Our office will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of Labor Day. We will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Our office will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of Labor Day. We will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Depression is more than feeling sad. Learn how this common mental health condition affects mood, energy, relationships, and daily life — and how compassionate, evidence-based care can bring relief.
Get help with thoughtful, personalized support.
Depression is a mood disorder marked by persistent sadness and a loss of interest or pleasure in daily life.
It impacts how you feel, think, and function. It can cause irritability, make simple tasks harder, and slow concentration and decision-making. Depression can also disrupt sleep, energy, appetite, and strain relationships.
For anyone who’s ever wondered, “Why does depression make my body hurt?” it’s often surprising to learn that depression also commonly causes physical pain.
Depression can affect stress hormones, inflammation pathways, and neurotransmitters involved in pain regulation, leading to physical symptoms such as chest discomfort, joint pain, body aches, and gastrointestinal issues.
Depression can be serious and, at times, overwhelming — but it is treatable.
Many people experience significant improvement through responsive, whole-person care. Treatment can include therapy, medication, or a combination of both, helping to reduce symptoms and support a return to a fully engaged life.
Depression affects emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral functioning. Symptoms often overlap and vary in intensity over time.
It may be time to get help if:
• Symptoms appear most days for two weeks or longer.
• Work, school, relationships, or daily responsibilities become hard to manage.
• You withdraw from people or activities you previously valued.
• Routine tasks feel consistently difficult to start or complete.
• Sleep, appetite, or energy changes persist without improvement.
• Alcohol or substance use increases as a way of coping.
• You feel hopeless, stuck, or unsure how to change what’s happening.
You have thoughts of harming yourself or feel that life is not worth living. If so, reach out for support today by calling or texting 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 in the U.S. You can also use the Lifeline chat. Services are free and confidential.
Brain chemistry, genetics, hormones, and sleep habits can contribute to depression. Neurotransmitters involved in mood, motivation, and reward — including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine — influence how symptoms develop and endure. Depression can also run in families, reflecting inherited patterns in mood regulation. Hormonal shifts, chronic medical conditions, certain medications, and substance use can further affect risk or severity.
Depression often develops under sustained stress. Major life changes (even positive ones), grief, illness, relationship difficulties, financial strain, social isolation, or prolonged pressure can contribute to onset or worsen existing symptoms. Early adverse experiences, such as childhood trauma or neglect, may also increase risk later in life.
Patterns of thinking, emotional processing, and coping shape how depression takes hold and continues. Ongoing self-criticism, perfectionism, low self-esteem, difficulty experiencing pleasure, or rigid thinking can intensify symptoms over time. Unresolved loss or trauma may also play a role, especially when usual coping strategies are ineffective.
Depression treatment works best when it’s personalized, collaborative, and grounded in science. Our clinicians design care around your unique biology, experiences, circumstances, and goals, with flexibility as your needs evolve.
How it works:
Connect with our team to ask questions, share your experiences, and explore care options. We’ll match you with a licensed clinician whose expertise and approach align with your needs.
Schedule an initial appointment to begin a thoughtful, collaborative evaluation. Your clinician will listen closely to your experiences, learn about your symptoms and history, and use evidence-based tools to better understand what’s going on. This process ensures recommendations are tailored to you.
Start your care journey. Treatment can include specialized therapy for depression, medication, or a combination of both. Clinicians may use approaches such as supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance-based strategies, or other therapeutic frameworks to address depressive patterns and strengthen coping skills.
When considering medication for depression, options such as SSRIs, SNRIs, or other antidepressants are carefully discussed and monitored over time. For those with severe or treatment-resistant depression, additional interventions may be incorporated.
Lifestyle factors such as sleep, physical activity, substance use, and social support play a meaningful role and are typically addressed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Connect with our team to ask questions, share your experiences, and explore care options. We’ll match you with a licensed clinician whose expertise and approach align with your needs.
Schedule an initial appointment to begin a thoughtful, collaborative evaluation. Your clinician will listen closely to your experiences, learn about your symptoms and history, and use evidence-based tools to better understand what’s going on. This process ensures recommendations are tailored to you.
Start your care journey. Treatment can include specialized therapy for depression, medication, or a combination of both. Clinicians may use approaches such as supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance-based strategies, or other therapeutic frameworks to address depressive patterns and strengthen coping skills.
When considering medication for depression, options such as SSRIs, SNRIs, or other antidepressants are carefully discussed and monitored over time. For those with severe or treatment-resistant depression, additional interventions may be incorporated.
Lifestyle factors such as sleep, physical activity, substance use, and social support play a meaningful role and are typically addressed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
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