Depression is one of the most common issues facing individuals in our society and culture today. Generally, it is common to feel sad, dejected, or just have a case of the "blahs" once in a while. But for some people, this mood persists. When symptoms last two weeks or more, and are so severe that they interfere with daily living, one can be said to be suffering from clinical depression. According to the DSM-IV-TR (the clinician's "bible' - The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association), symptoms include:

Depressed mood, or loss of interest or pleasure.
Feelings of overwhelming sadness or fear, or seeming inability to feel emotion.
Marked decrease of interest in pleasurable activities.
Changing appetite and marked weight gain or weight loss.
Disturbed sleep patterns, either insomnia or sleeping more than normal.
Changes in activity levels, restless or moving significantly slower than normal.
Fatigue, both mental and physical.
Feelings of guilt, helplessness, anxiety, and/or fear.
Lowered self-esteem.
Decreased ability to concentrate or make decisions.
Thinking about death or suicide.

Many factors are considered by the therapist before determining the best course of treatment. These may include the client's current environment and experiences, past experiences, physiology/biology, illnesses or concurrent disorders, and alcohol and/or other drug use.