Depression Counselling in Tottenham, ON.

Depression can resemble a “deep dark hole” within. Through a wide variety of user friendly Cognitive Behavioral techniques and strategies, the client is unburdened from this life of darkness. Life long preventative techniques are also taught so that the client can easily recognize the initial triggers and signs of depression. The client can then learn to implement strategies and techniques taught and avoid further self harm or emotional challenges.

The goal of counseling is to help alleviate depressed mood and help you recognize, accept, and cope with the feelings of depression. You will be supported in developing healthy cognitive thinking patterns and beliefs about yourself and the world that helps alleviate and prevent the relapse of depression symptoms. Developing healthy interpersonal relationships help ease and prevent the relapse of depression symptoms And, if necessary, you will be encouraged to appropriately grieve the losses in your life to help you normalize your mood and ‘dig out’ from under the heavy blanket of your depression to reclaim hope to your life.

Sadness is a common emotion. However, when sadness lingers in our lives, is long term, and affects our day to day life, then it is something to be addressed. I help clients to take steps towards reducing depression through related actions. Alongside this, I work with clients to understand how the depression is controlling them and what strategies we might consider to reduce this control. For example, clients often find it helpful to engage with others, challenge their thinking, consider their past positive experiences, and consider changes to their environment to begin to feel more and more positive emotions and less depressed.

In many cases, I view depression as an "alarm bell" that tells the individual that there is something wrong in their life. Have they turned their anger in life toward themselves? Are they not living their best, or preferred, life? Is there something that's happened in their life that is getting them down, but they don't realize how much power it truly has? Depression can also be about learned helplessness, or having a sense, through experience, that there is no point in even trying at something. Such helplessness can come from feeling defeated, feeling significant guilt about something, & even from self-defeating 'self-talk' that an individual engages in (without completely realizing it).

Depression can feel like a never-ending dark tunnel in which hope, purpose, joy, and motivation to live life can seem impossible. Depression can also lead us to feel disconnected from the very things that make life worth living and it can also make reaching out for help challenging. Should you decide to reach out for help, I will work with you to safely explore how depression has been affecting you and identify some of the factors that may have led you to feel depressed. I will also support you in developing tools to cope with depression so that you can experience a greater sense of connection and purpose within your life. Contact me or book a free consultation if you wish to learn more.

Hope, purpose, self-respect, and connecting with those close to you are vital for a full and healthy life. Depression can often come like a wave and steal them from you. When these factors are missing from our lives it can result in feeling helpless, irritable, lonely, confused, and negatively impact your energy, sleep, appetite, and ability to concentrate. Working with strategies to help you process negative thoughts and difficult emotions, therapy can help you develop a sense of control and safety in your life, as well as work on a more positive sense-of-self and of those around you. Change is possible and joy is available, we can do it together.

When struggling with depressed moods, everything feels heavy and you lack a sense of meaning and purpose. Even the most simple tasks can feel impossible. If you find yourself turning to alcohol, substances, or other addictive behaviours to cope with depressed moods, there is a way out. I help clients with addictions overcome the depressed moods causing them to turn to substances or addictive behaviours to cope. Everyone is different, so I work with you to develop a plan that fits your unique situation. If you are unsure where to start, send me a message. If I'm not the right fit, I can connect you to resources that will allow you to start getting help today, without having to wait.