What is Outpatient Therapy for Depression?
Depression doesn’t discriminate against whom it impacts. Research shows that over 17 million Americans struggle with depression (including nearly 2 million children ages 3-17), and depression is highly correlated with a variety of other physical and mental health conditions. It is the leading cause of disability around the world, and it costs an estimated $44 billion each year in lost productivity.
Depression is treatable, and it can be managed. But, with all the different types of therapy and treatments available for mental health, you might be wondering, “What is outpatient therapy for depression?”.
What Is Outpatient Therapy For Depression?
In its simplest form, outpatient therapy for depression refers to ongoing psychological support with a mental health professional.
Are you confused between the differences of what outpatient therapy is for depression versus intensive outpatient therapy for depression? Outpatient typically requires less of a financial and time commitment than intensive outpatient treatment. It is usually recommended for clients who have mild or moderate depressive symptoms. Most clients receiving this treatment still attend to their daily routines of work, school, and various family obligations.
What is outpatient therapy for depression? It’s interactive, collaborative, and dynamic. You may work on a variety of goals related to your self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, self-care, and your work-life balance. You may also tackle topics related to co-occurring issues like trauma, substance use, compulsive behaviors, or other mental illness.
It’s about providing support, guidance, and a roadmap for healing. It may be about addressing pertinent crisis issues like suicidal thoughts, but it’s also about offering hope when life seems seemingly dark and bleak.
What Is Outpatient Therapy For Depression: A Typical Session
If this is your first time seeking treatment, you may feel uncertain or apprehensive about how the therapy process works. These feelings are normal. If you’re asking yourself, ”What is outpatient therapy for depression, and what should I expect?”, it’s crucial to know that the structure of each session looks different for everyone.
Your therapist will collaborate with you to design the best kind of care for your individual needs and preferences. Therapy activities for adults with depression may include:
- Increasing your awareness of how past events/patterns impact your current mood
- Free association (speaking whatever is on your mind to “work through” specific issues)
- Dream analysis
- Focusing on enhancing your sense of self-worth and self-esteem
- Identifying problematic triggers and discussing how you can change, eliminate, or redefine their role in your life
Individual therapy offers numerous advantages over group therapy when it comes to depression treatment. You’ll receive full attention and personalized guidance and support from your therapist, and you will likely progress and grow faster than if you were only attending a group.
What Is Outpatient Therapy For Depression: Final Thoughts
If you are looking for individual or depression group therapy near me, Lumos Counseling PC can help. We specialize in providing therapy focused on helping you feel better and more empowered over your life. Your depression may be frustrating and exhausting, but it doesn’t have to define your happiness.
Contact us today to schedule your free, confidential consultation.
Outpatient Therapy for Depression
Depression affects more than 264 million people, and it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Depression extends beyond just mere sadness; depression is a medical condition that can impact one’s mood, relationships, physical health, and emotional well-being. When left untreated, depression can lead to suicide, which accounts for 129 deaths in America each day.
Fortunately, depression is treatable. Outpatient therapy for depression supports individuals to navigate, understand, and better cope with their symptoms. Additionally, therapy provides a supportive environment for people to feel safe and validated in their struggles.
What Is Outpatient Therapy For Depression?
Mental health treatment usually falls into the following categories of inpatient, intensive outpatient, and outpatient therapy.
Inpatient therapy for depression is the highest level of mental health care. Inpatient treatment offers 24/7 structure and support. Clients live in a monitored facility, and they receive consistent supervision. A typical day of treatment may include individual therapy, group therapy, and appointments with case managers, psychiatrists, and doctors. This treatment is normally recommended for individuals who are in acute distress and who may be a danger to themselves or others.
Intensive outpatient therapy for depression is not as structured as inpatient care because clients do not live on-site. Instead, they may attend treatment around their work or school schedules. That said, they still may receive several hours of clinical support each day. Clients may transition to intensive outpatient therapy after completing inpatient care.
Finally, outpatient therapy for depression is the least restrictive form of care. It may be used as a transitional treatment after completing inpatient or intensive outpatient care. However, it may also be the first method of treatment for clients with mild or moderate depression. Outpatient therapy treatment for depression usually entails meeting with a therapist once or twice a week.
Therapy Goals and Therapy Activities For Adults With Depression
Outpatient therapy for depression often starts with assessing and screening for crisis issues. If an individual is in imminent danger of harming oneself or others, these urges must be addressed immediately.
After this screening, therapists usually work with clients to understand the role depression has on the individual’s overall functioning quality of life. Therapists may collaborate with their clients to process the emotions surrounding the depression. It’s not uncommon for clients to feel immense guilt, shame, anger, sadness, or fear over their symptoms. Therapy provides a safe place for exploring and processing these feelings.
Outpatient therapy for depression may also include learning new ways to manage your distress. It may entail coming to terms with pains and traumas from your past. Finally, it may require discussing and implementing changes in the way you live your life.
While specific goals may vary from individual to individual, typical goals in outpatient therapy for depression include:
- Increasing self-awareness into unconscious patterns and defense mechanisms
- Strengthening self-esteem
- Building and using a healthy support system
- Prioritizing self-care and self-compassion
- Addressing other co-occurring issues (trauma, substance use, anxiety)
Therapy can sometimes feel worse before it feels better. Confronting your feelings and exploring your patterns can be painful. With that in mind, this insight often paves the path towards a sustainable recovery.
Final Thoughts
Depression can feel chaotic and unforgiving. It can sabotage your relationships, jeopardize your happiness, and affect your performance in all areas of life. However, outpatient therapy for depression can provide you with the relief, support, and guidance you need to cope with your mental health.
Don’t prolong getting the help you need. Seeking outpatient therapy for depression may be the best decision you make. Contact us today to get started on your journey towards wellness.
