What we treat
Depression
Depression doesn’t always look like sadness. Sometimes it’s just a flat, gray feeling that won’t lift. Sometimes it’s a quiet voice telling you you’re a burden. Wherever yours sits, we can help.
You’re not the only one
About one in five adults will go through a depressive episode at some point. That doesn’t make it less real or less painful when it’s happening to you — but it does mean there are well-tested ways to help, and you’re not the first person who’s needed them.
What depression actually feels like
Depression looks different from one person to the next. Some of what we hear:
- “I’m just tired all the time. Sleep doesn’t fix it.”
- “I used to love things and now nothing feels like anything.”
- “My partner says I’m not myself.”
- “I can do my job but it takes everything I have.”
- “I keep thinking everyone would be better off without me.”
If that last one is part of what’s happening for you, please know two things: it’s a symptom, not a truth. And there’s help right now — you can call or text 988 anytime, or go to your nearest emergency department.
How we treat depression
Medication
For most people we start with one of the standard antidepressants — an SSRI or SNRI like sertraline (Zoloft), escitalopram (Lexapro), or venlafaxine (Effexor) — or a different class like bupropion (Wellbutrin) or mirtazapine. We’ll talk through the trade-offs of each one (how fast they work, common side effects, what to watch for) and decide together. We follow up regularly to see what’s helping and adjust as needed.
Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has the strongest evidence for depression. Behavioral activation — small structured changes to what you’re doing each day — is often surprisingly effective. ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is helpful when depression has dragged on for a long time and you’re feeling stuck rather than acutely sad. Most people benefit from medication and therapy together, not one or the other.
When the first thing doesn’t work
About half of people respond to the first antidepressant. If you don’t, it’s not because you didn’t try hard enough — it’s the biology. We’ll talk about adjusting, switching, or adding a second medication. If two antidepressants haven’t been enough, you have what’s clinically called treatment-resistant depression — and there are dedicated, FDA-approved treatments specifically designed for that.
Tracking your progress
At every visit we use a brief 9-question check-in (the PHQ-9). It’s the same one used in research and the same one you might’ve seen at a primary care appointment. It gives both of us a clear picture of whether things are getting better, staying the same, or sliding back.