Depression Therapy in Chicago & Online (Illinois & California)

What Depression Looks Like (And What It Often Hides)

Depression can show up across many different areas of life, but most noticeably one finds it within how they feel and show up (or don't show up).

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Some signs of depression are familiar:

• Persistent sadness or irritability

• Loss of interest or pleasure

• Fatigue, brain fog, or sleep disruptions

• Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness

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Other signs are quieter but just as important:

• High-functioning depression—where you appear “fine” but feel empty inside

• Self-criticism or perfectionism

• A sense that you’re a burden or don’t belong

• Feeling like you’ve lost yourself

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Many clients tell us: “I’m doing everything right, but nothing feels good anymore.”

 

How Depression Feels: "Like Moving Through Mud"

Depression isn't just emotional—it can feel physical. Clients often describe it as:

• "I feel like I’m underwater."

• "I’m exhausted all the time, even when I sleep."

• "I don’t recognize who I am anymore."

These internal experiences affect:

• Your sense of identity and worth

• Your ability to connect in relationships

• Your motivation and capacity for pleasure

 

Where Depression Comes From: Trauma, Shame & Life’s Burdens

Depression rarely arises in a vacuum. It often reflects deeper roots:

• Developmental or attachment trauma

• Childhood emotional neglect or abuse

• Persistent shame or inner criticism

• Cultural or identity-based marginalization (especially for LGBTQ+ clients)

• Burnout, grief, illness, or life transitions

Depression is a protective strategy—a way parts of you may have coped when life felt too overwhelming to face directly.

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Depression in Gay Men and LGBTQ+ Clients

Many gay men and queer clients tell us they’ve spent years trying to appear confident, attractive, and successful—while quietly battling depression. For some, this takes the form of:

• Overachieving in career or academics

• Building a "perfect" body (sometimes connected to the Adonis complex)

• Using sex, substances, or social media to distract from emptiness

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Even when life looks good on paper, there’s a quiet ache inside. Therapy offers space to finally be honest—to name what’s hard, without shame.

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How Therapy Helps: Somatic, Relational & IFS-Informed Healing

Depression doesn’t just live in your thoughts. It lives in the body. There are many ways to work with depression. In fact, it is considered one of the most "treatable" of our mental health categories. At Chris Peters Psychotherapy, we provide solutions for deep long-term healing instead of temporary coping. 

 

Our approach combines:

• Somatic therapy: Learn to listen to what your body is saying beneath the numbness or shutdown.

• Internal Family Systems (IFS): Understand and care for the parts of you that feel hopeless, tired, or ashamed.

• Relational therapy: Experience connection, trust, and emotional safety—sometimes for the first time.

 

This isn’t about fixing you. It’s about healing with you.

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Depression Therapy in Chicago & Online (IL & CA)

We provide affirming, trauma-informed depression therapy:

• In person in Chicago, serving neighborhoods like Lakeview, Andersonville, Edgewater, Lincoln Park, Ravenswood, Rogers Park, North Center and more.

• Online for clients across Illinois and California, including:

  • Los Angeles

  • West Hollywood

  • Silver Lake

  • Echo Park

  • Santa Monica

  • Pasadena

  • San Francisco

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You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone

You are not broken. Depression is not the end of your story—it’s a signal that something in you is asking for care, rest, and connection. Chris Peters Psychotherapy, we’ll work together to understand what your depression is trying to tell you. From that place, real healing can begin.

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Request a consultation below and take the first step toward relief and reconnection.

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📍 In-person shame therapy in Ravenswood Industrial Corridor Chicago

💻 Online anxiety therapy online for Illinois and California residents​

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