Depression Treatment in San Antonio, TX
Depression is more than feeling down. It is exhausting, isolating, and often invisible from the outside. Our San Antonio team offers evidence-based depression treatment: therapy, medication management, and referrals to advanced options when they are needed.
Understanding depression
Real care for a condition that is more common than most people think
Depression is a medical condition. It changes sleep, appetite, energy, focus, and how your brain processes reward. It can make things you used to enjoy feel flat, and small tasks feel impossible. It is not a character flaw and it is not something people can just push through.
At South Texas Mental Health Associates in San Antonio, we treat depression the way any serious medical condition should be treated: with a full evaluation, an honest conversation about options, and a plan that gets adjusted based on how you respond. That plan often includes therapy, medication management, or both, and sometimes referral to advanced treatments when standard approaches have not been enough.
For patients whose depression has not responded to at least two antidepressants, we offer referral pathways to Spravato (esketamine) and TMS therapy at our Corpus Christi clinic, both FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression.
By the numbers
Depression in context
Depression is one of the most common and most treatable psychiatric conditions in the United States.
Signs & symptoms
What depression can look like
Depression is not just sadness. It shows up in the body, in sleep, in relationships, and in how you think about yourself. Several of these, most days, for two or more weeks, is a signal to talk with a provider.
Our approach
How we treat depression at STMHA
One team, one plan, adjusted as you respond. Psychiatric prescribing and therapy coordinated in a single practice.
Why STMHA
A team that treats depression seriously
Board-certified psychiatry
Depression care led by board-certified prescribers, not general practitioners.
Full spectrum of care
From first-line treatment to advanced options like TMS and Spravato when they are needed.
One coordinated team
Therapy and prescribing under one roof, sharing records and communication.
In-person or telehealth
See us at our San Antonio clinic or by secure video anywhere in Texas.
Comparing approaches
Therapy, medication, and advanced options for depression
First-line treatments work for most patients. Advanced options exist for depression that has not responded to standard care.
| Approach | Where it fits | Time to response |
|---|---|---|
| Psychotherapy (CBT, IPT) | Mild to moderate depression, first-line evidence-based option, no medication interactions. | Skills useful within weeks; deeper change over months |
| Antidepressant medication | Moderate to severe depression, or when therapy alone is not sufficient. | 4 to 8 weeks for full effect |
| Combined care | Moderate to severe depression, recurrent episodes, or complex presentations. | Often the strongest long-term outcomes |
| TMS or Spravato | Treatment-resistant depression that has not responded to two or more antidepressant trials. | Days to weeks; both FDA-approved for TRD |
TMS therapy and Spravato are available at STMHA Corpus Christi. Your provider discusses options based on your history.
Related services
Related care that supports depression treatment
Depression rarely shows up alone. Our team addresses the whole picture.
Psychiatric prescribing for depression and related conditions.
Learn more › Anxiety treatmentAnxiety and depression often travel together. We treat both.
Learn more › EMDR therapyEvidence-based therapy for depression rooted in trauma.
Learn more › TMS therapyFDA-cleared, non-drug treatment for treatment-resistant depression, at our Corpus Christi clinic.
Learn more › Spravato (esketamine)FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression and MDD with acute suicidal ideation.
Learn more › Bipolar disorderDepression that may be part of a bipolar spectrum needs a different approach.
Learn more ›Where to find care
Our San Antonio clinic
Care is available at our San Antonio clinic on NW Military Highway, Monday through Friday, and by secure telehealth across Texas.
STMHA San Antonio
Coverage
Insurance accepted
We accept most major plans and verify your benefits before your first visit, so there are no surprises.
Good to know
Depression treatment questions, answered
No referral is required. You can request an appointment directly with STMHA and we will help you get scheduled.
Depression is treated with therapy, medication, or a combination. For depression that has not responded to standard treatment, advanced options like TMS therapy and Spravato are available at our Corpus Christi clinic.
No. Many people improve with therapy alone. When medication is part of the plan, our providers explain the options honestly and adjust based on how you respond.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is major depression that has not responded adequately to at least two different antidepressant trials of sufficient dose and duration. For TRD, TMS and Spravato are FDA-approved options.
Yes. Our providers treat postpartum depression and can coordinate with your OB-GYN when appropriate.
Yes. STMHA offers secure video visits for depression treatment across Texas. Some medications may require an in-person visit at our San Antonio clinic.
Response times vary. Therapy skills often start helping within a few weeks. Traditional antidepressants typically take 4 to 8 weeks to reach full effect. Spravato and TMS often work faster, sometimes within days to weeks.
We accept most major insurance plans including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Tricare, and Medicare. We verify benefits before your first visit.
Medically reviewed
Reviewed by John Lusins III, MD
Board-certified psychiatrist and Medical Director of South Texas Mental Health Associates.
In a crisis
Get help right now
STMHA is an outpatient clinic and cannot respond to emergencies. If you or someone you know is in danger or thinking about suicide, please use these free, confidential resources, available 24/7.
- Call 911Life-threatening emergency, or someone at immediate risk of harm.
- Call or text 988Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7. Chat at 988lifeline.org/chat.
- Dial 988, then press 1Veterans Crisis Line, or text 838255.
- Dial 2-1-1Texas 2-1-1, everyday support and community resources.
Depression is treatable. You do not have to keep pushing through.
Contact South Texas Mental Health Associates to schedule depression treatment at our San Antonio clinic, or by telehealth from anywhere in Texas.