in your life once more.
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we tailor our approach to suit the severity and circumstances of your depression. Both talk therapies and psychiatric evaluations are available.
San Diego Therapists at Inward Healing Therapy are always on your side. We understand what depression feels like and can always sympathize with your perspective. Schedule a free consultation with us today and put your life back on the path to joy.
If you have any further questions, feel free to check out my FAQ page for more information.
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