It’s completely natural to feel sad or hopeless at various moments in life following loss, in the face of adversity, or even when experiencing empathy for others. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re struggling with a depressive disorder. When adults or children experience long-lasting or chronic depression that adversely impact their daily lives, it will likely be considered a depressive disorder. If you’re struggling with depression or you’re a parent who suspects your child is suffering from depression, the Grace Psychological Services team is here to help. We offer diagnosis and counseling services for kids, teens, and adults struggling with depression disorders.
Am I Suffering from Depression?
There are many different types of depressive disorders, including major depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar depression, psychotic depression, postpartum depression, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Each form of depression has unique indicators and symptoms that will need to be explored during the assessment and diagnosis process. If you experience some combination of the following symptoms for two or more weeks, you are likely dealing with depressive disorder:
- Chronic feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, or numbness
- Irritability and frustration with friends, coworkers, and loved ones
- Lost interest in activities that previously brought satisfaction to daily life
- Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, repeated sleep disturbance, nightmares, or oversleeping
- Lack of energy or severe fatigue
- Struggling to concentrate, remember details, or make decisions
- Changes in appetite that may lead to weight loss or gain
- Persistent thoughts of death, especially suicidal thoughts or planning
- You may also feel physically ill with headaches, nausea, and radiating body pains
- You may stop maintaining hygiene
How is Depression Diagnosed?
Many people who visit our office for depression diagnosis are referred to us by a physician who has noted signs of depressive disorder during a regular checkup, during or after pregnancy in the case of postpartum depression, or after testing for physical sources of symptoms is negative. Others may recognize depressive symptoms due to past experiences or family history and schedule an appointment with us directly. Whatever the case, we will work with you to assess whether or not you’re suffering from a depressive disorder, determine what type of depression you’re dealing with, and develop a plan to help you address depression, using counseling services and/or medications.
What Happens During Counseling for Depression?
During your first counseling sessions for depression, we want to begin by assessing your safety. If you are considering or planning suicide, our treatment goal will first be to get you to a safe physical, mental, and emotional place right away. Then, we’ll partner with you to develop a plan for ongoing counseling and/or medications to help you work towards positive change and achieve your goals to ensure you can lead a more satisfying, joyful life. Our skilled psychologists utilize evidence-based counseling techniques and methods, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and other solution-focused techniques.
Who Offers Assessment & Counseling Services for Depression?
Depressive disorders are some of the most common conditions addressed by our clinicians. For this reason, the majority of our providers are able to help assist with diagnosis, treatment planning, or counseling services. Below, you can learn more about our psychologists and their experience with diagnosis and services for those with depressive disorders:
she specializes in 8 – 25 yr olds.
Dr. Charles Hallmark
Dr. Hallmark is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Specialist in School Psychology. He offers counseling and assessment services for kids and adolescents who are struggling with depression.
Dr. Jennifer Spillman
Ms. Spillman is a Licensed Professional Counselor and current practicum student at Grace Psychological Services. She offers a variety of services to help those who have experienced trauma, violence, or abuse. For the last decade plus, Ms. Spillman has worked with those who are overcoming depression, anxiety, and other cognitive and behavioral issues that may arise as a result.
Dr. Allison Grodzki, PsyD
Dr. Allie Grodzki is a Licensed Psychologist in both Texas (#38916) and Colorado (#5014). She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND where she grew up. She earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Doctorate of Psychology degree at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Schaumburg, IL. Dr. Grodzki completed her American Psychological Association (APA) accredited pre-doctoral internship at a community mental health center in Denver, Colorado. She comes from a very diverse background of training and work experiences in various settings, including private practice, day programs, residential care, and inpatient hospitals where she has worked with children and adults of all ages.
Tiffany Keith
Tiffany is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is a current first responder. She comes from a family full of Veterans and First Responders. Tiffany specializes in helping fellow First Responders, Veterans, and their family members while understanding the limitations of shift work schedules for clients. As a mother, Tiffany also has a fondness for working with young children in a play therapy setting. She works with ages 4 years+.
Blaine Cordova
Blaine Cordova is a Licensed Psychological Associate (#39578) and Psychometrist at Grace Psychological Services, PLLC, under the supervision of Dr. Reyes-McDonald. He received his Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Psychology degrees from Sam Houston State University. During his Master’s degree, he completed training in conducting psychological assessments and providing evidence-based treatment.
Laura Stark
Laura Stark is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and is one of approximately 300 therapists in the United States that is certified in Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Laura obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Texas and completed a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling from Amberton University in 1997. She became a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) in 2007 and works with practicum students earning their masters as well as Licensed Professional Counselor Interns (LPC-I) to educate and mentor new counselors in the field.
Lauren Prince
Lauren is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (#58835) with specialties in Family Counseling and Trauma Treatment. She has a background in utilizing Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) to support parents and children in their healing process.
Jennifer Diaz
Jennifer is a bilingual Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling. Jennifer has enjoyed working with children and families in educational and mental health settings for 13 years and has been a counselor for 7 years. Jennifer Diaz is an experienced licensed clinician who is an extremely empathetic and great listener. Jennifer believes that processing one’s traumatic experiences, regulating emotions, and learning daily coping skills builds one’s resiliency and improves one’s quality of life immensely.
Melissa James
Melissa is a Pre-doctoral Intern, under the supervision of Dr. Charles Hallmark, PhD and Dr. Gracie Reyes-McDonald, PhD. Melissa holds a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and a Master’s of Science in Psychology with a concentration in child and adolescent development. She is CISM trained, FBI Resiliency Trained, EMDR Trained, CCTP Trained, CATP Trained, and Telemedicine Certified.
How do I Get Started?
If you’re ready to start taking steps toward leading a more joy-filled life and experiencing a full range of emotions, please call our team. Our skilled clinicians can help you develop the tools to acknowledge and address depressive disorders in all of their many forms.