WE’RE HIRING!
Come join our team of 2000+ clinicians
FEATURED ARTICLE
A comprehensive guide to starting therapy
Book my first session
96% of clients feel supported and understood by their therapist
Get expert medication support, tailored to you
Check my copay estimate
Sessions cost $24 on average with insurance
Discover how starting depression counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
4 therapists available in Philadelphia
As a neurodivergent queer person, I approach therapy as a collaborative process rooted in curiosity, meaning-making, and respectin...
About
As a neurodivergent queer person, I approach therapy as a collaborative process rooted in curiosity, meaning-making, and respecting lived experience.
I am a licensed social worker (LSW) with 5 years of experience supporting adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, depression, identity concerns, self-esteem challenges, and feelings of overwhelm or disconnection. My practice is rooted in curiosity and collaboration, and I strive to create a grounded, respectful space for clients of diverse backgrounds, including those who identify as queer, trans, neurodivergent, ethically non-monogamous, or kink-positive.
I earned my master's degree in social work from Temple University. My approach blends reflective exploration with practical strategies, helping clients examine internalized beliefs, better understand their experiences, and build skills that support meaningful, lasting change.
Reaching out for support can feel vulnerable, especially when you’re already carrying a lot. I aim to provide a compassionate and thoughtful space where you feel heard and respected. If you’re ready to move toward greater clarity and self-trust, I welcome you to schedule a session to see if we’re a good fit.
Education and training
View more therapists in Philadelphia
As a clinical psychologist, I enjoy working with my clients to help them solve their problems and utilize coping skills....
As a clinical psychologist, I enjoy working with my clients to help them solve their problems and utilize coping skills.
Marcy Shoemaker is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with 14 years of experience who works with diverse clients of all ages. She specializes in supporting individuals through career transitions, life stressors, anger, anxiety, depression, parenting, self-esteem issues, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Marcy’s ideal client is open and honest and not hesitant to give feedback on the direction of their therapeutic journey. She believes there is no perfect type of therapy and takes an eclectic approach, working with clients to discuss feelings, problem-solve, and develop coping skills.
Marcy received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Among the methods she uses are cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, emotionally focused therapy, family systems, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness techniques.
During hard times, it is helpful to have an unbiased third party to listen without judgment. Marcy is ready to be the supportive ear that guides you through your issues and helps you to reach your goals. If you are ready to begin, schedule an appointment today!
As a black male therapist, I’m passionate about breaking the stigmas around therapy, especially for men, and creating a space wher...
As a black male therapist, I’m passionate about breaking the stigmas around therapy, especially for men, and creating a space where healing feels safe, relatable, and real.
Clifton “Cliff” Ventour is a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor with 3 years of experience supporting individuals through life’s emotional challenges. Coming from an urban community where therapy is often stigmatized, Cliff is passionate about changing that narrative. He helps clients process anger, manage anxiety and depression, and build healthier coping strategies to feel more in control of their emotional well-being.
Cliff earned his Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Temple University and integrates empathy, emotional regulation, and client-centered techniques into his approach. He supports individuals in processing difficult emotions and encourages growth through validation, trust, and building meaningful therapeutic connections.
Cliff understands healing takes time. He creates a safe, affirming space where clients can move at their own pace. With warmth and patience, he meets individuals where they are and walks alongside them as they navigate challenges, embrace their journey, and move closer to their goals.
Jacquelyn Farasat is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She holds National Counselor Certification and is also a Certified Clinic...
Jacquelyn Farasat is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She holds National Counselor Certification and is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She has 8 years of experience supporting the emotional, social, and personal growth and well-being of children, adolescents, and adults in both individual and group formats.
Jacquelyn has a Master’s degree in Counseling and a Master’s degree in Education. She strives to develop a caring relationship with the client that is built on trust, respect, and collaboration. Jacquelyn integrates mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing with a strengths-based, person-centered approach to support the client in becoming his/her best self. When working with children and families, she often uses play therapy to foster relational skills, develop emotional awareness and self-regulation skills, and promote positive problem-solving.
