A Comprehensive Approach to Treating Depression
Depression has various components. There is the emotional component that is often based on a current stressful situation and known as “situational” depression. Then there is the biochemical, or neurochemical, component that creates a clinical depression. This is when the brain is low on the important neurotransmitters of serotonin and/or norepinephrine. These two components can often be interconnected.
When you are under stress due to a current circumstance (or a past trauma), your body naturally uses up more B vitamins (the stress vitamin) which is an important cofactor in your body’s production of norepinephrine and serotonin. When your B vitamins are low, your serotonin (the well being neurotransmitter that helps with sleep) and norepinephrine (the get up and go neurotransmitter that helps with motivation) can become low. Couple this with our natural inclination for less healthy self-care with diet and exercise during stressful times (which also keeps our brain chemistry in balance) and it is easy to see how a situational depression can lead to a clinical, or biochemical, depression. Once our brain chemistry is out of balance, it is important that we address this, as well any emotional factors, in order treat depression in the most effective way possible. I find that when I take this comprehensive approach with clients, most depression either clears up or improves dramatically within 8-12 weeks based on the Beck’s Depression Inventory.
So, if you are struggling with depression, I would refer you to information about the biochemical and lifestyle factors that may be contributing to the depression. We will discuss antidepressant therapy as an option as well as supplements, dietary, and lifestyle changes that have been shown to improve depression by restoring your brain chemistry back to balance. You can then make an informed decision whether to start with antidepressants along with lifestyle changes or postpone that to see if you can achieve these changes naturally. (Please note that I am not an MD and I do not prescribe medications or supplements.)
At the same time, I would work with underlying emotional causes or stressors that may be contributing to your depression. Perhaps there is an underlying trauma or addiction that needs to be addressed. (Please refer to these pages for information on treatment.) Perhaps you would benefit from practical stress management and emotional regulation skills that you can easily use to lower stress in your daily life. Perhaps communication and listening skills are needed at work or home to lower stress and improve your relationships with your spouse, children or colleagues. Perhaps a boundary exercise is needed in order to experience a felt sense of establishing healthier boundaries in your life. We may do deeper soul work by examining a dream. I might guid you through a Journey or hypnotherapy session to help you replace long-held, self-defeating beliefs with new self-supportive beliefs. Once your emotional challenges begin to clear up, we can then help you to live your best life with vitality and joy. At this point, coaching can help you to define goals, implement self-affirming behavior, achieve your highest potential and fulfill your life’s purpose.
I can help you with all of these things both in individual phone, video or office sessions and with groups for ongoing support as well. Please call me today for a complimentary phone consultation to see how I can help you! 720.732.4050.