Depression is one of the most common mood issues treated at Good Therapy SF. New clients searching for “therapy near me” often present with some type of depression. Trying to find a therapist that can help with depression can be a challenge as well. Our San Francisco therapists are trained in depression therapy techniques that are supported by research.
Try one or more of the tips below to help with managing your depression.
Incorporating some type of movement or exercise into the day can seem like an overwhelming struggle to someone working through depression. However, exercise is a necessary component to treating depression. In addition to the health benefits, regular exercise five days a week that lasts 30 minutes has been proven to elevate the moods of people suffering from mild to moderate depression.
Thankfully, the hilly geography of the city makes depression therapy in San Francisco easier than in other areas. Often our therapists encourage clients to simply “go outside and walk up the nearest hill!”
The Opposite Action skill is one of many taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy classes. Opposite Action is a depression therapy skill that asks clients to do the opposite of what their depression “tells” them to do.
For example, when clients agree with what their depression “tells” them to do, they end up engaging in unhelpful behaviors such as oversleeping, overeating, not moving, watching too much TV, or not reaching out to friends and family. This is a problem because the more people engage in these depressive behaviors the worse they feel in the long term.
Doing the opposite of these depressive behaviors (getting off the couch, getting out of bed on time, engaging with other people, etc..) is a form of depression therapy that helps to reduce depression in the long term.
Depression therapy at Good Therapy SF also focuses on changing our thoughts. One of the most common types of thinking errors associated with depression is All or Nothing Thinking. This type of thinking is an issue because when we are depressed the all or nothing approach creates overly negative beliefs about ourselves, others, and our future.
Common examples of all or nothing thinking include:
An easy way to try and stop the frequency of these All or Nothing thoughts is to record how often they occur. It might seem counterintuitive, but the more often you are able to intentionally observe the frequency of these thoughts, the more likely you are to reduce how often they happen over time. Often clients will be surprised to see this reduction when applied over the course of several weeks or months.
Our San Francisco therapists are well trained to treat depression, mood issues, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. If you think you might be suffering from some of these symptoms please feel free to reach out through our contact page.