Jacquelyn recognizes that each client has a unique set of strengths, desires, and needs. Thus, she continually maintains flexibility and tailors strategies in response to the client’s needs and personal goals. Her goal is to encourage and empower you throughout your journey to becoming.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
Not ready to book? Contact me
Look for a confirmation email in your inbox shortly. We'll help find you a provider and guide you through everything you should know about starting care at Thriveworks.
No membership fees or subscriptions
Evening and weekend sessions
Award-winning therapy & psychiatry
What support are you seeking?
You acknowledge that by submitting this form, you are providing what may be considered “sensitive data” and consent to Thriveworks Privacy Policy & Terms. By submitting this information, you consent to receive communication from Thriveworks about our services via automatic calls, artificial or pre-recorded messages, or texts at the phone number provided, or by email at the address provided. You have the option to opt out of communications.
We will contact you with availability updates based on the preferences you provided for up to six months.
When working with clients who come to therapy for help with depressive symptoms, I start with a comprehensive assessment to help determine factors contributing to the symptoms. While depression is often related to neurochemical reactions, there are other factors, such as trauma, grief, stages of psychosocial development, stressors, etc. that contribute to symptoms. From there, I use interventions from various modalities of care to address the identified factors. I use cognitive behavioral therapy to help a client learn ways to address unhelpful thoughts that interfere with their well-being and fuel feelings of sadness and hopelessness. I engage them in narrative therapy to help shift some of their internalized narratives of self toward the positive. I use other behavioral approaches to help them increase their engagement in activities that will inspire change, such as building routines, engaging in healthy activities like exercise, increasing social connection, and helping them find ways to fulfill their need for a sense of purpose. In some cases, when depression is moderate to severe and a client's functioning is impaired in various areas of their life, I help them connect with additional resources.
Some tools that I introduce to help clients who experience depression are CBT skills, such as cognitive restructuring (adapting negative thoughts so that they are more functional), thought-stopping (interrupting unhelpful thoughts that contribute to distress and focusing them on positive anchoring thoughts), and thought journaling (diagraming cognitive processes to increase awareness of self and provide opportunities for perspective shift). I also introduce self-reward as a means of incentivizing change.
I know when a client is making meaningful progress when they present with a more positive affect, when they can more easily engage in self-affirmation, and they consistently meet their treatment goals and objective. An increase in social engagement and engagement in interests can also serve as metrics for treatment progress.
With depression, the most important thing a client can do is “fake it until you make it.” The “taking oppositive action” skill serves to redirect a client away from maladaptive behaviors that can contribute to depression, such as excessive sleep, substance use, social isolation, and inactivity.
Someone coming to seek counseling for depression can prepare for therapy by committing to the process and recognizing that change may be slow, but is possible nonetheless.
Depression counseling can help those with major depression, minor depression, postpartum depression, persistent depressive disorder, and more. The providers at Thriveworks in Philadelphia, PA will develop a unique treatment plan based on your specific experience, needs, and goals.
It is absolutely worth going to therapy for depression — depression counseling helps people better manage their symptoms and get back to living happier lives again.
Depression counseling works by helping people pinpoint life problems, distorted thought patterns, and other causes of their depression, then process and work through them in order to mitigate the negative effects those factors have on their lives.
Common signs of depression include:
Thriveworks depression counseling in Philadelphia, PA is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
Depression counseling can last for a few weeks, months, or longer, dependent on the severity of one’s depression as well as their needs and preferences.
At Thriveworks, we accept most major insurance plans, allowing many clients to pay as little as $0–$50 per session with their co-pay. We also offer self-pay options for those out-of-network or without insurance. Self-pay rates for talk therapy range from $160 to $240 for intake sessions and $135 to $195 for follow-ups, depending on your state. For psychiatry services, self-pay intake sessions are $255–$375, with follow-ups ranging from $175–$300, also varying by state. More information on current self-pay costs is available on our pricing page.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
Shown in ET
Call us to book
Our team is happy to help you schedule your first session.
Book online
Find the right provider for you. Book your session online yourself in just a few easy steps.