Low mood & numbness
Sadness, flatness, or feeling nothing at all, including the version that still gets to work every day.
Depression Counseling · Prairieville, Louisiana
Depression counseling for when everything takes more than you have.
Depression rarely looks like the pictures. It looks like doing the bare minimum and calling it fine, sleeping too much or not at all, snapping at people you love, and not caring much about things that used to matter. I'm Melissa Shaw, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 24 years of experience, and this is treatable work, not something you have to wait out.
- Confidential, in person
- Children, teens & adults
- Accepting new clients
How depression shows up
What we work on
No motivation or energy
Tasks piling up, dishes and laundry winning, and the guilt that follows a day you could not start.
Sleep & appetite changes
Sleeping too much or waking at 3am, eating too much or forgetting to, and exhaustion that rest does not fix.
Irritability & withdrawal
Short fuse at home, cancelling plans, and slowly pulling back from people who care about you.
After a loss or change
Depression that set in after a death, a breakup, a job loss, an illness or a move. More on grief →
In teens & children
Irritability more than sadness, dropping grades, quitting activities, and sleeping all weekend. More on teens →
How depression treatment works
Small steps first, because willpower is not the problem
Depression lies about what is possible, so we don't start with a giant plan. We start with small, specific steps that rebuild momentum, because in depression action usually comes before motivation, not after it.
Alongside that we work on the thinking depression produces, the harsh self-talk and the certainty that nothing will change, using CBT to test those thoughts rather than argue with them.
We also deal with what's underneath when there is something: grief, a loss, resentment you have swallowed, or a life that has drifted away from what matters to you.
If you have thoughts of harming yourself, that belongs in the room too. It is not too much to say out loud here, and we make a safety plan together. If you are in danger right now, call or text 988.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
- Family Systems
- Strength-Based
- Christian Counseling (on request)
Practical details
Sessions, fees and location
$160Individual session
$280Couples session
15 minComplimentary consultation
A small number of reduced-fee time slots may be available. They are limited, set at specific times, require documentation of income, and often have a waiting list, so please ask at your consultation. I don't bill insurance, and I accept cash or check.
Office hours
- Monday
- 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Thursday
- 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:00 am – 1:00 pm (alternating weeks)
If mornings are the hardest part of your day, say so when you call and we will schedule around it.
Location
15655 Airline Hwy
Prairieville, LA 70769
Serving Prairieville, Gonzales, St. Amant and Baton Rouge, including the Highland Road area. All sessions are held in person, a short drive down Airline Highway.
Questions
People usually ask
How do I know if it is depression or just a rough patch?
A useful line is time and reach: weeks rather than days, and affecting sleep, work, appetite or relationships. A consultation can help you sort that out.
Do I need medication?
That is a decision with a medical provider. Counseling helps many people on its own, and for others the combination works best.
I do not have the energy for therapy.
That is the illness talking, and it is exactly why we start small. Showing up is the first step, and we build from there.
Do you see depressed teenagers?
Yes. In teens depression often looks like irritability, withdrawal and slipping grades rather than sadness, and parents are part of the plan.
Do you take insurance?
No. I'm private pay and accept cash or check. Sessions are $160. A small number of reduced-fee time slots may be available with documentation of income. They are limited and may have a waiting list.
Contact
Let's talk
Reach out to request a complimentary 15-minute consultation. I'll get back to you as soon as I can, usually within one business day.
To protect your privacy, please don't include detailed health information in this form. We can talk about that on the phone.