Depression & Mood Disorder Counseling for Teens & Young Adults in Fort Wayne, IN
Professional depression counseling for teens and young adults in Fort Wayne, IN (ages 13-25)
Depression and mood disorders are real, clinically recognized conditions that affect how you think, feel, and function, and they are treatable. If you're feeling emotionally exhausted, numb, or overwhelmed just trying to get through the day, you're not alone.
Unwilted Counseling provides specialized, evidence-based counseling for teens and young adults navigating depression, burnout, mood instability, and related challenges, in person in Fort Wayne, Indiana, or virtually across Indiana and eligible parts of Ohio.
Schedule your free 15-minute consultation to talk through what you're experiencing and find out if Unwilted Counseling is the right fit.
UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION & MOOD DISORDERS
What Is Depression? Understanding Depression & Mood Disorders
Depression is a mood disorder marked by persistent sadness, low energy, and loss of interest in daily life lasting two weeks or longer. It is one of the most common mental health concerns affecting teens and young adults, and it can impact energy levels, relationships, motivation, and overall quality of life. Depression exists on a spectrum: some clients experience a single depressive episode, while others live with longer-term patterns.
These experiences are not a personal failure, a character flaw, or something to simply "push through." They are symptoms of a diagnosable, treatable condition, and effective counseling can help clients understand what's happening and begin the process of healing.
Types of Depression We Treat
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Major depression: a period of low mood, loss of interest, and low energy lasting two weeks or more that affects daily functioning.
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Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia): a lower-grade depression that lasts for a year or more in teens, or two years or more in adults, and can start to feel like "just who I am."
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Seasonal depression (seasonal affective disorder): depression that returns with the shorter, darker days of fall and winter, common in northern Indiana.
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Adjustment-related depression: low mood triggered by a major change, such as a move, a breakup, starting college, or a family change.
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Burnout and emotional exhaustion: the depleted, unmotivated state that often comes from long stretches of academic, work, or caregiving pressure.
Signs of Depression in Teens & Young Adults
Depression can look different from person to person, and symptoms often build gradually. Common signs include:
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Persistent sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
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Irritability or noticeable mood swings
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Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
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Changes in sleep, appetite, or energy levels
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Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
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Withdrawing from others or feeling disconnected
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Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally stuck
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Thoughts of giving up or questioning your worth
For Parents: What Teen Depression Can Look Like
In teens, depression often looks less like sadness and more like irritability, anger, or "attitude." You may notice falling grades, more time alone in their room or online, dropping activities they used to love, frequent headaches or stomachaches, or sleeping much more or less than usual. If these changes last more than a couple of weeks, it's worth reaching out.
These patterns often overlap with, and are sometimes mistaken for, anxiety, low self-esteem, or difficulty with emotion regulation. A thorough assessment helps identify what's actually driving the symptoms so treatment can target the cause, not just its surface effects.
MOOD DISORDERS & CO-OCCURRING CONCERNS
Mood Swings, Mood Instability & Related Concerns
When Mood Feels Unpredictable
Some teens and young adults don't experience depression as a steady low. Instead, mood shifts quickly or intensely: irritability that flares without warning, periods of very low mood followed by stretches of high energy or little need for sleep, or emotions that feel too big to manage. Mood instability can be part of depression, a response to stress or trauma, or, in some cases, a sign of a bipolar-spectrum condition.
Counseling can help you track mood patterns, build routines that support stability (especially sleep), recognize early warning signs, and develop skills for managing emotional intensity. When symptoms suggest a bipolar-spectrum condition, therapy works best alongside care from a psychiatrist or prescriber, and Unwilted Counseling can coordinate with your medical providers with your permission. For intense emotions without a mood disorder, Emotion Regulation Counseling may be a better starting point.
When Anxiety and Depression Show Up Together
Anxiety and depression often occur together. Many teens and young adults feel both the constant worry and restlessness of anxiety and the exhaustion and low motivation of depression, sometimes cycling between the two in the same week. Treating them together matters, because each can keep the other going: anxiety leads to avoidance, avoidance deepens low mood, and low mood makes worries feel bigger.
Counseling at Unwilted Counseling addresses both at once, using CBT for the thought patterns behind each, behavioral activation for low mood, and gradual exposure for anxious avoidance. If anxiety, worry, or panic is the main concern, see Anxiety Counseling or Panic Attack Counseling.
EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT OUTCOMES
Why Depression & Mood Disorders Develop
Depression rarely has a single cause. It typically develops through a combination of biology, environment, and lived experience: genetic or family history, chronic stress, major life transitions, academic and social pressure, social media comparison, family conflict, unresolved grief, or past traumatic experiences. For some clients, depressive symptoms are closely tied to specific events that have not been fully processed, which is where trauma-informed therapy, including EMDR, becomes especially relevant.
