Depression Counselling in Anmore, BC.

Depression is a mood disorder that can cause a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that can interfere with daily functioning. Reaching out for help is a step towards wellness. Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person, but it is a very treatable condition. Therapy for depression helps you overcome the feelings of hopelessness and despair and to gain control of your life.

I work with clients to manage symptoms of depression, which can be accompanied with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness that can create a negative valence around an individual’s daily functioning. A persistent feeling of sadness and doom can be accompanied with a loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable. While the causes of depression can be related to brain chemistry, genetics, stressful life events, and medical conditions, CBT can be effective in identifying the interactions between one’s thoughts, behaviours, emotions, and their environment. Healthy coping mechanisms such as eating healthy, exercise, adequate sleep, and managing stress levels can help combat depression

Depression affects all of us is some form or another, feelings of emptiness and despair can be challenging. For some taking the first step to get help can be even more challenging, I congratulate each client that comes in for counselling. I work with my clients on the issues behind the depression, and make small changes to the unhealthy patterns. In therapy, the clients learns their strengths, and how to utilise their strengths to make the necessary changes that can help them heal to have a fulfilling life.

As someone who has a history of depression personally and intergenerationally, I am well aware of the great challenges and opportunities for growth that this experience can bring. For those struggling with depression, healing can feel elusive, as if nothing will ever work. It often requires a wider lens, an eye for patterns and a holistic orientation to shift this dynamic. My approach comes from my years resolving my own patterns of depression and integrating the ancestral patterns that laid the foundation for it in my life. I now come to you with a wide-reaching tool kit to support you in your journey. I offer EMDR and other trauma processing approaches to support you when appropriate.

Depression can impact the way you think, feel, connect with others, and move through daily life. You may feel emotionally exhausted, disconnected from yourself, overwhelmed, numb, or stuck in patterns that are difficult to shift alone. Through psychotherapy, we can explore the deeper emotional experiences and patterns contributing to your struggles while building greater understanding, support, and emotional resilience.

The emotional as well as physical pain of depression can seem unmanageable at times. Using a combination of Cognitive and Behavioural therapy, as well as a psychodynamic approach I first help individuals manage and combat the symptoms they are experiencing. I then gently push them to explore and understand the deeper correlates and events (past and present) that contribute to their ongoing sense of feeing unwell.

Research tells us that depression is the most treatable mental health issue. I am passionate about conceptualizing depression as a symptom instead of root problem. Depression is a normal response to things like painful life experiences, suppressed emotion, attachment trauma, abuse, complicated grief, loss of self-efficacy. Re-establishing connection to ourselves (i.e., our inner worlds), our bodies, important relationships, spirituality, meaningful work in life, etc., have all been shown to lead to a significant decrease in depressive symptoms. Savoring positive emotional experiences, and being relentless in the search for hope, are things I partner with my clients to do.

Depression can color how we see the world, ourselves and other people. Activities that used to be fun are not fun anymore and doing small things can feel like a chore. We might lose our sense of meaning and purpose and struggle to motivate ourselves. I want you know that there is hope, even if you cannot fully feel it right now. When working with depression, I help my clients to develop skills to improve their mood . Sometimes making little changes can help you feel better, which results in hope and lead to more hope and create an upward spiral. I also always help my clients heal the roots of their depression since this is an important part of recovering from depression.

I use cognitive behavioral therapy against depression. This is a very effective tool. Many people feel depressed because their thoughts are negative, catastrophic, black and white or overgeneralized. I believe that negative, irrational thoughts create hopeless and depressed feelings which create negative behaviors. Clients are amazed how much better they feel when they change their irrational thoughts for more rational and realistic ones.

I hold space for clients to express their pain and sadness first and foremost; this can be an empowering and effective tool, especially for those who haven't had a chance to explore or express these feelings at all. I also work to empower my clients through building awareness of triggers and coping strategies and by exploring potential underlying causes which can help clients move forward in a deeper manner.

When depression is in a serious stage, it demolishes the body. When it appears, it is often triggered and intertwined with deadly emotions. My therapy is based on CBT treatment. Firstly, talk openly and connect to a therapist for decreasing self-isolation. Secondly is learning to manage and reduce anxiety symptoms.Thirdly, improve self awareness. It is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of your emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. Fourthly, increase self-esteem. Rebuild your sense of self-worth by feeling more confident and positive about yourself. Fifthly, enhance Motivation. Identify your values and goals by working towards a more fulfilling life. I will be an empathetic listener.

Depression can negatively affect our relationships, ability to concentrate, feelings of self-worth, and life enjoyment. Even getting out of bed in the morning can be tough. We know that counselling can help by interrupting patterns of thought and behaviour that feed the depression. I work with you by sharing skills designed to positively change the way you think about things and the way you interact with others and the world around you. You may feel helpless or hopeless, but know that you are not alone.

Therapy is a place for all matters of the heart, body and soul. Depression can range from mild to completely disabling, and the root causes varied and individual. While medical support can be helpful, therapy can help us get to the root of what we are emotionally 'depressing'. I believe in the mind/body connection which includes both, helping a client to access practical tools for coping day to day as well as exploring the deeper emotions stored in the body that might be contributing to the depression. From a deeply compassionate and client centred approach within the therapeutic connection the client feels less alone offering them hope as they navigate their depression.