Depression can be difficult to name. It may not always feel like sadness. For many people, it shows up as heaviness, numbness, exhaustion, loss of interest, or a sense of moving through life behind a pane of glass. Things that once felt meaningful may feel distant or hard to access.
From a somatic perspective, depression is not a personal failure or lack of motivation. It is often the nervous system’s way of conserving energy after long periods of stress, overwhelm, loss, or unmet needs. When the system has been asked to do too much for too long, it may begin to slow things down as a form of protection.
How Depression Can Feel in the Body
Depression is not only a state of mind — it is a whole-body experience. You might notice:
- A sense of heaviness or collapse in the chest or shoulders
- Fatigue that doesn’t lift with rest
- Slowed movement or difficulty getting started
- Emotional flatness or feeling disconnected from yourself or others
- A quiet but persistent sense of hopelessness or withdrawal
These experiences are not signs that something is wrong with you. They are signals from a nervous system that may be overwhelmed, depleted, or trying to keep you safe.
A Somatic Approach to Depression
In our work together, we don’t try to push you into positivity or effort your way out of depression. Instead, we begin by listening — to your body, your energy, and your capacity in each moment.
Somatic work invites us to gently notice what is present without asking it to change right away. This may include tracking sensations, subtle impulses, breath, or moments of aliveness as they naturally arise. We work within your nervous system’s window of tolerance, allowing small shifts to unfold at a pace that feels respectful and sustainable.
Over time, this approach can help your system begin to feel safer to mobilize again — not through pressure, but through support.
Depression is Not Linear
Like grief and anxiety, depression does not move in a straight line. There may be days when you feel a bit more connected, followed by days of deep fatigue or withdrawal. This ebb and flow is part of the process, not a setback.
Rather than measuring progress by productivity or mood alone, we pay attention to subtler signs of change — moments of curiosity, slightly more ease in the body, a return of sensation, or the capacity to stay present with yourself for longer periods of time.
How I Support This Work
I offer a space that is steady, compassionate, and non-judgmental. You don’t need to explain yourself, perform wellness, or arrive with clarity. We begin exactly where you are.
Together, we may focus on:
- Building safety and support in the nervous system
- Gently reconnecting with sensation, emotion, and agency
- Supporting rest without collapsing into shutdown
- Exploring how cultural, relational, or intergenerational factors may shape your experience
- Allowing meaning and vitality to return gradually, in their own time
Depression is not something to fix away. With care, patience, and attunement, it can soften — making room for more connection, presence, and self-trust.
Healing does not ask you to move faster than your system allows. It unfolds slowly, often quietly, through moments of support, regulation, and being met where you are.
Sheila Singh Therapy 