DEPRESSION IS A COMMON DIAGNOSIS
Depression is the leading cause of disability in the US for ages 15 to 44 and affects 16.1 million Americans each year. You are not alone if you feel sluggish, sad, unmotivated, or unconnected!
Depression affects men, women, and children.
Symptoms of depression in adults often include the following:
- Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies, or sports
- Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
- Tiredness and lack of energy
- Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Anxiety, agitation, or restlessness
- Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or suicide
- Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
Children with depression have similar complaints as adults but may demonstrate them differently as they do not have the same control over their environment.
- Younger children show symptoms of depression, including sadness, irritability, clinginess, worry, aches, pains, refusing to go to school, or being underweight.
- Teens show symptoms including sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive, using recreational drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, loss of interest in everyday activities, and avoidance of social interaction.
THERAPY IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN TREATING DEPRESSION
You don’t have to be depressed. We know a lot about depression and how to relieve it. Our therapists are highly trained and well versed in diagnosing and treating depression. We will listen to your concerns and develop a personalized plan to help you quickly move through your depression and get back to living your best life. Sometimes therapy is enough; however other times, it can be more effective also to use medication to manage your symptoms while you learn new skills in therapy. We will work with your provider or refer you to one we trust and routinely work with if you need medication.
We have professionals who specialize in the treatment of depression. The only thing keeping you from taking back control of your life is that you haven’t contacted us yet. Patients often report that they start to feel better when they make their first appointment.
At Psych Associates Springfield, we offer evidence-based depression therapy including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), interpersonal therapy, and trauma-informed modalities. Our therapists tailor treatment to your specific symptoms—such as sadness, fatigue, sleep issues, or negative thinking—and your unique life circumstances in the Springfield area.
Therapy length depends on the severity of depression, co-occurring issues (such as anxiety or trauma), and your consistency in attending sessions. Many people in Springfield begin to notice small improvements—better sleep, slightly more energy, or fewer negative thoughts—within 4-8 weeks of regular weekly or biweekly sessions. Full recovery or substantial improvement often takes several months of ongoing work.
Yes. Psych Associates offers teletherapy options so that individuals in Springfield, MO and surrounding areas can receive depression therapy virtually. This option helps reduce travel time, improves accessibility, and offers flexibility in scheduling while maintaining confidentiality and therapeutic effectiveness.
Therapy is often most effective when combined with other types of care as needed. In Springfield, there are psychiatric clinics and providers that offer medication management, treatment for resistant depression, and newer modalities like rTMS or esketamine for those who haven’t responded to traditional treatments. Therapy from Psych Associates can work alongside these services, helping you address thought patterns, coping skills, relapse prevention, and overall well-being.
Costs vary depending on therapist credentials, length and frequency of sessions, and whether therapy is in person or virtual. Many therapists in Springfield accept a variety of insurance plans. Clinics like Psych Associates encourage you to verify with your insurance provider whether mental health services, depression therapy, and telehealth sessions are covered in your plan. For those paying out-of-pocket, sliding-scale fees may be available depending on the provider.