Depression is often a result of being focused in the past. In depression therapy, we look at the cause of the depression as well as how to move beyond it.

A recent poll, for example, found that 65% of people are spending their free time doing things they’d rather not do. Isn’t that amazing? It’s great if you have created a full and interesting life for yourself, but how frustrating if you don’t have the time to enjoy it!

This is something we often see as therapists - people can experience depression when they live a life they find unfulfilling.

There are challenges and opportunities that come at midlife that we often explore in therapy. But here, you will also have a chance to begin the process of your own midlife assessment with a list of questions presented at the end of the post. We call this assessment the Midlife Checkup.

There are three basic ways to treat depression: psychotherapy, self-help, and medication. Many people respond best to a combination of two or more methods.

Depression is a serious illness, not a harmless part of life. It is a complex disorder with a variety of causes. It is never caused by just one thing. It may be the result of a mix of factors, including genetic, chemical, physical, and sociological. It is also influenced by behavior patterns learned in the family and by cognitive distortions.

If you are thinking about changing your life for the better, one way to start is by identifying your goals. You are probably hoping to find some version of happiness or emotional well-being. That might look like any combination of the following: