Psychotherapy
For Depression
Yedidya (Didi) Levy, Psy.D
Tammy Traub, LMSW
Our Approach To Depression
Depression can manifest in many different ways, and its origins are often just as unique. In our work with depression, we take an approach grounded in curiosity, and insight with a focus on providing relief. By exploring the roots and meaning of depressive symptoms, we help our clients move toward meaningful and lasting change in their lives.
Are you struggling with sadness irritability, low self-esteem, withdrawal, suicidality, or self-harm? We offer specialized care to relieve symptoms of depression and help clients regain a sense of purpose, connection, and control in their lives.
Therapy For Depression Can Improve:
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Sadness
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Disconnection in Relationships
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Persistent Anger
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Lack of Motivation
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Relationships with Family
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Pain From Grief and Loss
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Life Transition Stress
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Low Self-Esteem
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​Isolation
What is Psychotherapy For Depression?
Therapy for depression explores the role of past experiences and relationships in shaping self-understanding and interpersonal patterns that might be contributing to ones symptoms. Like many other diagnoses, depression can feel difficult to "shake off." A psychodynamic approach to therapy for depression emphasizes exploring contributors to emotional distress that may exist outside conscious awareness. Acquiring a deeper understanding of the patterns in ones inter-personal and intra-personal relationships often yields important information regarding the depressive symptoms and their etiology. This approach can be enhanced by incorporating CBT techniques that focus on producing change around specific thought patterns and behaviors that perpetuate painful emotional cycles.
Is Psychotherapy An Effective Treatment For Depression?
Yes, psychotherapy is an effective treatment for depression. It provides a structured way to understand and manage negative thoughts, improve relationships, and develop coping skills. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps challenge depressive thinking, while psychodynamic therapy explores deeper emotional patterns that perpetuate distress outside conscious awareness. Studies show that therapy can be as effective as medication, with longer-lasting benefits and no side effects. It also helps address underlying issues like anger, stress management, or feelings of inadequacy, making it a powerful tool for lasting recovery.
How Long Is Psychotherapy Expected To Take Before Finding Relief?
The length of psychotherapy before finding relief from depression varies, but many people begin to notice some improvement within the first 8 to 12 weeks. More substantial and lasting changes are often experienced after 6 months to 2 years depending on the nature of the therapy and the therapeutic alliance.
Internalized Anger
The internal dialogue associated with depression is often harshly self-critical and self-negating. This self-talk is correlated with painful life events and can be relieved in psychotherapy.
Feeling Invisible
When we feel misunderstood, unseen, or objectified by those around us, our sense of self can feel deeply shaken—even existentially threatened. Such experiences often give rise to intense anxiety and profound depression.
Childhood Trauma
Wounds from childhood can negatively impact self-perception, self-esteem, and outcomes in our lives. For many, childhood trauma find expression as depression later in life.
Stuckness
Feeling stuck in a job, relationship, or in patterns of self-destructive behavior can create feelings of hopeless and helpless, closely associated with symptoms of depression.
Meet Dr. Levy
Dr. Yedidya Levy
For nearly a decade, I’ve practiced as a licensed psychologist, refining my expertise through thousands of clinical hours with adults across the lifespan. My training as a doctoral-level psychologist, grounded in psychodynamic therapy and integrated with CBT, allows me to meet my clients’ challenges with depth, precision, and clinical rigor. Over the years, I’ve seen that a strong therapeutic relationship can foster insight and help people make meaningful, lasting changes in their lives. As the Assistant Director of the Yeshiva University Counseling Center and the owner of a private practice, I’ve worked extensively with adults from diverse backgrounds—veterans, professionals, students, fathers, entrepreneurs, and individuals navigating major life transitions. Psychotherapy, in my view, is a bespoke process: no two adults are the same, and the roadmap to meaningful change must be tailored, deliberate, and collaborative. Together, we will identify the psychological patterns contributing to your distress, understand the forces that keep them in place, and intervene in ways that promote durable, internal change. Reach out for a consultation to begin the work of living with greater clarity and freedom.
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