Our Goal

This course was created with the intention to give you a better understanding of what depression is and some of the ways you can cope with and overcome it. We wanted to provide an accessible way for interested individuals to learn more about depression.

Our Background

This course is taught by Dr. Jacob Christenson, who has over 15 years of experience in the field of marriage and family therapy. Dr. Christenson founded Covenant Family Solutions, a mental health services provider, in 2013 to meet the need for an organization that focuses on providing high quality behavioral healthcare services designed to strengthen families. In 2020, Dr. Christenson recognized that therapy was not accessible for all who wanted it, so he launched StrengthenU. StrengthenUis a virtual therapy platform built to help connect individuals with licensed therapists who can provide support that is affordable, convenient, and helpful. Throughout this course you will hear from Dr. Christenson as well as other licensed providers who work with StrengthenU and Covenant Family Solutions.

The Course

This course is jam packed with almost six hours of meaningful information. This includes defining depression, its symptoms and what is required for a depression diagnosis. We will also dive into practical coping skills, realistic lifestyle changes, changing negative thinking, and ways that your behavior may be affecting your depression. This course will also cover the different medication options for depression, possible alternative treatments that have been used for depression, and how you can provide support to the people you may know who experience depression. With input from a variety of experienced providers this course will help you to understand the complexities of depression and depression treatment. Whether you personally experience depression, or you are simply looking to gain a better understanding of how depression may be affecting a loved one, this course will provide you with meaningful information. Our goal is that you leave this course feeling empowered to face depression head-on with practical information and skills.

Course Layout

1. Diagnoses &Understanding

   1. What is Depression?

   2. Myths About Depression

   3. What Does Depression Look Like?

   4. Types of Depression

   5. Physiology &Other Factors

2. Coping Skills for Depression

   1. Coping Skills Introduction

   2. Positive Coping Skills

   3. Deep Breathing &Muscle Relaxation

   4. Mindfulness Techniques

   5. Grounding Techniques

3. Lifestyle Suggestions

   1. Our Daily Routine &Depression

   2. Exercise

   3. Nutrition

   4. Social Relationships

4. Fixing Negative Thinking

   1. How do Our Brains Process Information?

   2. Cognitive Distortions &Negative Core Beliefs

   3. Cognitive Restructuring

   4. Gratitude

   5. Daily Affirmations

5. Using Behaviors to Improve Depression

   1. How are Emotions &Behaviors Connected

   2. Journaling &Behavior Tracking

   3. Sleep Hygiene

   4. Problem Solving &SMARTGoals

   5. Self-Reliance &Overcoming Procrastination

6. Medication Options for Depression

   1. Medication &Therapy

   2. Common Medications for Depression

   3. Insight from a Medical Provider

   4. Medication Compliance

   5. Depression Treatments on the Horizon

7. Alternative Depression Treatments

   1. Unit Introduction

   2. Homeopathic Options &Essential Oils

   3. Electroconvulsive Therapy

   4. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

   5. Alpha-Stim & Fisher Wallace Stimulator

   6. Light Therapy

   7. Acupuncture

8. Helping Someone Who is Depressed

   1. Unit Introduction

   2. Your Spouse/Partner

   3. Your Child

   4. Your Friends

   5. Your Parents or Older Adults

   6. Communication & Depression

9. Course Conclusion

   1. Preventing Relapse

   2. Finding a Therapist

   3. Course Conclusion