At Strides to Solutions, we understand the importance of addressing depression through a therapeutic lens. By distinguishing between therapeutic and depressive views, we can help you recognize and alter thought patterns that contribute to your feelings of depression.
Our therapeutic approach emphasizes actionable steps and concrete outcomes. We focus on the results of your actions rather than just the emotions tied to them. For example, instead of dwelling on feelings of sadness, we encourage you to consider how engaging in activities, such as spending time with our therapy animals, can improve your mood. We believe depression is not your identity but a series of behaviors that can change with the right support.
We help you strategize for success by developing plans that ensure tasks are completed successfully, providing you with a sense of reward. It's essential to make distinctions between the past and present, and between varying degrees of negative experiences. Recognizing that not all bad experiences are the same can help you cope better.
Our approach includes thinking in concrete, specific details rather than broad, undefined concepts, helping you create actionable plans. We guide you in visualizing goals and understanding your personal values, combating feelings of aimlessness. Learning to tolerate distress without avoidance builds resilience and reduces the immediate impulse to escape difficult feelings.
In contrast, the depressive view tends to be more abstract and emotion-focused. This perspective often involves a heavy focus on emotions without linking them to actions or outcomes, leading to a cycle of feeling stuck without clear solutions. Viewing depression as an integral part of your identity makes it harder to see it as something that can change.
A pervasive sense of hopelessness, where no actions seem to bring pleasure or success, can lead to giving up on efforts to improve situations. There is a tendency to see all negative experiences as equally bad, which can exacerbate feelings of helplessness. Broad, unspecific thoughts are harder to address and make it challenging to create specific action plans.
A sense of having no purpose or direction without goals makes it difficult to find motivation. Feeling overwhelmed by distress leads to avoidance of challenging situations, preventing the development of coping mechanisms.
At Strides to Solutions, we aim to help you shift from a depressive view to a therapeutic view. By doing so, you can see depression as a set of behaviors that can be changed rather than an unchangeable identity. This shift promotes actionable steps towards recovery and a more fulfilling life. Let us support you on this journey with our evidence-based therapy approaches and the healing presence of our resident animals.
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