Depression Counselling in Gibbons, AB.

I treat the presentation of depression by exploring the cause of the depression as opposed to attempting to simply suppress the symptoms. I believe it is useful to explore the individual's thinking, behaviour, emotions, relationships, and overall health. An individual's thinking may cause a downward spiral into the darkness of depression. Challenging the thought patterns that become entrenched often causes a major shift in the presenting symptoms. Creating new pathways is possible and often life altering as a new way of being emerges.

Depression can become a heavy weight, dragging down our energy and coloring our perception of our entire world. Life can even seem pointless, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Counselling can help provide essential therapeutic support to heal symptoms of depression. I provide an open and honest space in which to express your thoughts and feelings, understand the roots of the depression, learn effective coping skills to manage and heal symptoms, and regain feelings of hope and pleasure in living.

Depression is something that can arise at any moment in time due to a certain event in someones life. Someone with depression may feel lost, hopeless or down at times. Depression is treatable and after the clients seek treatment they will experience increased energy, feel more "positive" about life and have relief from emotional suffering. Treatment will help the person find hope and regain control of their life.

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.

Depression is the common cold of psychology. Like anxiety and stress, depression is quite commonly reported by consumers of psychotherapy. I am experienced, comfortable, and patient with treating depression. I am neither strongly opposed nor strongly supportive of pharmacotherapeutics. I engage an approach that is personal-growth-centered and as independent of the medical model as is possible.

Depression is often a teacher that we haven't connected with our feelings and grieved for the loss of someone or something in our life. An example of a loss could be loss of our youth, what could have been, a dream, a part of ourselves or we are denying part of ourselves. The pain of depression causes us to slow down even though we may not want to but it also clouds our reasoning and often we feel hopeless and sometimes suicidal. In therapy we find a safe space to connect with our pain and find a way to accept the circumstances of our lives even though they may not be what we want them to be. Recovery from depression often becomes the start of a more meaningful and congruent life.

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.

It is so hard to understand depression. However, once you do understand it, it becomes a highly treatable state. I hope that we will together pinpoint the life problems that contribute to your depression and find which aspects of those problems can be solved or improved. Identify negative or distorted thought patterns you might have, and develop your skills that will help you fight the depression.

Depression is defined in many different ways. My approach sees depression as a social phenomenon, first and foremost. People who suffer from it usually tend to blame themselves for how they view the world, or for how they feel about themselves. In my view, in doing so they are missing the big picture. They are failing to see that our society increasingly creates the conditions for isolation, dissatisfaction, emotional instability. Working on our desires, working on what is socially acceptable, discussing the contradictions that we experience every day are often key to find a way out, to perceive our pain within the most appropriate frame.

Depression is challenging because people often know what they should do to feel better, and the people in their life are probably lecturing them as well... "Go exercise, you'll feel better", "You need to get out of the house!", "Why don't you go spend time with others and meet new people?" etc... The issue with depression is that it robs us of energy to do these things, and more importantly, it plays tricks with our mind about our perceived and actual experiences...making it all seem negative and not enjoyable. Together, we can find a spark of hope to expand on so that you actually WANT to do the things you know you should be doing and so you can feel some enjoyment from them!

Depending is often the result of negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself and your life. One gets trapped in a downward spiral that drains the life force out of you. Past experiences and actions may continue to haunt you. The beliefs about oneself can be difficult to fight. My approach is not to cheer lead you to fight them and be strong but to go deeper and challenge the very truth of what you are believing about yourself. Accepting ones weakness and vulnerability without being controlled by them can be hard but it is ultimately the way up to a more integrated and fulfilling life.

Depression is a state that is usually warranted as a result of the situation that we come across. If we allow ourselves to experience and explore our depressive states, our natural tendency is to move out of this state. My approach to working with depression is not to make clients feel better immediately, but it is to sit in the depressed place with them so we can explore why they are there. Once its explored, experienced, and understood, only then can we move ourselves to health.

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.