Ellen Gray Psychotherapy & Counseling, PLLC

Depression is the most common disorder (although not necessarily the most common complaint) of clients who come to me for services.  This is probably true for any psychotherapist in general practice.  Depression affects a majority of the population when we include people who are touched by the depression of family members or friends.  Depression is somewhat misunderstood in our society.  Some people think it is ordinary sadness, or even extraordinary sadness, but depression is not always characterized by sadness.  Depression is not a weakness of the individual undergoing the depression.  It is not something that people can "snap out of," will away, pray away or necessarily fix on their own.  It is a physiological illness characterized by a defined set of symptoms and sometimes a frightening progressive course if not properly treated.  But, depression is treatable, survivable and vanquishable under the right circumstances.

The first step toward recovery is understanding what one is dealing with without succumbing to popular misinformation and overcoming the predictable conclusions that sufferers reach.  There is  lot of accurate and up-to-date information to help sufferers inform themselves.  This Web MD site is just one example.

"To be broken is no reason to see all things as broken"  -Mark Nepo