What is Causing My Depression and What Can I Do About It?
“Our problems are the portals through which we access transformation.”
- Brooke Sprowl
In her newest book, Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown prudently writes, “We need hope like we need air” (p. 97). To be without it is to feel like we are suffocating. To be without it is to deprive the soul of its oxygen.
Sometimes, we must relearn how to breathe.
Lately, I have been thinking about the impacts that feelings of depression and hopelessness can have on our lives. Today, I want to talk about what causes depression and some ways in which we might choose to relate with it that can open up the space for transformation.
A singular root cause of depression is difficult to identify because it is often caused by a variety of factors, including genetic predispositions. These predispositions make us more vulnerable to the stressors in our lives and can activate feelings of hopelessness. Depression is debilitating, bearing with it layers of trauma. When we go to such dark depths, we can begin to develop a distrust in our own bodies and our abilities to navigate our own lives.
Often, depression can be a result of being cut off from authentic parts of ourselves. We lose touch with vital aspects of our emotions, authenticity, and vulnerability because we have, in various implicit and explicit ways, been taught that they are not acceptable. When this happens we can lose touch with our sense of vitality, aliveness, and authentic self-expression.
But when we relate to our feelings of depression as an invitation to explore which aspects of ourselves have been exiled, then we can begin to call them home.
In this sense, depression can be an invitation to change―an invitation to let go of what isn’t working and step into a new way of being. As crippling as depression can be, it is also a process by which we can deconstruct our former self that is not the full and authentic expression of who we are and begin to create a new and truthful way of being in the world.
There are many research-proven modalities that can help us navigate depression, including neurofeedback, CBT, functional medicine, and other forms of psychotherapy, such as somatic therapy and psychodynamic therapy (and many others you can learn about on our site). In the video below, learn more about what can cause depression and what we might be able to do about it:
At My LA Therapy, we approach depression as the multifaceted issue it is. Just as there isn’t one singular cause, there isn’t just one path to healing it. We offer a multitude of different tools, techniques, modalities, services, and interventions to aid your healing journey. If depression and hopelessness have been weighing heavy on you, find resources.
Check out our FREE list of mental resources here, and book a free, initial phone consultation with a therapist at My LA Therapy. We can help identify the root cause of what you’re struggling with, help create a roadmap for your healing journey, and help reteach the soul, finally, how to breathe.
Research-based, personalized therapy.
At My LA Therapy, our warm and experienced therapists specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, & relationships.
Brooke Sprowl is an industry-leading expert and author in psychology, spirituality, and self-transformation. Her insights have featured in dozens of media outlets such as Huffington Post, Business Insider, Cosmopolitan Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Spectrum One News, Mind Body Green, YourTango, and many more.
As the founder and CEO of My LA Therapy, she leads a team of 15 dedicated therapists and wellness professionals. Brooke has been a featured speaker at prominent universities and venues such as UCLA School of Public Affairs, USC, Loyola Marymount University, the Mark Taper Auditorium, and Highways Performance Gallery, to name a few.
With a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Welfare with a Mental Health Specialization from UCLA, a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from USC, and certifications in peak performance and flow science from the Flow Research Collective, Brooke has helped hundreds of prominent leaders and CEO’s overcome anxiety, relationship difficulties, and trauma and reclaim a sense of purpose, vitality, and spiritual connection.
With 15 years of experience in personal development and self-transformation as a therapist and coach, she has pioneered dozens of original concepts and frameworks to guide people in overcoming mental health challenges and awakening spiritually.
Brooke is the host of the podcast, Waking Up with Brooke Sprowl. She is passionate about writing, neuroscience, philosophy, integrity, poetry, spirituality, creativity, effective altruism, personal and collective healing, and curating luxury, transformational retreat experiences for high-achievers seeking spiritual connection.
