Connie Martin Ph.D.


Psychotherapy for Individuals & Couples

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my services

Depression/Sadness/Grief/Bereavement

Feelings of sadness or the “blues” are part of our everyday emotional life and are normal reactions to loss, stressful events, and life transitions.  However, if you are experiencing depressed feelings or sadness that last longer than a few weeks, therapy may be the key to helping you feel better.

Symptoms of Depression:

  • Depressed mood
  • Lack of interest in activities
  • Reduced enjoyment of activities
  • Sleeplessness or hypersomnia
  • Poor concentration and indecisiveness
  • Suicidal thoughts or gestures
  • Unresolved grief issues
  • Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or inappropriate guilt
  • Loss of appetite
  • Agitation or sluggishness
  • Lack of energy
  • Social withdrawal
  • Low self-esteem 
  • Mood-related hallucinations/delusions

Symptoms of Grief/Bereavement

  • Thoughts dominated by loss—resulting in poor concentration, tearfulness, and uncertainty about the future
  • Serial losses in life – divorce, death, job change, or loss that led to depression and discouragement
  • Strong emotional response when losses are discussed
  • Lack of appetite, weight loss, and/or insomnia since the loss
  • Feelings of guilt that not enough was done for the person who passed away
  • Avoidance of talking about the loss in a meaningful way
  • Limited support network

Therapy can help you:

  • Improve your mood and lessen the frequency and duration of sad feelings
  • Recognize, accept, and cope with your feelings of depression
  • Develop healthy thinking patterns and positive self-talk to lessen and/or prevent depressive symptoms
  • Foster healthy relationships to get support and nurture connectedness
  • Begin a healthy grieving process around the loss
  • Resolve the loss and renew and/or establish new connections

getting started

Choosing a Therapist

Choosing a therapist can feel overwhelming and confusing. It is important that you feel comfortable with your therapist so that you are able to share your concerns. A good therapist will be supportive while you process your concerns, will encourage you to make changes that you want, and will challenge you to try new behaviors and think differently. You can achieve significant improvements in your life as a result of a good working relationship with your therapist.

 

Therapy Sessions

In the first meeting you and I will discuss your specific concerns. You will be asked to review the problem area and you may be asked to fill out some questionnaires. You can ask me questions about the therapy process. At the end of the session, we will discuss a plan for future meetings,

Therapy sessions cover your personal history, current coping skills, the development of new skills, and the assessment of progress toward your goals. A session typically lasts 50 minutes and initially, weekly sessions are best.