4 Tips to Help You Benefit From Depression Counseling
1. Learn to recognize and record your emotions.
Emotions (or feelings) are usually one-word descriptions such as sad, hopeless, helpless, defeated, or worthless. Do you draw a blank when trying to write them down? You might have learned to block out recognizing them due to pain or being afraid of these feelings. It is often helpful, too to record thoughts you are having.
2. Spend time attempting to accomplish assignments your therapist might give you even though you feel helpless to accomplish them.
For example, if asked to keep a record of your emotions and you draw a blank there are good reasons this is difficult and don’t give up. Many people lack confidence when depressed! You are not alone. If you feel unable to do something that might eventually help you. This information about your difficulty can be very helpful to me to help you no matter what happens.
3. Know that worry about keeping your thoughts and feelings secret from others is common.
You might have strong fears about others finding out about your depressive thoughts, even people close to you. I have worked with lots of people who avoided counseling for a long time because they felt ashamed or afraid of others finding out what was going on inside. Rest assumed that your information will be kept in strict confidence.
4. Even if you don’t have a clear idea how counseling might help, come in or talk to me on the phone.
Patients have told me that when someone referred them to me they didn’t know how depression treatment might help but soon learned that it could help. You might feel as if you are in a fog at this moment but things will clear up.
