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If you look over
all the pages on my website you'll see a
common theme: Self-compassion.
Nowhere is self-compassion more important
or more difficult to cultivate than with
depression. Depression can be the
loneliest of feelings.
Structure can
help alleviate depression. Getting regular
exercise has been shown to be superior to
medications and psychotherapy in some
depression studies. Eating well is equally
important. Food fuels our mood. Sometimes
anxiety contributes to depression.
Learning to find and trust your center of
being through calming the mind is
instrumental. And, I know, beginning these
can just feel too overwhelming.
With depression,
one place to consider starting is with
intention. Having an intention for
yourself. Finding that place within you,
no matter how remote, that desires
comfort, peace and love for you. Perhaps
it's helpful to consider anyone who also
desires these for you. Maybe it's a
current or childhood pet, a family member
or a friend. What loving intentions do
they have for you?
What's important,
especially with depression, is to begin,
even in the smallest way, to generate
intention for you. This is not "mind over
matter" or "positive thinking". There's
also no blame here. Intention is like the
needle on a compass. The needle points in
a specific direction to remind you where
you'd like to go. This doesn't guarantee
when or how you'll get there but it can
generate hope to have an intentional
direction to return to.
Intention
inspires hope. "May I be comforted. May I
be at peace. May I be loved." Perhaps you
might try this phrase on for size. Say it
aloud and experience how it feels. "May I
be comforted. May I be at peace. May I be
loved." This is the beginning of
self-compassion; the antidote for
depression. Just having some small
intention, without self-judgement, for
your unique life to improve is enough
right now.
My counseling
method for depression structures a
foundation of self-compassion.
Like any strong foundation self-compassion
contributes to the strength of what's
built on top. We can return to a strong
foundation over and over again. Returning:
That's structure in a nutshell. Returning
to ourselves. Returning to our experience.
Returning to our deepest aspirations to be
safe, to be loving and to be
loved.
Please call me
with any questions you have about
counseling for depression at
503-252-3739.
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