Adolescence and young adulthood also involve significant brain development, particularly in areas that govern emotional regulation and decision-making, which can make this life stage especially vulnerable to depression. Understanding what is driving the depression, not only how to manage symptoms day to day, is central to how treatment is approached at Unwilted Counseling.
When to Seek Help
Professional support is recommended if symptoms last two weeks or longer, disrupt school, work, or relationships, or include thoughts of self-harm. You don't need to wait until things feel severe; early support tends to work better. Self-harm and emotional regulation concerns are also treated directly at Unwilted Counseling.
EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT
Our Approach to Depression & Mood Disorder Treatment
Unwilted Counseling uses evidence-based therapeutic approaches tailored to the developmental needs of teens and young adults:
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Behavioral Activation: a structured, research-supported approach that increases engagement in meaningful activities and routines to improve mood and break the cycle of withdrawal.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): identifies and challenges the negative thought patterns that keep depression going, and builds practical coping skills.
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): helps you notice patterns of negative thinking and rumination, and build healthier ways of responding to difficult thoughts and emotions.
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DBT Skills: practical tools for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mood fluctuations.
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Trauma-Informed Counseling, Including EMDR: integrated when past experiences contribute to current depressive symptoms, to support deeper healing.
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Developmentally Focused Care (Ages 13-25): specialized support through identity development, academic and social pressure, and major life transitions.
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Measurement-Based Care: symptoms are tracked with standardized assessments, so progress is visible and treatment can be adjusted, not just assumed.
The goal of treatment is not simply symptom suppression. It's building the emotional tools and self-understanding that support lasting stability, not just short-term relief.
HOW WE HELP
How Unwilted Counseling Can Help
Reaching out for depression counseling can feel like an especially heavy first step when energy and motivation are already low. Unwilted Counseling is structured to lower that barrier:
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Consistent, one-on-one care. Unwilted Counseling is a solo, private-pay practice, so clients work with the same licensed therapist every session rather than a rotating group of clinicians.
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A compassionate, nonjudgmental environment. A safe, supportive space to share experiences openly, without fear of judgment or minimization.
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Treatment that targets the root cause. Skills-based tools are part of the process, but deeper work through behavioral activation, MBCT, and trauma-informed approaches addresses what is driving the depression, so progress holds up outside the therapy room.
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Accessible, flexible scheduling. Afternoon and Saturday appointments, plus in-person and virtual formats, to reduce friction around showing up consistently.
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Coordinated care when helpful. With your permission, Unwilted Counseling can coordinate with psychiatrists, physicians, schools, and family.
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A low-pressure first step. A free 15-minute consultation allows prospective clients to ask questions and assess fit before committing to ongoing care.
MEET YOUR THERAPIST
About Your Therapist
Clients work directly with Destina Rekeweg, LMHC. Destina holds a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over three years of experience, trained in EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS), specializing in trauma, anxiety, depression, and life transitions for teens and young adults.
Her approach to depression and mood disorder care is evidence-based, trauma-informed, and relational, treating depression as an understandable response to be worked through, not a personal failing. Because Unwilted Counseling is a solo practice, every client receives consistent, one-on-one care from the same therapist throughout treatment.
IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL COUNSELING
In-Person Counseling and Virtual Counseling Across Indiana and Ohio
Depression and mood disorder counseling at Unwilted Counseling is designed for teens and young adults ages 13-25 and is available in whichever format best fits a client's energy level, comfort, and schedule.
In-Person Counseling in Fort Wayne
In-person sessions take place in a private, comfortable office at 3514 Stellhorn Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46815, serving clients throughout Fort Wayne and Allen County, including New Haven, Huntertown, and Leo-Cedarville.
Virtual Counseling Across Indiana and Ohio
For clients who find it easier to begin from a familiar space, or who need the flexibility depression can demand, secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual therapy is available across Indiana and, through the Counseling Compact, in eligible parts of Ohio. Sessions are not recorded and can be attended from home, campus, or another private location.
Many clients combine both formats over the course of treatment. Consistency matters more than the setting in which a given session takes place.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN COUNSELING
What to Expect: A Supportive, Structured Process
Initial Phase (Weeks 1–4)
Treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand symptoms, history, and goals. Early sessions focus on building rapport, increasing stability, and introducing practical coping strategies.
Middle Phase (Weeks 5–12)
As therapy progresses, many clients begin to notice gradual improvements in mood, energy, sleep, and daily functioning, while continuing to build skills and explore underlying patterns.
Ongoing Growth (3–6 Months and Beyond)
Counseling supports long-term emotional health, improved relationships, and greater resilience, with a focus on relapse prevention. Progress varies by individual, and treatment is adjusted based on evolving needs.
