Are you overwhelmed by feelings of sadness?

•  Has hopelessness or pessimism gripped you? 

•  Do you lack meaning and purpose in life?  

•  Have you lost interest in things you previously enjoyed?

•  Do you feel all alone and wonder where God

  is in the midst of your suffering?

 Depression can make you feel as if you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death.  You feel tormented, despondent, and numb inside.  You are no longer living, just surviving.  Life seems bleak, flat, and dark. It is as if everyone else is seeing life in Technicolor, while you only see gradations of black and white.  You feel despair, and you are convinced that things are never going to get better.   

If you were to ask people with depression to describe what it is like, you would wonder whether they were all talking about the same condition. Lauren says that she cannot eat or sleep while Josh can’t stop eating and sleeping.  Matthew describes feeling guilty, and Sarah wants to hurt herself. While people’s experiences with depression can be different from one another, most would say that when you experience depression, you will know what it is right away. And that depression changes your perspective on life.  

 If you battle with depression symptoms you are not alone

 The National Institute of Mental Health estimated that 17.3 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the last year. This number represented 7.1% of all US adults.  Throughout history many notable people have suffered with depression, including Winston Churchill, who described his depressive episodes as his “black dog.” Today celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, and Jon Hamm have also spoken out about their depression. Faithful Christians have struggled with depression as well. In a sermon, the renowned British preacher Charles Spurgeon said, “My spirits have sunken so low that I could weep by the hour like a child, and yet I knew not what I weep for.”    

 Depression is a multifaceted condition, rooted in both our inner lives and our bodies, and it is often triggered by situational and relational difficulties. No single cause can be pinpointed as the origin of the problem. Depression begins and grows out of a complex interplay between our bodies, or biological factors, and our minds, or the way we think and look at life. Our personalities and our ways of coping with people and life stressors play an important part.  Interpersonal factors, such as strained relationships also factor in. Spiritual problems, such as feeling the absence of God or a crisis of faith contribute to depression as well.    

 Many factors are contributing to the rise in depression in the United States.  One reason is because we as a society have become increasingly isolated behind our doors and in front of our screens. Our relationships at home and in community have broken down. We look at people on social media with seemingly idyllic lives and we find our own lives wanting.  We set unrealistic goals for ourselves that cannot be realized. We value money, fame and image, which ultimately lead to disillusionment. We have also moved away from our spiritual moorings.  More people seeking help and being diagnosed for depression might also account for the increase in numbers.    

 Depression is not a one-size-fits all ailment. Like cancer or heart disease, depression can take many forms.  It is best understood as having several symptoms on a continuum that ranges from mild on one side and severe on the other.  Depression is generally classified under three main categories. Major Depressive Disorder, or clinical depression, is extremely debilitating. Symptoms vary and can be severe. It can last for weeks or years and is highly recurrent. Persistent Depressive Disorder is an ailment characterized by a persistent, low-level drone of depression that lasts on an average of five years. Bipolar Disorder is a condition in which people with depression also experience periods when they feel unusually active or manic. Cycles are often ongoing.  

 If you struggle, you are not without help. Depression is the most treatable mental disorder. In 80-90 percent of cases, people respond to treatment, and in nearly all cases they gain some symptom relief.  I can help you recover your life and feel joy again.  

 Christian depression therapy can be life changing!

I employ a biblical counseling approach to treat depression.  I believe that Scripture provides tremendous insight into the causes of despondency and offers robust and comprehensive solutions for how to treat it. 

 I don’t just offer you a set of insights, principles, or strategies; rather, I offer you a Redeemer.

 I provide a safe haven where you can express your honest thoughts and fears without judgment. I open each session in prayer with those who are comfortable praying.  

 In our first few sessions, I will get to know you, understand your story, and try to look at the world through your eyes.  I will explore your history, how it has impacted you, and how you have responded to it. We will also delve into the major sources of distress in your life and work to unearth the root causes.  Throughout counseling, we will discuss Scripture passages such as Psalms 42, 77, and 88, which provide a framework for you to see how others have worked through depression while seeking help from God.  

I will then help you identify negative or distorted thought patterns and teach you how to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. We will also listen to your unhelpful self-talk, the negative, untrue narratives your mind has constructed, which frame major areas of your life.  Then I will teach you how to stop listening to yourself and how to start talking to yourself. You will also learn to preach the Gospel to yourself in a direct and forceful way. By doing this, you will turn from unbelief to faith and from despair to hope.  Change takes place by God’s grace, is facilitated by faith in Christ, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.  

 “Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?” 

Reverend Martyn Lloyd-Jones

 My training, counseling, and life experience make me well equipped to help you. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with 10 years of experience counseling.  I earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, and CCEF (Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation), where I received training in the Bible, Reformed theology, and Christian doctrine as well as counseling. In addition, I have done post-graduate work in psychology at Biblical Seminary and Alliance Graduate School of Counseling. I have also received extensive training for marriage counseling through the Gottman Institute.  

 Perhaps my strongest qualification is my personal experience with depression. Throughout my life, I have walked with family members and friends who struggle with depression. I have learned much about depression and how to help. I have also suffered with depression at various points in my own life. I understand depression from the inside.  Over the years, I learned to overcome depression but, more important, I have learned how to have an overcoming life in the midst of it.  For these reasons, I am able to guide you through the valley of the shadow of death and help you come out on the other side.   When my clients seek God and want to get well, change can happen quickly.

 You may still have questions about depression treatment.

 I feel I should be able to overcome this problem with more prayer.

Turning to God in prayer is always an important part of recovery. Yet there are times when you also need the counsel of others in order to see yourself more clearly. Proverbs 20:5 says, “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” 

 Is depression counseling expensive?

 Depression therapy is an investment that you make in yourself and in your future.  Think of the costs you have incurred by being depressed.  You have missed out on work or pleasurable activities because you have been unable to get out of bed. You have become alienated from friends or family members. You may have lost relationships or jobs. Recovery can make your life more rewarding and profitable, both at work and at home.  

 Should I consider medication or therapy or both?

Medication and therapy have been found to work equally well in relieving depression. Recent studies have found that when you are mildly depressed or haven’t been depressed for very long, there is a greater likelihood that you will respond to therapy alone.  However, when you have moderate to severe depression, getting both therapy and medication leads to better outcomes than therapy alone, especially among those with chronic depression.  It is best to see your primary-care provider or psychiatrist if you are considering medication.  

 Depression therapy can help you feel joyful again 

I understand that moving ahead with therapy can be difficult.  It is especially hard when you suffer with depression and lack motivation. Please try to summon the energy to move forward. It will be worth it. I can help you find lasting and genuine relief from depression. Call me at 973.464.2759 for a free 15-minute consultation.  

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we have left behind.” C. S. Lewis

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