Depression Treatment

Is therapy alone enough, or will I need medication?

Both therapy and medication can be effective treatments for depression, either independently or in combination. Research consistently shows that psychotherapy alone produces significant improvements for mild to moderate depression and may prevent relapse more effectively than medication alone. For more severe depression, combining therapy with medication often yields the best results.

We support a personalized approach to this decision. If you're currently taking antidepressant medication or considering it, we're happy to collaborate with your prescriber as part of your care team. If you're not on medication but symptoms remain severe despite therapy, we can discuss referral options for medication evaluation.

Many factors influence this decision, including depression severity, previous treatment response, your personal preferences, and specific symptoms. Together, we'll develop a treatment plan aligned with your values and circumstances.

How long does depression treatment typically take?

Depression treatment timelines vary considerably based on several factors: the severity and duration of your depression, presence of co-occurring conditions, your support network, life circumstances, and treatment consistency.

For mild to moderate depression with a recent onset, significant improvement often occurs within 8-16 sessions using evidence-based approaches. More complex or long-standing depression may benefit from longer-term therapy, typically ranging from six months to a year of regular sessions.

Throughout the process, we'll track your progress using both standardized measures and your subjective experience. Many clients notice initial improvements in energy, sleep, or concentration before experiencing shifts in mood or thinking patterns. These early changes, while subtle, often indicate that treatment is working.

What if my depression has a "good reason" behind it?

Depression sometimes emerges during challenging life circumstances—loss of a loved one, serious illness, relationship breakdown, or major life transitions. While these situations naturally cause sadness and grief, depression can complicate the natural emotional processing of difficult events.

Therapy doesn't invalidate the legitimate pain of challenging life circumstances. Instead, it helps you process difficult emotions while preventing the additional suffering that depression creates through isolation, rumination, and hopelessness. Even when depression has an identifiable trigger, therapeutic support can help you navigate the situation with greater resilience and self-compassion.

Our approach honors your unique circumstances while providing practical tools to prevent depression from limiting your capacity to respond to life's challenges with your full resources.

What if I've tried therapy before and it didn't help?

If previous therapy attempts didn't provide the relief you sought, please don't conclude that therapy itself won't work for you. Many factors influence treatment effectiveness, including:

• The therapeutic approach used (some are more effective for depression than others)

• The therapist's specific training and experience with depression

• The therapeutic relationship and how well it addressed your specific needs

• Whether therapy addressed underlying factors like trauma or relationship patterns

• Your life circumstances and stressors during previous treatment

• Whether therapy included concrete skill-building and lifestyle modifications

Our holistic approach differs from conventional therapy by addressing depression's physical, emotional, cognitive, and relational dimensions simultaneously. Many clients who experienced limited benefits from traditional talk therapy find our integrative approach provides more comprehensive relief.

During your initial consultation, we'll discuss your previous therapy experiences to understand what did and didn't work for you, ensuring we develop a treatment plan that addresses these insights.