Effective Ways to Cope with Depression

Posted on by helpingsoul

“It’s something many people live with every day — quietly. In this post, we’ll talk about what depression can feel like and how therapy can help get back on your feet.”

Understanding Depression

Depression comes in many forms and is exhibited in different ways.

For some, it shows externally. It becomes difficult to get out of bed, shower, or join in daily activities. Motivation decreases. Energy feels depleted.

For others, depression is internal. They feel heavy. They dissociate. They feel numb. They isolate. They stay quiet. They continue functioning and may appear “fine” on the outside. They go to work. They care for their families. They smile when needed. Everything is exhausting — they just hide it well.

Depression does not look the same for everyone.

Ways to Support Yourself Through Depression

While deeper healing often requires support, there are small, powerful ways to start shifting the heaviness.

1. Movement

When the body feels heavy, gentle movement can help interrupt the stagnation. Go for a walk. Take a yoga class. Lift weights. Run. Stretch.

You may not want to move — and that’s part of depression — but once you begin, even five minutes can create a noticeable shift. Movement increases circulation, releases endorphins, and reminds the body it is not stuck.

Start small. Momentum builds.

2. Nature

When we’re knee-deep in sadness, nature pulls us out of rumination and back into perspective.

Walk through tree-lined pathways. Sit near the ocean. Stand in an open field. Listen to a babbling brook. Even desert mountains hold a quiet majesty.

Nature gently reminds us we are part of something larger. Its beauty regulates the nervous system and helps calm an overactive mind.

3. Call an Empathetic Friend

Isolation intensifies depression.

Making the effort to call a trusted friend — someone who can truly listen — can soften the weight. Naming what you are feeling reduces its intensity. Being heard normalizes your experience.

You do not have to carry it alone.

4. Write Your Thoughts

Journaling externalizes what feels trapped inside.

Writing creates space between you and your thoughts. It lets you step into the role of compassionate observer rather than harsh critic.

You might ask yourself:

  • What event, memory, or experience brought on this sadness?
  • Is this one event or a culmination of many?
  • What are my feelings trying to tell me?
  • Have I felt this way before?
  • What does this remind me of from my past?
  • What does my hurt need right now?

Through reflection, you start building a relationship with yourself. You can learn to become your own best friend, confidant, and loving parent.

5. Listen to Uplifting Music

Turn on music that lifts your mood. Increase the volume. Sing along. Move your body. Shake. Dance.

Singing has been shown to lower cortisol and release endorphins. It improves oxygenation, circulation, and lung capacity. It relaxes the body and naturally boosts mood.

It doesn’t matter where you sing — in your car, in the shower, in your kitchen. Let your body feel sound.

6. Give Yourself Permission to Cry

Crying is a healthy, natural response to sadness and grief.

Set a timer if you need structure. Give yourself permission to fully feel. Tears release stress hormones, and the body produces endorphins and oxytocin while crying — natural chemicals that soothe pain.

Sometimes relief comes not from pushing emotion away, but from allowing it to move through.

When to Seek Professional Support

There are many ways to alleviate symptoms of depression, and these are just a few starting points.

All emotions move — they rise and fall. However, there are times when depression lingers. It may be hereditary. It may stem from complex trauma. It may be connected to feeling trapped or overwhelmed by life circumstances.

When the heaviness persists or feels unmanageable, seeking professional help is wise.

Therapy offers a safe space to express what is on your mind. Your experiences are met with empathy and understanding. Together, you can learn tools to cope, uncover deeper patterns, and begin meaningful healing with the support of a trained professional.

You do not have to navigate depression alone.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #96155) providing online therapy in California and Florida. I work with individuals and couples navigating anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, and life transitions. My goal is to offer a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore destructive beliefs, heal childhood wounds, and build a healthier relationship with yourself and others.

My integrative approach blends mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and compassionate insight to support meaningful and lasting change.

If you feel ready to begin, you’re welcome to contact me in the comments section. I respond within 48 hours.

Meditation

Posted on by helpingsoul

what-is-meditationMeditation is concentration of the mind on one or more things, in order to aid mental or spiritual development, contemplation, or relaxation (Encarta Dictionary: English (North America, 2012).

The benefit of meditation is profound. Meditation can significantly decrease blood pressure and muscle tension (Amen, D. 1998). It can increase flexibility, creativity, focus, and attention span (Colzato, L. S., Ozturk, A. & Hommel, B., 2012).

There are several types of meditation with each providing different benefits. The first is Focused Attention (FA) meditation. It is thought regulation, monitoring, and focus of attention on a chosen object. An example of FA mediation is the sensation of one’s own breathing, at the expense of all other internal and external sensations. This type of mediation helps improve the ability to focus and retain concentration.

The steps to FA are focus, breathe, relax, and count.

1. Focus on one spot, object, or sensation.
2. Breathe slowly and deeply.
3. Relax and progressively release muscle tension.
4. Count from 1 to 10 and then 10 to 1 as you continue your attention on your breathe, good thoughts coming in, bad thoughts exiting out, and relaxing your muscles.

For a detailed example of FA mediation exercise read, “Self-Soothing, A Technique for Coping During Times of Stress and Anxiety.” It takes less than ten minutes to complete.

Open Monitoring (OM) meditation is mind-wandering. It is opening your mind to all emerging thoughts, feelings, and sensations. This type of meditation allows for all internal and external sensations to be experienced with the same openness, without focusing on specific objects or sensations. After practicing OM mediation the mind is more free and flexible to access new ideas. Recent studies show that it can actually benefit your thinking and creativity. You can make better plans for yourself and solve problems with increased diversity and creativity. So letting your mind drift far and wide isn’t bad for our daily performance, in fact it can actually enhance our lives (Mooneyham, B. W., & Schooler, J. W., 2013).

Visual Imagery is creating a relaxing experience during a stressful event or visualizing details of successfully maneuvering through a race or athletic event, or imagining presenting confidently in front of a large audience. For example, if you have a fear of riding in an elevator. You can free yourself of the anxiety by exposing yourself slowly and using your imagination to experience a calming and relaxing place. It can be the beach, the mountains, or any haven that brings you a sense of serenity. When creating your safe haven, imagine it with all your senses. For instance, create an imagery and sensation of the sand between your bare toes, the smell of the salty, warm air, taste the salt on your tongue, hear the children play, watch the waves crash along the shore, and sand castles playfully being built.

Visualization is helpful for competitive athletes, creating, clear career goals, or resolving stressful situations. Set your goal, create a clear idea or image, focus on the event daily, and affirm it with positive thoughts.

Using all three types of meditation can be extremely useful in many aspects of your life. I would love to hear how you use mediation in your life.

Sources

Amen, Daniel, M.D. (1998). Change Your Brain Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger, and Impulsiveness. Three Rivers Press. New York, New York.

Colzato, L. S., Ozturk, A. and Hommel, B. (2012). Meditate to create: the impact of focused-attention and open-monitoring training on convergent and divergent thinking. Frontiers in Psychology 3:116. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00116

Gawain, Shakti (2002). Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life. Nataraj Publishing. Novato, California.

Mooneyham, B. W., & Schooler, J. W. (2013). The costs and benefits of mind-wandering: A review. Canadian Journal Of Experimental Psychology/Revue Canadienne De Psychologie Expérimentale, 67(1), 11-18. doi:10.1037/a0031569

Emmanuel Jal: The Music of a War Child | TED Video.com

Posted on by helpingsoul