Counseling Services

Depression Counseling

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Depression doesn’t always look like sadness. Sometimes it looks like exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. Sometimes it’s numbness, going through the motions without feeling much of anything. Sometimes it shows up as irritability, withdrawal, difficulty concentrating, or a quiet loss of interest in things you used to care about.

If you’ve been telling yourself you should be able to snap out of it, or that other people have it worse, or that you just need to try harder, those thoughts are part of the depression talking. Depression isn’t a character flaw or a lack of willpower. It’s partly neurochemistry, partly learned patterns, and therapy addresses both.

How Depression Works

Depression involves changes in brain chemistry, thought patterns, and behavior that reinforce each other in a cycle. Low energy leads to withdrawal. Withdrawal leads to isolation. Isolation deepens the depression. The same patterns that helped you cope at some earlier point in your life (shutting down, pushing through, going numb) may now be the very things keeping you stuck.

Understanding this cycle isn’t about blame. It’s about identifying the specific points where we can intervene and create change. The brain that learned these patterns can learn new ones. That’s not a motivational statement; it’s neuroscience.

What Depression Can Look Like

  • Persistent low mood or sadness that doesn’t lift
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy
  • Fatigue and low energy, even after rest
  • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
  • Changes in appetite or sleep (too much or too little)
  • Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or self-blame
  • Withdrawal from friends, family, and activities
  • Irritability or emotional flatness
  • Physical symptoms: headaches, body aches, digestive issues
  • Thoughts of death or suicide (if you’re experiencing these, please reach out now: call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline)

You don’t need to check every item on this list. If several of these have been present for more than a couple of weeks and they’re affecting your ability to function, that’s enough to justify reaching out. The National Institute of Mental Health provides additional information about depression symptoms and treatment.

My Approach to Depression Counseling

Solution-Focused Therapy is the foundation of my approach. I trained directly under its co-founder, Insoo Kim Berg, and that training shapes how I work with depression. Depression narrows your field of vision until all you can see is what’s wrong. Solution-Focused work deliberately widens that lens. We identify exceptions (times when the depression is even slightly less intense), amplify what’s working, and build forward momentum. This isn’t toxic positivity. It’s a research-supported approach to reactivating your sense of agency.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) addresses the thought patterns that depression creates and maintains. Depression distorts thinking in predictable ways: everything is your fault, nothing will get better, you’re a burden to the people around you. CBT helps you recognize these distortions for what they are and develop more accurate, balanced thinking.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) builds skills in emotional regulation and distress tolerance. When depression makes everything feel heavy, DBT provides concrete tools for getting through difficult moments and gradually re-engaging with life.

When depression has you pulling away from the things that used to matter, we work on small, deliberate steps to re-engage. Not because you feel like it, but because action often has to come before motivation. You don’t wait until you feel like going for a walk to go for a walk. You go for the walk and let the feeling catch up.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is useful when depression is tied to inner conflict: the part of you that wants to engage versus the part that wants to shut down, the inner critic that says you’re not doing enough versus the exhausted part that can’t do any more. IFS helps you develop compassion for these competing parts rather than being stuck in the battle between them.

Virtual Depression Counseling Across Texas

All sessions are available via secure, HIPAA-compliant video or telephone for anyone in Texas. When you’re dealing with depression, the idea of getting dressed and driving somewhere for an appointment can feel like an enormous barrier. Virtual sessions remove that obstacle. You can do meaningful therapeutic work from your living room, your home office, or wherever you feel comfortable.

Ready to start? Schedule a consultation or call (512) 771-7621.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A: Duration and impact are the key differences. A rough patch is temporary and usually connected to a specific event. Depression persists, often for weeks or months, and it affects multiple areas of your life: sleep, appetite, concentration, motivation, relationships, and your ability to enjoy things. If you've been in a "rough patch" for more than two weeks and it's not improving, it's worth talking to someone.
A: Not necessarily. Therapy alone is effective for many people with mild to moderate depression. For more severe depression, a combination of therapy and medication often works best. I don't prescribe medication, but I can coordinate with your doctor or psychiatrist if that's part of your plan.
A: It varies. Some people see meaningful improvement in 8-12 sessions. Others benefit from longer-term work, especially if depression has been a recurring pattern or if it's intertwined with other issues like anxiety, trauma, or relationship problems. I'll check in regularly about your progress and adjust as needed.
A: It can, but one of the goals of therapy is to give you the tools to recognize early warning signs and respond before a full episode develops. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was specifically designed for relapse prevention and is a core part of my approach.
A: That's okay. Depression often makes it hard to find words. Sessions don't require you to deliver a monologue. Sometimes we start with what's been happening that week and go from there. Sometimes we focus on a specific skill or exercise. The work still happens even on days when talking feels difficult.
A: I am an out-of-network provider. I don't bill insurance directly, but I provide superbills (detailed receipts) that you can submit to your insurance company. Many PPO plans reimburse a significant portion of out-of-network mental health services. I recommend calling your insurance to ask about your out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits before your first session.
A: Yes. All sessions are available via secure, HIPAA-compliant video or telephone for anyone in Texas.
A: Therapy is effective for depression on its own, and research supports this consistently. That said, some people benefit from a combination of therapy and medication, particularly for moderate to severe depression. I can coordinate with your physician or psychiatrist if medication is part of your treatment plan. I'll never pressure you either way.
A: Sessions are $200. I am an out-of-network provider and provide superbills for potential insurance reimbursement. Many PPO plans cover a significant portion of out-of-network therapy.