Depression Counselling in Bowen Island, BC.

Many adults and children will encounter depression at some point in their life. One of the crucial elements of healing is talking your feelings through with a trusted professional. I can help you combat your depression by addressing the feelings themselves and the issues that cause them. I offer a combination of focusing on solutions and supporting you through the difficult times. We will work together to resolve your current issues, free you from the many symptoms of depression and develop a strategy to prevent it in the future. I work with a holistic approach that is tailored to you. Contact me to start making changes today.

Depression isn’t who you are — it’s a response to pain you were never meant to carry alone. In my counselling practice, I offer a steady, compassionate space to explore the heaviness, numbness, and self-doubt that can feel overwhelming. Together, we listen for what your fatigue and sadness are trying to protect, rebuild connection, and gently re-ignite a sense of meaning. You don’t have to move through the darkness on your own. With care, patience, and support, a way forward becomes possible.

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.

When I use narrative therapy to work with clients experiencing depression, I focus on helping them re-author the stories they tell about themselves and their lives. So often, depression is tied to dominant narratives that make people feel powerless, unworthy, or stuck. Together, we work to externalize the problem—separating them from their depression—so they can see it as something they’re facing, not something that defines who they are. This opens up space for us to explore alternative stories that highlight their resilience, strengths, and values. By shifting the focus from what feels wrong to what’s possible, I aim to help them reclaim a sense of agency and nurture a more hopeful view.

Olivia is passionate about supporting individuals struggling with depression and the deep isolation it often brings. Using a cognitive behavioral therapy approach, she helps clients identify and understand the underlying causes of their depression, challenge negative thought patterns, and develop healthier perspectives. Olivia also provides practical, actionable steps to help clients re-engage with life, rebuild connections, and rediscover joy. With empathy and expertise, she creates a supportive space for clients to navigate their emotions, regain hope, and work toward meaningful change. Olivia’s goal is to empower her clients to move forward with resilience and a renewed sense of purpose.

Real Solutions to Real Challenges. Common Sense Techniques Get relief from depresion. Depression is a symptom that may stem from an identifyable event, an unfulfilled intention, poor self-worth, perfectionistic traits,or as a result of a trauma such as sexual abuse, bullying, poor attachment . Over time an individuals brain chemistry can physically change. When a depresion trigger occurs it then becomes easier for that individual to go to an even darger place. Hoplessness sets in and the person becomes very discouraged. Martin helps his clients to understand these patterns, reframe beliefs, and discharge the issues that are at the core of the depresssion.

Depression can be deeply painful, robbing you of energy, motivation, and hope. It creates a negative view of life, your self, and your future. It typically disrupts sleep patterns, appetite, emotions, and your thinking ability. I use the clinical practice of cognitive behavioural therapy to help people regain healthy control over their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and reclaim a sense of influence over their life style and life situation's. Coaching you to refocus, set small daily goals, celebrate your successes, and learn new behavioral and thinking skills can take time but the good news is that once you have acquired these skills you have them for life.

Depression is not only a mental problem, it is also a physical one - often leaving you with fatigue and lack of motivation to do anything. The first step to healing depression is building inner and outer resources for immediate symptom relief. This includes self- care, especially physical exercise along with mindful awareness of your internal experience . The next step is challenging those distorted beliefs and perceptions of yourself and the world. You can get better soon.

Depression is now the number one cause of suffering in the world today (World Health Organization Statistics). Each person's story is different and there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to treating depression, depending upon the severity of symptoms. I assess and offer practical tools as well as create a safe and secure place and environment for people to come and talk to me about things that they may not tell anyone else because of the shame and stigma of depression. I am trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy as well as a number of other therapeutic techniques which have been proven to help with depression.

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 is a state of mind that effects most people at some point in our lives. Often, symptoms of depression include a loss of interest in things that once made us happy, sleep disturbance or abundance, change in appetite, and dark thoughts. People can experience depression for many many reasons including postpartum depression, situational, relationship loss or difficulties, loneliness, seasonal affective disorder, teen depression,isolation and many more reasons. There are many treatments for depression, beginning with talking to someone about your experience. In some cases, talking to your doctor about medication helps combined with therapy to help deal with the sadness.

Among other things, depression is a stagnation, a lack of forward motion. I side with the cognitive behaviour therapists, who say that behavioural activation is a valuable treatment. Learn about what activities bring you joy or peace or relief. Then, give those activities a larger role in your life. I could just say "activity" over and over here, because that is what will help most. Activity, activity, activity...

