Depression Therapist in New York & California

Depression can quietly pull you away from yourself—altering how you think, feel, and move through the world. For many, it is difficult to put into words, even from the inside. What may be visible on the outside rarely captures the weight, numbness, or exhaustion experienced internally. If you are exploring this page, you may be sensing that something has shifted, or that familiar ways of coping are no longer working. The information below is intended to offer clarity and support as you consider whether depression therapy in New York or California feels like a helpful next step toward relief and healing.

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What Is Depression?

Depression is a complex and deeply personal experience that can affect how you think, feel, and engage with daily life. It often extends beyond sadness alone, shaping emotional, physical, cognitive, and relational well-being in ways that can feel difficult to articulate—even to yourself. Many people describe depression as a sense of heaviness, numbness, or disconnection, rather than a single identifiable emotion.

At times, it can become challenging to distinguish between natural responses to life—such as grief, loss, loneliness, or disappointment—and depressive patterns that feel more pervasive or unrelenting. What may begin subtly can deepen over time, creating a sense of moving through life on autopilot or feeling distant from parts of yourself that once felt familiar. Everyday tasks—work, relationships, personal care, or decision-making—may begin to require an inordinate amount of effort.

Depression can show up differently from one person to the next. For some, it presents as persistent sadness or emotional pain; for others, as emotional numbness, fatigue, low motivation, or a loss of interest or pleasure in things that once mattered. It may include negative thinking patterns, self-criticism, irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep disruption, or a gradual withdrawal from social connection. Depression frequently co-occurs with anxiety, creating an internal experience that feels both heavy and restless at the same time.

One of depression’s most challenging qualities is how fully it can blur the line between the condition and the self. It can begin to feel as though this state is who you are, rather than something you are experiencing. Therapy helps restore that distinction—supporting you in understanding depression as a meaningful response to internal and external circumstances, rather than a fixed identity or permanent reality.

From a holistic, somatic, and psychodynamic perspective, depression is approached with curiosity rather than judgment. It is understood as having context—often shaped by emotional history, relational experiences, nervous system responses, and unprocessed loss or stress. Through therapy, we work to gently explore these layers, reduce the weight of depressive patterns, and create space for reconnection, movement, and a renewed sense of self.

Depression Therapy Support

Support for persistent sadness, emotional numbness, low motivation, fatigue, burnout, loss of interest or pleasure, negative thinking patterns, and depression that co-occurs with anxiety. Depression therapy can help identify the emotional, relational, and nervous system dynamics that contribute to depressive patterns—while supporting reconnection, internal movement, and a greater sense of engagement with life.

Special Focus Areas

While depression is always personal, certain patterns commonly emerge. Therapy may be helpful if you experience:

Ongoing feelings of heaviness, emptiness, or emotional pain that linger beyond specific circumstances and affect daily life.

A sense of disconnection from emotions, relationships, or experiences—often described as feeling flat, distant, or shut down.

Difficulty initiating tasks, low energy, or a sense of exhaustion that is not relieved by rest and makes everyday responsibilities feel overwhelming.

Emotional, mental, and physical depletion—often linked to chronic stress, over-functioning, or prolonged pressure without adequate recovery.

Diminished enjoyment or engagement in activities, relationships, or pursuits that once felt meaningful or fulfilling.

Persistent self-criticism, hopelessness, or a harsh internal narrative that shapes how you see yourself and your future.

Increased frustration, sensitivity, or agitation that may feel out of proportion or unfamiliar.

Pulling back from relationships, communication, or social engagement—often as a way of conserving energy or avoiding emotional strain.

Trouble focusing, making decisions, or sustaining attention, sometimes described as mental fog or slowed thinking.

Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much—often contributing to low mood, fatigue, and reduced resilience.

An internal experience marked by both heaviness and restlessness, where depressive symptoms and anxiety interact and reinforce one another.
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“What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now” (Buddha)

A Holistic, Somatic, and Psychodynamic Approach

Depression does not exist only in thoughts—it lives in the body, nervous system, and emotional history. My approach to depression therapy is holistic, somatic, and psychodynamic, meaning we explore how emotional experiences, past relationships, and physiological responses interact to shape your present-day experience of depression.

Rather than attempting to push depression away or override it with positivity, therapy focuses on understanding its role, listening to what it communicates, and gently shifting the patterns that allow it to persist. This may include supporting nervous system regulation, increasing emotional awareness, addressing unconscious dynamics, and restoring a sense of internal connection and flexibility.