Depression and Counseling: What to Expect
Are you tired of feeling sad or hopeless? Do you feel like things aren’t getting better on their own? Are you asking yourself, will counseling help my depression?
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, the leading cause of disability, and it impacts more than 300 million people worldwide. When left untreated, depression can impact all areas of your functioning—from the way you perceive yourself to how well you perform at work to the quality of relationships you have with others.
There is a strong link between psychotherapy and counseling benefits when treating depression. While there isn’t a cure for depression, you can learn to manage your symptoms, cope with distress, and strengthen your self-esteem. Likewise, psychotherapy and counseling for depression provide a safe, nonjudgmental atmosphere for you to explore your most sensitive feelings.
Read on for more information about depression and counseling and what to expect throughout the process.
Psychotherapy and Counseling for Depression: What You Need To Know
Are you wondering, what happens in counseling for depression? This is a normal question, and each therapist may have a slightly different approach.
If you have never been to therapy, you might be curious about the benefits of psychotherapy and counseling for depression.
In a nutshell, the primary counseling goals for depression may include:
- Reducing imminent crisis issues (suicidal thoughts, self-injury, substance use)
- Establishing a safe and supportive rapport with your therapist
- Understanding how past events impact your current mental and physical well-being
- Recognizing and addressing defense mechanisms that maintain depression
- Treating trauma-related symptoms associated with depression
- Building a positive support system
Psychotherapy and counseling for depression isn’t always easy. The depression recovery journey often requires internal self-exploration, and learning new insight about yourself can be painful. However, your therapist will work with you to help you feel supported, motivated, and grounded throughout this time.
In psychotherapy and counseling for depression, you may confront parts of yourself that you may not like. Further, you may be asked to reexamine particular relationships or habits in your daily living. Because most of us tend to be creatures of habit, you might find yourself resisting some of these changes. That said, these are the changes that are often necessary for your healing.
Psychotherapy and Counseling for Depression: How Long Does Therapy Last?
Some people experience tremendous, immediate relief in just a few sessions of psychotherapy and counseling for depression. Other people, especially those with severe depression or complex trauma, may require more long-term work that can take several months or years.
As an overarching goal, it is imperative to have a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist, and this sense of security may take time to develop.
In your work together, you and your therapist will collaborate on reasonable goals for recovery. Throughout your treatment, you will routinely assess your progress and overall satisfaction. It is helpful to be honest and forthcoming in your sessions: if you feel like things aren’t improving, your therapist needs to know!
Final Thoughts on Psychotherapy and Counseling for Depression
Psychotherapy and counseling for depression can help you restore a sense of internal balance and confidence. Lumos Counseling offers a dynamic treatment approach that prioritizes compassion on your journey towards wellness.
Are you ready to pursue psychotherapy and counseling for depression? Support and help are available! Contact Lumos Counseling PC today to schedule your free consultation.
Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction
The statistics are harrowing. Over 100 Americans die every day from drug overdoses. Many of these deaths result from the misuse of prescription medication. Unfortunately, these numbers only appear to be climbing every year.
Despite the statistics, overcoming prescription drug addiction is possible. Addiction therapy can help you learn the tools and coping strategies needed to stay sober. It can also provide you with a safe place for support, compassion, and nonjudgmental feedback.
Even when legally prescribed, misusing prescription medication can be fatal. Likewise, prescription medication can cause serious problems in your relationships, mental health, and overall functioning. Read on to learn more about what you need to know in overcoming prescription drug addiction.
Understanding and Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction
Did you know that drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental and preventable deaths in New Jersey? Rather than suffering another day, consider how NJ addiction help can get your life back on track.
Not sure if you actually have an addiction? Do you go back and forth debating whether your problem is bad enough? Consider the following questions:
- Have you tried cutting down or abstaining from your prescription?
- Are you consistently taking more than the prescribed amount?
- Are you stealing, lying, or manipulating others to get more of the substance?
- Do you experience withdrawal effects when stopping use?
- Has your drug use prevented you from enjoying normal activities that you like?
- Have you tried overcoming prescription drug addiction in the past?
Answering ‘yes’ to any of these questions may indicate a substance use problem. At this point, it is essential to realize that most addiction problems do not get better on their own. Furthermore, getting sober without addressing underlying issues can increase the chance for relapsing.
Because substance use can be so multifaceted and insidious, overcoming prescription drug addiction may require professional intervention.
Group Therapy For Drug Addiction
Group therapy provides a unique experience for like-minded individuals to learn, grow, and support one another. People struggling with substance use tend to isolate from loved ones. This isolation can perpetuate feelings of shame, guilt, and worthlessness. Groups provide a united sense of community in overcoming prescription drug addiction.
Group therapy activities for drug addiction vary, but they may include:
- Expressive therapy via creative mediums (i.e., art or writing)
- Relapse prevention classes
- Process groups (talking about here-and-now emotions and experiences)
- Identifying triggers
- Social skills
- Family dynamic support
- Learning new coping skills
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Specific therapy techniques (CBT or DBT interventions)
- Support for other issues like chronic pain, depression, or anxiety
- Life skills (i.e., finding a job, budgeting money)
These addiction therapy activities are intended to help you learn more about yourself when overcoming prescription drug addiction. The group, however, provides a powerful sense of camaraderie and friendship that can motivate you to push through your fears and obstacles.
Seeking New Jersey Addiction Help
The idea of entering treatment may feel overwhelming. It’s normal to fear failure or “wasting your time.” It’s also typical to doubt whether you really need the support.
Whether this is your first or tenth time working on overcoming prescription drug addiction, Lumos Counseling PC provides a secure and open space for your healing journey. Contact us today to get started with your therapy journey.