You don't feel motivated anymore.
Things that once brought you joy are now a chore.
Life shouldn't be this hard, right?
You may wonder if everyone feels this way.​​

Depressive and anxious energy lives in all of us.

We are all born with a particular nervous system that leans towards one or the other.  A healthy nervous system moves in and out of a sense of safety. In and out of being focused and motivated. And, our energy rises and falls.  This helps us do what we need to do to not only survive but to thrive.  Life experiences can lead us to have an episode(s) of depression and anxiety that leaves us stuck in a depressed zone or anxious zone.

Where does your anxiety and depression live?

Depression Zone

• low energy, sadness, crying spells, tired
• irritability
• unmotivated
• difficulty concentrating
• negative self talk
• thinking what's the point
• isolation
• feeling of emptiness
• numbness
• changes in eating and sleeping
• binge watching to escape
• suicidal thoughts
• self harm to feel something
• shallow breathing
• freeze response 
• dorsal vagal response where shut down
• addiction to feel something
• eating disorder to numb out and disconnect
• loss of meaning and purpose
• loss of interest in activities
• think I am not good enough, not worthy
• black and white thinking
• thinking the world is not safe
• focusing on losses we haven't gotten over; the way things used to be; the job or relationship we used to have
• focus on the past and our regrets
• unresolved grief​

Anxious Zone

• restless energy
• agitation
• hard to stop working or moving
• difficulty concentrating
• "what if" thoughts
• racing thoughts, catastrophic thinking
• pushing people away or holding on too tight to people
• feeling too much
• obsessing/ruminating
• changes in eating and sleeping
• binge watching to escape
• suicidal thoughts
• self harm to calm down or feel less
• panic attacks (heart racing, sweaty palms, heaving breathing, dizziness, feel like having heart attack)
• fight or flight sympathetic response
• addiction to help calm down
• eating disorder to find some control and try to feel better
• if I stop then I think and I don't want to think
• compulsive behaviors
• always have to be doing something to feel worthy
• black and white thinking
• thinking the world is not safe
• worrying about social interactions, general worries, worries about taking tests, giving a presentation
• focus on the future and thinking one won't be able to cope
• difficulty living with uncertainty especially during pandemic

What can cause depression and anxiety?

There are many things in our lives that can cause an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms. Right now, we are all dealing with increased mental health problems due to the realities of the world. Coronavirus, COVID-19, is just one of the many factors that are triggering more anxiety and depression right now. However, we know that this is not the only thing you might be dealing with. 

Watch video from our clinician Emily Suzuki about grief.

Anti-Racism and Oppression

​As a nation, we are also seeing the effects of microaggressions, generational trauma and oppression. These can result from racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, discrimination based on ability, religion, and/or body size. Of course, these issues are not new and cannot be watered down to a simple paragraph. We have a dedicated page for Anti-Racism issues that we would love for you to visit to learn more.
​

More Common Triggers for Anxiety and Depression

• Life transitions (birth, loss of job, loss of relationship, marriage, divorce, move, retirement)
• Trauma
• Pregnancy and postpartum
• Transition to college or graduate school
• Grief and Death
• Overworking
• Health issues
• Isolation or rejection
• Sudden and unexpected stressful changes
• Poor self-image
• Unresolved childhood issues
• Difficulty adapting to change
• Internal and external resources aren't enough for stressors in our life
• Burnout and vicarious trauma

There is hope for a better life, free from anxiety and depression.

Therapy for anxiety can help you physically, mentally, and emotionally. In anxiety therapy and depression treatment, you will learn more about yourself and your body. Perhaps, you'll start developing curiosity about your nervous system. How it works and, how your environment influences how you feel. Maybe even starting to believe you are not broken and there is a path to health. 

Neuroplasticity says that what we do more of becomes a habit. Many of our approaches to anxiety treatment and depression therapy can help build positive habits. These can include mindfulness counseling, CBT for insomnia, DBT for trauma and more. What is your natural set point in terms of happiness and energy? In therapy for depression, we create room for the rewiring of our nervous system. Perhaps, we can even learn to accept life as it is, instead of how we expect it should be.  ​

Therapy for depression and anxiety treatment can help you ask the right questions:

• When should I observe my thoughts like clouds floating in the sky and when should I challenge them?
• When should I reach out for help and when should I work on things on my own?
• What kind of resources can I learn to help myself feel better? ​

How does mindfulness help with working through depression and anxiety?

If I am anxious, I can focus on my exhale to calm my nervous system.  Taking a longer exhale than inhale. If I am depressed I can focus on the inhale of my breath.  Stirring up energy that gets stuck. With the guidance you get in anxiety treatment, you can start working on sleep hygiene. Then, incorporating parts of a healthy mind platter into daily life. Finally, begin to identify all the things you cannot control and the few things you can. Usually, our reactions to the internal and external world.

What Can I Do Right Now to Feel Less Anxious and Depressed?

You do not have to do this alone. We are here to help you. But, we know that you might need some tools to start using immediately. Here are a few of our top suggestions for dealing with anxiety and depression:
​

1. Take a look at healthy mind platter and see what is missing from your daily life and what you can start including
2. Be extra kind and gentle with yourself during this time while slowly pushing yourself to do things differently
3. Check out some guided meditations
4. Read about some different approaches to anxiety treatment and depression therapy.​

CALL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COUNSELING

Begin Therapy for Depression and Anxiety Treatment in Ewing, NJ

Your life doesn't have to be ruled by chronic anxiety and depression. Counseling can help you feel more joyful and positive about your life. Our Ewing, NJ counseling clinic has skilled and compassionate therapists for anxiety treatment and depression therapy. We can also help you anywhere in the state with online therapy in New Jersey. To start your journey to a life free from chronic depression and anxiety, follow these simple steps:
​

1. ​Contact Mindful and Multicultural Counseling to set up an appointment.
2. Meet with one of our caring mental health professionals.
3. Feel more grounded and confident about your future.

Other Therapy Services in Mercer County, NJ

We are committed to helping you on your healing journey. From our Ewing, NJ Counseling Center, and through online therapy in New Jersey, we help you as a whole person. We use counseling methods that work, including Dialectial Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques and mindfulness. Our caring, professional therapists will help with addictions, eating disorders, pregnancy counseling and postpartum therapy, life transitions, general wellness enhancement, grief, and mindfulness and yoga practice. We hope to connect with you soon!