Depression Counselling in Gibbons, AB.

I use a cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based approach to treating depression. I also work with client to establish a holistic self-care practice, because physical issues like sleep deprivation can worsen depression. In my experience, anxiety and depression often occur together, so I work with clients to help cope with these symptoms and lower stress levels. In my experience, I have supported many individuals with depression in hospital and outpatient settings since 2000. Depression is one of the most common mental health concerns, and there are many approaches and techniques that can be effective.

Life has a habit of throwing us off balance which can be quite disturbing and disruptive to our lives. I work with my clients to help develop more positive focus in their lives and build skills that lead to more positive experiences and happier outcomes. By building on past success in their lives, we are able to create new solutions to problems and recognize what attributes the client already has to conquer their problems.

Depression, ranging from mild to severe, interferes in all areas of daily function. When we’re drained of energy, enjoyment and motivation, we can become caught in a vicious cycle of isolation and worsening or persistent symptoms. Reaching out for assistance is an effective first step in changing this cycle. To take control of depression symptoms, we will make progressive steps for healthy function, learn skills to effectively regulate emotion intensity, and challenge the negative pattern.

Sometimes depression feels so dark it is hard to get out of bed. Other times it is more like a "heavy cloud" that burdens you with constant negative thoughts and feelings. Sometimes people are haunted by a barrage of critical thoughts like "what's wrong with you", " you always screw up", " if only you were like other people". Counselling helps you change the way you think and feel about yourself so you can approach life with a more hopeful and positive outlook.

Depression is one of the most difficult and painful of all human experiences. It robs us of energy, interest and the will to make things better. Much of the basis for depression lies in one's thinking. We will explore thinking patterns and how they impact your emotions. We will investigate new skills such as solving problems, changing thinking patterns, and reactivating your life. We will also create a plan to prevent future episodes, how to recognize depression episodes early, and how to prevent depression from spiralling deeper.

Sometimes we find ourselves stuck, with little to no motivation. We might also blame ourselves or others for how we got here. As a psychologist my role isn't to change you, rather it is to help you gain a greater understanding of what is going on. However, this isn't a stopping point. Through greater understanding we might also increase our compassion for ourselves. By giving ourselves some grace and working through the stress and challenges of our lives often we find that motivation to move forward and continue to grow and thrive!

Depression is a clinical condition that can impact both your mind and physical abilities. The most recommended treatment method is cognitive behavioural therapy which we use to identify your negative feelings and behaviours so we can replace them with more positive ones. Your depression can be treated with both psychotherapy and medicine along with physical exercise to help alleviate symptoms and improve overall well-being.

I believe depression comes in two forms - medical and situational. At Base Counselling, my goal is to help you determine which depression you are facing and to help you find ways to cope with it. For medical depression, a referral may be the most appropriate thing. For situational depression (or a combination of the two), my approach is to determine where it came from, how it affects you, and what you can do to cope and/or overcome it.

I accurately diagnose an individual to ascertain whether he/she suffers from Major Depression or from sadness. The treatment plan might be different but the outcome is similar as my goal is to always help the individual resolve the issues that have brought him/her to therapy. The focus is for the client to be able to move on to a healthy, positive and productive way of living.

Depression can feel isolating and lonely but the collaborative process of counselling can help client's to shift from feeling helpless and hopeless to finding enjoyment in life. Client's can also experience an overall improvement in their daily life from including an increase in energy, and an improvement in memory, concentration, and ability to focus.

The role of psychotherapy in treating depression is to help the person develop good coping strategies for dealing with everyday stressors. Benefits to be gained from therapy in treating depression include helping reduce stress in your life; it can give you a new perspective on problems with family, friends, or co-workers; it can make it easier to stick to your medical treatment; you can use it to learn how to cope with side effects from depression medication; you learn ways to talk to other people about your condition; it helps catch early signs of clinical depression.

Depression can be as complex and varied as the people who experience it. Because of this, solutions can also vary. I want to know how depression intrudes on your life: How does it feel? What does it stop you from doing? When did it start? Then I can tell you what research says about effective ways to get through it. And together, we can fit these ways for your situation. More specifically, I integrate the cognitive-behavioural, narrative, and solution-focused methods to co-develop a plan that works for you. I work online across Canada or in-person in Calgary.

Many people think depression is about not doing enough or being uncommitted to their goals, however, people who struggle with depression are facing the problem of being over-committed to their goals and failing. When I work with clients dealing with depression the goal is to manage goals and expectations and work on creating small changes that build momentum to larger changes.