CHLIDREN AND DEPRESSION
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Depression can look similar for children as it does with adults, but many times it shows up more as irritability, and negativity. Some children may exhibit sadness, while others may just be withdrawn, may avoid challenges or shy away from peers, or get frustrated easily. Children haven't developed the abstract thinking to be able to have the level of insight into their experience that adolescents and adults do, so when they feel overwhelmed, hopeless, worthless, and helpless, they need adults to help them figure out what is going on, how to get help, and how to problem solve the situation. Depression can be caused by lots of different things such as situations (e.g., loss of a loved one, trouble making friends or being bullied, family conflict or divorce), feeling not good enough (e.g., in school, athletics, with peers), or for biological reasons (e.g., medical problems, sleep issues, allergies).
In therapy, we use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Evolving Structural-Strategic Family Therapy (ESSFT) in order to help develop the skills for identifying depressive thinking patterns and change them, and help them turn to parents for support and help parents learn the techniques of the therapist. We might learn how the depression puts them down, how it tells them they're not good enough, and how to talk back to the depression. As the therapist, I help exposure and access thoughts and feelings through talking, through play, and/or art work, then help them to share these thoughts and feelings with parents. I work with parents to help them learn the techniques to draw the kids out, and techniques for listening, creating a space for the kids to share their feelings, and then help support them. When a child can turn to their parent, depression and anxiety significantly decrease. Ultimately, my goal is to help put myself out of a job, and help parents take over there therapy since they're there the whole rest of the week, and not just for 45 minutes.
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SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE:
Click here for a depression screening 
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To make an appointment for an assessment and/or discuss recommendations for treatment, call (415) 686-9544 or email [email protected] I have offices in San Francisco and Corte Madera and provide phone and/or web sessions for clients who can not come to the office.