I view depression as an internal system of parts in conflict, with exiled parts holding painful emotions and protective parts trying to manage or avoid the pain. When this happens, it's normal to feel disconnected from yourself and others, unable to make progress or find relief because these parts are all working at cross-purposes. Therapy helps you to foster compassion for these parts, heal the underlying trauma, and unburden the emotional weight, leading to more internal harmony and relief from depression.

No two people experience depression in exactly the same way and so dealing with it also needs an individual approach. Rather than viewing depression as something wrong with the person experiencing it, the client and I listen to what it might have to say to them. Though understandably, nobody likes depression, and it can be managed with tools such as Cognitive Behavioural therapy and mindfulness, etc., it can also be engaged through other approaches that allow its importance and meaning (and what it is calling for) is revealed. This can bring greater richness, wisdom, and appreciation for life.

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.

Depression is like a dark shroud that hovers over a person's existence making each day a perpetual struggle. Life in general is disrupted. The smallest daily life routine becomes impossible. People may be predisposed to depression, but there is not a gene that predetermines whether a person will experience the effects of the disease. The four pillars of healthy living include: developing a balanced eating plan; engaging in regular exercise, instilling good sleep hygiene and social connection. Cognitive Behaviour tends to be the gold seal approach when a client present with symptoms of depression. Other modalities also serve to help the client manage his/her/they depressive episodes.

If depression could speak, it would say "why bother?" Depression leaves us feeling unmotivated, hopeless, and negative about ourselves and our potential. In counselling, I provide a compassion-focused approach to treating depression that will help you to increase your sense self-worth and build motivation to mobilize yourself. I believe that when treating depression, it is essential to explore emotions such as anger, guilt and shame that often perpetuate a defeated and empty state. Doing so can feel uncomfortable, but is ultimately liberating. Many of my depressed - even suicidal - clients report that therapy has helped improve their mood and take meaningful action in their lives.

Do you find yourself waking up in the morning unmotivated, low energy and just blah? Is it hard to remember feeling happy and excited? Depression may creep up on you or it may be feel like you are at the bottom of dark hole that you can't find your way out of. Together we will work to discover the source of your sadness and re-build your life. There is hope and things can feel better.

Depression is extremely complex - at times it can completely turn your life upside down and rob you of any joy or happiness that you previously felt. Yet other times it can also show up in more subtle ways throughout your life, almost unknowingly at first. Every person is different but one commonality with depression is that it can make you feel incredibly alone and self-deprecating. Isolation feeds depression and hinders our functioning. My aim is to create a compassionate relationship so that you don’t feel alone. I’ll offer empathy and kindness while we gently work as a team to find what works for you in your journey towards a healthier mind.

When stress builds up, it can leave a person feeling overwhelmed, sad or even depressed. Whether you are trying to cope with mild, moderate or severe depression, Counselling can help. Having opportunities to share your feelings and work together to build on your strengths is my goal as a Registered Clinical Counsellor. I work with children, youth and adults who are suffering from depression. Talk Therapy coupled with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help alleviate symptoms, and help clients feel more in control of their emotions, thoughts and actions. I want to help my clients to learn strategies and provide "tools" in order to fight back against depression. You deserve to feel happy!

Depression and the feeling of being overwhelmed, scared and even paralyzed are real. The good news is that depression is treatable. Identifying the reasons behind depression, understanding the inner tensions that create depression are the necessary steps to move into a hope-filled life. Being able to look forward to the day ahead, living out your hopes and dreams is achievable.

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.

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.

Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or constantly tired? Are you struggling with a sadness that won't lift, losing interest in things you once loved, or trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts? I get it. Depression is tough. But with the right support, you can find joy again, rediscover motivation, and build resilience. As a clinical counsellor, I'm here to help you reclaim your life with compassionate, results-oriented therapy using proven techniques. Let’s take this journey together. Book your free 15-minute phone consultation today and start moving towards a brighter, more empowered future.

I use CBT to help clients struggling with depression. I'll ask questions to help you identify the thought and behaviour patterns that are keeping you unmotivated and depressed. Together we'll identify the specific factors contributing to your depressive symptoms and create a tailored plan to address them and help you move towards the life you want. Each week I'll give you small manageable homework tasks to complete and help you to notice the successes along the way so you will be encouraged to stay on the path of recovery. I'd be honoured to travel with you on your journey.