Therapy is collaborative and paced with care. Your experience guides the process, and together we work toward helping depression loosen its grip—so you can feel more present, engaged, and connected in your life.

Depression Therapy in New York & California

I offer depression therapy for adults in New York and California. Whether depression shows up as persistent sadness, emotional numbness, burnout, low motivation, negative self-concept, or alongside anxiety, therapy can provide support tailored to your experience.

Begin Depression Therapy

If depression is impacting your quality of life, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Therapy offers a space to explore what you’re experiencing with steadiness, curiosity, and care. To get started, schedule a consultation or reach out to learn more about depression therapy in New York or California.

Your Depression Therapy Experience

Depression therapy is a focused, collaborative process shaped around your internal experience. Sessions are guided by how depression shows up emotionally, physically, and relationally, and by what feels most supportive at each stage of the work. Together, we slow things down to better understand the patterns sustaining depression and create space for movement and change.

Our work often explores the emotional, relational, and somatic dimensions of depression—helping it feel less heavy and more workable over time. The aim is not to eliminate depression entirely, but to reduce its hold so you can engage with your life with greater presence, clarity, and self-connection.

  • Sessions are 45 minutes, typically held once weekly.
  • Some individuals engage in shorter-term work, often three to six months, when focusing on a specific depressive episode or life transition.
  • Others choose longer-term therapy to explore deeper emotional patterns and nervous system responses, continuing for as long as the work remains meaningful.
  • The pace and duration of therapy are always guided by your needs.

How Care Is Shaped

Effective depression therapy depends on a sense of emotional safety and attunement. In my private practice, care is tailored to the individual rather than driven by a standardized protocol. Attention is given to both depressive symptoms and the underlying emotional and relational contexts in which they developed. Our work together is shaped by:

  • Your specific depressive patterns and internal experience
  • How depression is held somatically and physiologically
  • Your emotional history and relational dynamics
  • Your temperament, communication style, and pacing needs
  • A thoughtful integration of somatic awareness and psychodynamic exploration

The therapeutic relationship itself is central. Creating a space where you feel sufficiently supported to explore, reflect, and gently shift long-standing patterns is an essential part of the process.

Support Between Sessions

Therapy is the primary space for working with depression, though some people benefit from gentle, supportive practices between sessions. These are not intended to manage or override depression, but to offer moments of grounding and support within daily life. Supportive practices may include:

  • Mindfulness or body-based practices focused on present-moment awareness
  • Gentle movement, such as yoga, approached without performance pressure
  • Time in nature to support nervous system settling
  • Slow, conscious breathing with an emphasis on extended exhalation
  • Nourishing movement, rest, and nutrition approached with consistency rather than rigidity

These practices are optional and explored with care. The intention is not to add more to your plate, but to support a sense of internal steadiness, reconnection, and ease.

FAQs About Despression

There are several manifestations of depression, and lack of enthusiasm or joy is a major one. Over time, these hobbies and social interactions that used to make your life enjoyable become seemingly pointless and tedious. Just remember that these negative consequences of depression are treatable and the things that once brought you joy, can again.

Depression and healthy reactions to negative events in life do tread a fine line. There has been much debate within the psychological community as to when a period of grief/sadness becomes a depressive episode. It all boils down to your personal experience, history, and the extent of the effect these negative emotions are having on your life.

Depression takes many forms and can be classified within and exist amongst several mental health issues, such as postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, and so on. Depression can be a symptom of another issue, exist as the main struggle, and even come periodically throughout different stages of life. It’s best to speak to a certified therapist to determine where your depressive mood lies within this spectrum and myriad of possibilities.

There are absolutely natural and holistic methods of treatment. Our practice specializes in integrative therapy, in which western and eastern psychological philosophies come together in the most effective way for you. Some examples include lifestyle changes, meditation, reiki, yoga, guided visualization, CBT, talk therapy, breathing techniques, and many more.

This is a tough question to answer without having spoken with you, but it’s important to note that the why shouldn’t be the main reason for seeking treatment. The why will help us address the present symptoms, but the mood and emotional fluctuations you’re having are what should drive you to seek help. All else will be found along the way.

We are beings that exist one with nature, and our bodies react as such. Your circadian rhythms, which are your internal fluctuations of waking and rising and other autonomic responses, are based on the sun’s cycles. Light from the sun also provides you with Vitamin D, which is linked with mood stabilization. It makes sense then that Seasonal Affective Disorder not only exists but remains prevalent throughout society.