Frequently Asked Questions
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Depression, Bipolar & Mood Disorder Therapy in Pasadena, CA
The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning”
– Ivy Baker Priest
When your mood changes, your entire experience of life can change with it.
Depression can make even familiar parts of your life feel distant, exhausting, or difficult to access. Bipolar disorder can bring shifts in mood, energy, sleep, activity, attention, and motivation that are confusing both for the person experiencing them and for the people who love them. Sometimes the challenge is not knowing exactly what is happening—only knowing that you no longer feel like yourself.
At Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates, our expert psychotherapists provide personalized, neuroscience-informed care for depression, bipolar disorder, and other mood-related concerns. We work with you to understand not only the symptoms you are experiencing, but the larger pattern: your nervous system, history, relationships, stress load, sleep, coping strategies, and the experiences that may be influencing how you feel and function.
Our goal is not simply to help you feel better in the moment. It is to help you understand yourself more clearly, develop effective tools for managing mood and stress, and build greater stability, connection, and agency in your life.
We provide in-person psychotherapy at our Pasadena office and telehealth services throughout California.Â
Click Here to Schedule a consultation to explore fit and next steps today!
Imagine a life in which you have the tools and techniques to do more than survive.
When Depression Changes the Way Life Feels
Depression is more than feeling sad or having a bad day.
It can change how your brain and body respond to experiences that once felt rewarding, how much energy is available for everyday tasks, how easily you can concentrate or make decisions, and even how connected you feel to the people you care about.
Common experiences associated with depression can include:
- Persistent sadness, emptiness, numbness, or hopelessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in things you normally enjoy
- Fatigue or feeling physically slowed down
- Difficulty initiating or completing everyday tasks
- Changes in sleep or appetite
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Irritability or feeling unusually overwhelmed
- Withdrawal from relationships or activities
- Excessive guilt, self-criticism, or feelings of worthlessness
- Feeling disconnected from yourself or your future
- Thoughts about death or suicide
Depression does not look the same in everyone. Some people feel profoundly sad. Others feel almost nothing. Some continue to perform exceptionally well professionally while privately struggling to get through the day.
Effective treatment begins by understanding your individual pattern rather than assuming depression looks one particular way.
Contact Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates today for a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation and take the first step toward healing. Together, we’ll help you navigate this journey and reclaim your incredible life.
One of the most important parts of good mood-disorder treatment is understanding the pattern over time.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder involves clinically significant shifts in mood, energy, activity, concentration, sleep, and behavior that go beyond the ordinary emotional changes all of us experience.
Depending on the specific bipolar-spectrum condition, a person may experience periods of depression along with episodes of mania or hypomania.
During manic or hypomanic periods, someone may experience:
- Significantly increased energy or activity
- A decreased need for sleep
- Racing thoughts or rapidly shifting ideas
- Unusually rapid or increased speech
- Increased confidence or a sense of being unusually powerful or capable
- Irritability or agitation
- Increased impulsivity
- Spending, sexual behavior, substance use, or other risk-taking that is unusual for that person
- Difficulty slowing down despite exhaustion or consequences
Bipolar I disorder includes episodes of mania. Bipolar II disorder involves episodes of hypomania along with major depressive episodes. Other bipolar-spectrum presentations, including cyclothymic disorder, can involve recurring periods of elevated and depressed mood that do not fit neatly into either of those patterns (NIMH, n.d.-b).
Importantly, hypomania does not always feel like a problem while it is occurring. A period of greater energy, productivity, confidence, sociability, or creativity may initially feel positive. That is one reason some people seek treatment repeatedly for depression before recognizing that a larger mood pattern may be present.
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Depression or Bipolar Depression? Why the Distinction Is Important
One of the most important parts of good mood-disorder treatment is understanding the pattern over time.
A person experiencing a depressive episode may have major depressive disorder—or the depression may be part of bipolar disorder. Looking only at how someone feels today can miss important information about previous periods of elevated energy, reduced need for sleep, impulsivity, agitation, or hypomania.
This distinction has meaningful treatment implications. Bipolar depression is treated differently from unipolar depression, and current treatment guidelines caution against using antidepressant medication alone in many people with bipolar disorder because of the potential for treatment-emergent mania or mood destabilization (Keramatian et al., 2023; NIMH, n.d.-b).
Our therapists therefore take the time to understand the broader clinical picture, including your history of depression, mood changes, sleep, energy, behavior, relationships, medication response, stress, trauma, family history, and co-occurring concerns.
When medication is part of your treatment, we can coordinate with your psychiatrist, physician, or other prescribing clinician, with your permission, so that your psychotherapy and medical care support the same goals.
A Neuroscience-Informed Approach to Mood Disorders
There is no single “depression center” or “bipolar center” in the brain, and mood disorders cannot be reduced to one neurotransmitter or a simple chemical imbalance.