Note: Progress timelines vary. Counseling is a personalized process, and outcomes depend on multiple factors, including consistency, symptom severity, and individual circumstances.
FEES & INVESTMENT
Investing in Depression & Mood Disorder Treatment
Unwilted Counseling is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly, which allows treatment to be guided by clinical need rather than what an insurance panel will authorize. Clients may use out-of-network benefits for possible reimbursement.
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Initial intake assessment (50 min): $160
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Ongoing sessions (50 min): $135
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Intensive sessions: $202.50 (75 min) / $270 (100 min) / $405 (150 min)
Consistent counseling is an investment in outcomes that extend well beyond symptom relief: the ability to re-engage with school, work, relationships, and daily life with greater stability and hope. Full details are available on the fees and policies page.
WHY CHOOSE UNWILTED COUNSELING
Why Choose Unwilted Counseling
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Focused expertise (ages 13-25): care that is developmentally appropriate and relevant to teens and young adults specifically.
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Evidence-based, ethical care: methods grounded in established clinical research and best practices in mental health counseling.
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Experience with depression and mood concerns: support for depression, burnout, emotional dysregulation, and mood instability, with coordination with medical providers when bipolar-spectrum symptoms are present.
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Compassionate, nonjudgmental environment: a safe, supportive space to share openly without fear of judgment.
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Accessible and flexible services: afternoon and Saturday appointments, with both in-person and virtual sessions.
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Safety-focused support: if a client is experiencing a mental health crisis, safety is prioritized and appropriate emergency resources are provided.
RELATED SERVICES
Related Concerns We Treat
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Anxiety Counseling - when worry, panic, or anxious avoidance is part of the picture
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Panic Attack Counseling - for sudden waves of intense fear and physical symptoms
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Self-Esteem & Identity Counseling - for the self-doubt and worthlessness that often accompany depression
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Emotion Regulation Counseling - for managing mood swings and emotional intensity
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Self-Harm & Emotional Regulation Therapy - when distress includes self-harm
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Trauma Therapy - when depressive symptoms are rooted in past painful experiences
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Life Transition Counseling - when depression coincides with a major life change
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Teens & Young Adults Counseling - the core age-specific care model behind every specialty at Unwilted Counseling
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Depression & Mood Disorder Counseling Questions
Depression is one type of mood disorder, marked by persistent sadness, low energy, and loss of interest lasting two weeks or more. Mood disorder is a broader clinical category that also includes conditions like persistent depressive disorder and bipolar-spectrum disorders, where mood shifts between depressive and elevated states.
Common signs include persistent sadness or emptiness, irritability, loss of interest in activities, changes in sleep or appetite, low energy, trouble concentrating, withdrawing from friends and family, and thoughts of worthlessness. In teens, depression often shows up as irritability, falling grades, or spending more time alone rather than obvious sadness.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and behavioral activation are among the most research-supported approaches for depression. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) helps reduce rumination and prevent relapse, and trauma-informed approaches such as EMDR are integrated when past experiences contribute to symptoms.
Many teens and young adults notice meaningful improvement within 12-20 sessions (roughly 3-5 months) of consistent weekly therapy. Some feel early relief within the first several weeks, while others benefit from longer-term support. Timelines depend on symptom severity, consistency, and individual circumstances.
Counseling can help with mood swings, irritability, and mood instability by building emotional regulation skills, healthy routines, and early awareness of mood changes. When bipolar-spectrum symptoms are present, therapy works best alongside care from a psychiatrist or prescriber, and Unwilted Counseling can coordinate with your medical providers with your permission.
Not always. Many people improve significantly with therapy alone. Some clients also work with a prescriber for medication, and therapy can complement that care. If medication may help, Unwilted Counseling can coordinate with your physician or psychiatrist.
Clients 18 and older have full confidentiality. For teens under 18, what's shared in session is kept private, while parents receive general updates and are involved as clinically appropriate. Parents are always informed if there is a safety concern.
If you are in immediate danger, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Unwilted Counseling is not a crisis service, but ongoing support for self-harm and emotional regulation is available once you are safe.
Unwilted Counseling is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. Clients may use out-of-network benefits for possible reimbursement. Ongoing 50-minute sessions are $135, and the initial intake assessment is $160.
Good Faith Estimate: Clients paying privately have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining expected costs of care. You may request this prior to scheduling.
Start Depression & Mood Disorder Counseling in Fort Wayne!
Depression can make even small steps feel difficult. Reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness; it's a step toward relief. A free 15-minute consultation is a low-pressure way to ask questions and determine whether working together is the right fit. Call or text (260) 255-6432.
