Depression often feels like an overwhelming cloud, draining your energy and joy. But what if I told you that depression might be trying to protect you? For many people, depression is a complex response to unmet needs, unresolved trauma, or overwhelming emotions—an emotional shield that has helped you cope with difficult circumstances.

Whether it’s a numbing of emotions, withdrawal from others, or a sense of hopelessness, depression may have been your way of surviving tough experiences. But as time passes, this protective mechanism can become a barrier to living a full, balanced life. In therapy, we work to honor how depression has tried to protect you, while also helping you reclaim the emotional freedom that’s been hidden underneath.

How I Approach Depression: Honoring Its Role

In our work together, I’ll help you understand how depression has functioned as a protective mechanism. We’ll explore the parts of you that have been carrying the weight of unprocessed pain and unmet needs. With empathy and compassion, we’ll work to release the burden of depression without losing the protection it once offered.

Here’s how I approach depression in therapy:

1. Recognizing Depression as a Protector: Rather than seeing depression as something to "get rid of," we’ll first explore how it may have served to protect you from deeper pain or overwhelming situations.

2. Listening to Your Parts: Through Internal Family Systems (IFS), we’ll work together to understand the different parts of you—those that feel stuck in patterns of despair and those that want to heal and move forward.

3. Creating Safety for Healing: Depression often arises from feeling unsafe or misunderstood. In therapy, we create a safe space for you to express all parts of yourself, including those that are grieving or angry, and explore how to reintegrate them into your whole self.

4. Mind-Body Connection: Often, depression is held in the body, and our work will include somatic techniques to help release the emotional weight you’ve been carrying, so you can feel lighter and more present in your life.

5. Building a Path Forward: Together, we’ll honor how depression has been a survival strategy and, gradually, work to replace old coping mechanisms with healthier, more empowering ways to respond to life’s challenges.

What You Can Expect in Therapy

Every session is about creating a space where you can bring all of yourself—the parts that have been struggling and the parts that want to heal. You can expect:

• Exploration of Protective Parts: We’ll explore the different parts of your inner world and see how they may have been trying to protect you, even if it’s no longer serving you well.

• Compassionate Healing: With empathy and acceptance, we’ll work to honor the protective role of depression while helping you find new ways to feel safe, grounded, and more alive.

• Somatic Awareness: You’ll be guided to reconnect with your body, noticing how your emotional states are stored and learning how to release them in a safe and supportive way.

• Self-Compassion and Empowerment: Therapy will focus on building up your self-worth and self-compassion, so you can begin to trust yourself to heal without needing to rely on old protective mechanisms.

How Therapy Can Lead to Lasting Transformation

Over time, clients often experience:

• A deeper understanding of how their depression has served as a protective mechanism

• Increased emotional resilience and ability to cope with difficult situations

• A sense of safety and groundedness that allows healing to occur

• A reduction in depressive symptoms and an increase in joy, clarity, and motivation

• Reconnection with passions, relationships, and the joy that depression once obscured

Is Therapy Right for You?

If you’ve been struggling with depression, you may feel like it’s impossible to move forward. But together, we can honor the protective role depression has played in your life and work towards healing that integrates both your mind and body.

If you’re ready to explore how depression has been trying to protect you, and how you can start living a life where you no longer need to carry it, reach out for a consultation. Together, we’ll uncover the path to healing and help you move from surviving to thriving.