Mood emerges from the interaction of multiple systems involved in reward, motivation, attention, memory, stress physiology, sleep and circadian regulation, emotional processing, social connection, and executive functioning.
That complexity is actually useful.
It means treatment can address multiple pathways through which change becomes possible.
At Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates, our neuroscience-informed approach helps you understand what your brain and nervous system are doing without turning your diagnosis into your identity. Call (626) 524-5525 or send us an email at info@drtruitt.com  to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation to learn more!
Therapy may focus on:
- Recognizing early changes in mood, energy, sleep, and behavior
- Understanding your individual patterns and triggers
- Strengthening emotional regulation
- Reducing chronic stress and nervous-system overload
- Rebuilding motivation and meaningful engagement
- Developing more effective responses to difficult thoughts and emotions
- Strengthening relationships and communication
- Identifying patterns of avoidance, withdrawal, impulsivity, or self-criticism
- Developing personalized strategies for preventing relapse
- Increasing your sense of agency and partnership with your own brain
Expert Care Built Around the Whole Person
Mood disorders rarely exist in isolation.
Depression and bipolar disorder can overlap with anxiety, trauma, ADHD, grief, relationship stress, chronic illness, substance use, sleep disruption, and major life transitions. In some cases, those overlapping experiences can also make diagnosis more complicated.
Our team has expertise across these areas, allowing us to develop treatment around the whole person rather than treating each symptom as an unrelated problem.
Your care may include:
Comprehensive clinical understanding
We look beyond a symptom checklist to understand the history and patterns influencing your current experience.
Individualized psychotherapy
Treatment is designed around your needs, goals, strengths, relationships, and clinical presentation rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Coordination across levels of care
If outpatient psychotherapy is no longer the appropriate level of support, our clinicians can help you and your treatment team identify appropriate next steps and higher levels of care.
Neuroscience-informed tools
We help you understand patterns in your brain and nervous system and develop practical strategies you can use outside the therapy room.
Trauma-informed treatment when appropriate
For some people, trauma and chronic stress contribute significantly to depression, emotional dysregulation, or patterns that complicate mood stability.
Collaborative care
For bipolar disorder in particular, psychotherapy is often one component of a broader treatment plan. Our team works closely with your entire treatment team to ensure the best outcomes for your journey.
Depression & Bipolar Therapy in Pasadena and Across California
Our Pasadena psychotherapy practice provides a private, highly personalized setting for individuals seeking experienced, sophisticated mental health care.
We offer:
- In-person psychotherapy in Pasadena, California
- Telehealth psychotherapy throughout California
- Individualized treatment planning
- Neuroscience-informed and trauma-informed care
- Collaboration with psychiatrists and other healthcare providers when appropriate
- Specialized expertise for complex and overlapping clinical concerns
Whether you are navigating depression for the first time, experiencing recurring episodes, living with bipolar disorder, or trying to understand changes in your mood that have never quite made sense, you do not have to figure it out alone.
 Start With a Conversation
You do not need to know exactly what is happening before asking for help.
If depression, bipolar disorder, or changes in your mood are interfering with your relationships, work, health, or ability to feel connected to your life, our team can help you better understand what you are experiencing and determine the most appropriate path forward.
Contact Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation and learn more about working with one of our expert therapists.
Call (626) 524-5525 or send us an email at info@drtruitt.com  to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation to learn more!
If you are experiencing an immediate psychiatric emergency, are unable to keep yourself or someone else safe, or are experiencing thoughts of suicide requiring immediate support, call 911, go to the nearest emergency department, or call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
References
Keramatian, K., Chithra, N. K., & Yatham, L. N. (2023). The CANMAT and ISBD guidelines for the treatment of bipolar disorder: Summary and a 2023 update of evidence. Focus, 21(4), 344–353. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20230009
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.-a). Depression. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.-b). Bipolar disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
Additional Healing Resources at Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates
Additional Resources
To complement your therapy journey, we provide resources such as:
- Educational Videos: Visit our Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates YouTube Channel for insights on mental health topics, including depression, stress, and resilience.
- Blog Articles: Explore helpful tips, strategies, and stories to inspire your healing process.
Start Your Journey Toward Hope and Healing
Depression doesn’t have to define your life. With the right support, you can rediscover joy, purpose, and connection. Imagine waking up feeling hopeful, energized, and ready to embrace the day.
Contact Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates today for a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation and take the first step toward healing. Together, we’ll help you navigate this journey and reclaim your incredible life.
Visit our Living Your Excellence Blog
Visit our growing collection of blog articles below to explore how the latest advances in neuroscience create opportunities for harnessing the power of neuroplasticity, and create a space for inspiration to flow.
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