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.

Exercise Is Not Just For The Body Anymore

Posted on by helpingsoul

boost brain function with exerciseThe benefits of exercise are mind-blowing.  They can range from increasing memory not only for your muscles but also for your brain and all in between.  Get inspired to start moving by reading the many ways working out can improve mental well-being, relationships, and an overall happier and healthier life.

1.  Adapt easier to change

Once you begin a routine of exercise the benefits are reaped even after a break.  Thirty minutes of endurance or strength training 3 times a week affects muscles on the cellular level first before any physiological results are seen.  Thus after exercise is stopped and muscles begin to atrophy, the cellular level memory remains intact and can remember previous learned motor sensory to achieve faster results upon onset of exercise again.

2.  Reduce stress

A brisk walk or weight lifting stimulates the central nervous system and increases the neurotransmitters including dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine which our body releases to adapt more efficiently to stress.  The intense concentration for coordinated exercise such as dance, tennis or rowing precipitates a type of distraction that may reduce anxiety even further.

3.  Relieve depression

Exercise is like taking a happy pill.  It’s a form of mediation which facilitates an altered state of consciousness.  Playing tag can reignite that inner child and boost mood.  Press that fun button and get that body moving again.

4.  Increase self-confidence and body image

Physical activity gives a sense of mastery and control.   Seeing results of your hard work gives a sense of gratification.  Not only are the improvements seen in your body but also running that mile faster or lifting more weight than before.

5.  Inspire others

Exercising with a buddy is an instant motivator.  You are more apt to exercise because your partner is there waiting.  They hold you accountable for your actions and vice versa.  Not only are you encouraged to show up but when you are running side by side, you are more apt to push just a little harder.  There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition.

6.  Make new friends

There’s no better way to make new friends than at a pick-up game of soccer, a group class at the gym, or joining a running club.  Exercise is just more fun with someone else.

7.  Anti-aging

Working out can help prevent telomeres from shortening. Telomeres are like the plastic protector at the end of your shoe laces but for your chromosomes.  Telomeres protect genetic data and determine how we age and get cancer.  When we age, cells divide and telomeres shorten.  Overtime, telomeres reach a point where they can no longer divide and become inactive.  This process is associated with aging, cancer, and a shortened lifespan.    Research shows that aerobic exercise can help delay shortening of telomeres and add years to your life.  So go ahead and take those stairs instead of the elevator knowing you are doing your body and cells good.

8.  Decrease onset of Alzheimer’s

Staying physically active maintains good blood flow to the brain and supports new brain cells.  Research shows regular exercise such as tai chi, yoga, even gardening can increase blood flow to the brain which reduces brain cell loss.  Exercise also stimulates mental activity especially when done with a partner.  The social interaction and decision-making process of planning your route or coordination of a good game of softball provide added brain benefits.

9.  Improve learning

Researchers who published a study in the 2011 Archives of Internal Medicine determined that even mild exercise improves cognitive functioning compared to folks who did not exercise.  Learning a new sport or activity like ballroom dancing can increase the amount of gray matter in your occipital lobe, the area of the brain associated with visual memory.  A 2004 Nature article stated that those who learned how to juggle increased the amount of gray matter but when they stopped the new gray matter vanished.  So learn a new move, improve your learning and memory and keep practicing!

The positive effects of physical activity out way any negative, self-sabotaging excuses.  Exercise doesn’t have to be at the gym to be beneficial.   All you have to do is access that inner child and get that body moving again.  You might just lose a few pounds and gain improved relationships, memory, and confidence.