Depression

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

Much peace can be found in Christ, but when dealing with depression, strong feelings of hopelessness can seem stronger than your faith. When you feel stuck in darkness, Christian counseling for depression can help you find new meaning for your life, heal wounds of the past, and connect fully with others and with God.

Do I Have Depression?

Each person experiences depression a little differently. For some, they might feel tired, have difficulty concentrating, and struggle with a general feeling of sadness that doesn’t go away. For others, depression can be so severe that it greatly limits their life, causing them to feel crushed by it, and might even cause suicidal thoughts or behaviors. If you or a loved one might have depression, it’s important to get help right away. Many who have depression can go from bad to worse before they know it, and are unable to deal with the strong symptoms. So even if your symptoms seem mild and manageable, it’s best to deal with the problem immediately before things progress.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Insomnia or excessive sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating and memory problems
• Fatigue
• Feeling of hopelessness
• Irritability
• Loss of interest in hobbies and low motivation
• Overeating or loss of appetite
• Persistent aches, headaches, and digestive issues
• Thoughts of suicide

No matter how mild or major your depression might seem, the Lord is strong and merciful towards those who seek him. He can carry you through this time of darkness, offering strength and healing. Christian counseling for depression will partner with you against the cares of this world so that you can overcome any challenge that prevents you from living a meaningful, Christ-filled live.

What Are the Different Types of Depression?

There are many things that can cause depression, which can affect people in different ways. Because of this, depression is divided into several categories. For example, 10-15% of women develop postpartum depression, a specific form of depression that affects new mothers. Pin-pointing the cause and type of depression you struggle with will help your counselor better understand where you’re coming from and what needs to be done for depression recovery.

Major Depression can severely limit your ability to live fully, affecting about 16 million adults in the U.S. each year and can severely limit ability to life fully.

Types of depression include:

• Major depression
• Persistent depressive disorder
• Bipolar depression
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Postpartum depression
• Situational depression
• Atypical depression

At Bellevue Christian Counseling, our depression counselors are experienced in treating all kinds of depression and creating client-centered treatment plans geared towards the unique story and needs of each person.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

The above scripture is what we hope to embody as Christian counselors. Depression can be a heavy burden, and we understand the toll it can take on your life. When you come to us for help, we will walk with you just as you are, so that you know it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling while we work through your symptoms at your own pace. We all experience life in our own way, including our struggles as well as our faith. Our hope is for you to find comfort in the light of Christ, but we realize that each person has their own story, needs, and experience of faith. We are here to ally with you on your journey of healing, while offering real guidance and solutions for depression recovery.

Can Therapy Cure Depression?

Studies show that counseling is very effective for treating depression, and in fact, 16 weeks of depression therapy is effective for 58% of clients, and up to 40% say they are in remission. Those results are for secular counseling; Christian depression counseling offers even better results because it provides healing of the whole person, including the spirit, as well as the mind and body. A little faith in Christ can go a long way towards healing, and we are honored to act as vessels for his love, mercy, and guidance.

Other benefits to Christian Counseling for Depression include:

• Learning how to control negative thoughts and behaviors.
• Find relief from the physical, emotional, and spiritual symptoms of depression.
• Identifying and dealing with the causes of your depression.
• Finding support through faith and proven counseling methods.
• Gaining a safe place to express your emotions, concerns, and hopes for the future.
• Learning how to build better, healthier relationships.
• Offering ways to express your emotions in a healthy, constructive way.

Faith in Christ can work miracles in your life in so many ways. As a faith-based association of Christian counselors, we believe that much can be accomplished through prayer, faith, and bible study. We’ve seen people find recovery for all kinds of struggles, including depression – even those who struggled to find the right treatment in the past. So, can therapy cure depression? We think so, and we are grateful for being able to see the work of the Lord first-hand, time and time again.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

At Bellevue Christian Counseling, helping people heal and offering support in their time of need is what we’re about. With faith in Christ as the foundation, our tools for recovery include various forms of therapy, support groups, exercise, nutrition, and anti-depressants when necessary. Through depression counseling, you will learn how to understand things that trigger and fuel your depression, so you gain more control over your moods and behavior.

Some things to expect in Christian depression counseling includes:

• A safe, compassionate place to share your story and better know and connect with yourself, others, and with God.
• Faith-based tools for recovery so you have everything at your disposal for lasting, positive change.
• Skilled, dedicated professionals who will work for you and with you towards reaching your goals for depression recovery.
• Client-centered treatment methods that always put your needs and values first.

How is Depression Treated?

Depression treatment varies depending on the type of depression, severity of symptoms, and the personal goals of the client. Our faith-based Christian depression counselors combine prayer, bible study, and faith in Christ with proven counseling methods such as:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – CBT helps you understand and manage negative thoughts and behaviors by gaining insight into how thought, emotions, and actions might contribute to your depression. From there, the counselor will help you replace negative, sometimes unrealistic ideas with positive, healthy ones.
• Interpersonal Psychotherapy – IPT focuses on depression and your relationships, taking a look at conflict and how you relate to those around you, including family, friends, and romantic partners.
• Psychodynamic Therapy – This form of therapy seeks to discover the underlying cause of your depression by learning about issues in your past and within your relationships. The goal is to help you let go of self-blame or shame while helping you understand your struggles so you can move forward towards a new, healthy life.

Don’t let depression become a normal way of life that you feel trapped in. We offer a way out – solutions for finding freedom from the heavy bonds of depression, so you can live a life made whole and new in Christ. Our dedicated depression counselors will help you succeed, even beyond what you think is possible.

Are you ready to build a new life? Contact us today to schedule your risk-free initial session*.

To learn more about Christian counseling for depression or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 425-939-6856 or Contact us Online.