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Condition 04 of 08 1 min read

Conditions we treat

Seasonal Affective Disorder

If something heavy arrives every fall and lifts every spring, you’re not imagining it. The pattern has a name. It also has a treatment.

Care formatsIndividual · Seasonal cohort group · Telehealth

Best timingBegin late summer / early fallEarlier intervention shortens the season

ModalitiesCBT for SAD · Behavioral Activation · Light-therapy coordination

InsuranceAll major plansSliding scale considered case by case

A woman in sunshine with eyes closed, gentle smile, late-afternoon light

The shape of it

What we mean when we say Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Even in Southern California, where winter is mild compared to most of the country, plenty of people experience a seasonal pattern in their mood. The shorter days, the time change, the holidays, and a long list of other factors come together each year and bring something with them.

For some people, it’s mild — a bit slower, a bit heavier. For others, it’s a full depressive episode that arrives reliably each fall and lifts in spring. The fact that the pattern repeats is part of what makes it treatable: you can prepare, intervene early, and shift the trajectory.

This page might be for you if…

Your energy drops markedly when the days shorten.
Holidays land harder than they should.
You start dreading fall by August.
You sleep more and feel less rested.

What this can feel like

From the inside, it often sounds like this.

Your energy drops markedly when the days shorten — and you’re tired of pretending it doesn’t.
You sleep more than usual, and feel less rested.
You crave carbohydrates and feel a slow weight gain you don’t love.
Holidays land harder than they should, and you don’t know how to say that to your family.
You start dreading fall by August, even when fall hasn’t arrived yet.

If something heavy arrives every fall and lifts every spring, you’re not imagining it. The pattern has a name. It also has a treatment.

— From the practice

How therapy can help

What working on this looks like.

Treatment is most effective when it begins before the season hits, not after. We typically start work with seasonal patterns in late summer or early fall, with the goal of shortening and softening what is otherwise an annual visitor.

What we draw on:

CBT for SAD — a well-studied protocol with strong outcomes that focuses on activity, light exposure, and the seasonal patterns of thought.
Group therapy with a seasonal cohort — when interest is high enough, we run cohorts focused on the fall-to-spring window.
Coordination with your prescriber on light therapy or pharmacological support when relevant.

Not sure if this fits what you’re carrying?

A short conversation with our healthcare coordinator usually clears it up. No commitment to schedule.

Talk to someone

Common questions

Things people ask about Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Does SAD happen in Los Angeles?

Yes. The Mediterranean climate is gentler, but the seasonal shift in light, temperature, and holiday rhythm is enough to trigger seasonal depression in many people.

Is light therapy enough on its own?

For some, yes. For many, the combination of light therapy with structured CBT or group support produces better and more durable shifts.

Can I start treatment after the season has already started?

Absolutely. Earlier is better, but it is never too late.

You don’t have to figure this out alone

Reach out — even if you’re still not sure.

Most people sit with the question for a long time before making the call. Whatever you’re carrying, we’ve almost certainly sat with someone holding something similar. The first step is just a conversation.

Book Your First Session Call (626) 354-6440

Seasonal Affective Disorder

What we mean when we say Seasonal Affective Disorder.

This page might be for you if…

From the inside, it often sounds like this.

What working on this looks like.

Not sure if this fits what you’re carrying?

Things people ask about Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Reach out — even if you’re still not sure.

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