Depression Counselling in Oak Bay, BC.

Depression can feel like a wet blanket you wear around you day in and day out. You may find it hard to remember what if felt like before or have hope that you will ever feel normal again. The most valuable thing I can do for a client with depression is to inspire hope, to help you regain your confidence and recover a positive, constructive outlook on life. My therapeutic approach for helping clients move through their depression incorporates a compassionate and nonjudgmental acceptance so important to supporting changes in ourselves.

Depression can leave you feeling disconnected from yourself, the people you love and the life you want to be living. You may feel exhausted, numb, hopeless or alone, or find yourself withdrawing from relationships even when part of you longs for connection. I offer depression counselling that goes beyond simply trying to think more positively. Using an emotion-focused approach, we can gently explore what is happening underneath the sadness, numbness or disconnection, understand the experiences and relationships that may be shaping how you feel, and help you reconnect with your emotions, your needs and the people who matter to you.

Dealing with depression requires that we both lean into the emotions that we are feeling while also making small and steady changes in our daily life. I can help you to learn how to tolerate negative emotions and understand why you might be feeling them. I can also work with you to set up small and achievable goals so that you can take the steps you want in making positive changes in your life.

Just about will experience depression at some point in their lifetime. Sometimes, there is a clear reason for its presence… sometimes it might not make sense. Depression can knock us hard, flatten us out and keep us down. Sadness, unhappiness, unmotivated, helpless, discouraged, hopeless, numb or just feeling empty with no energy… it manifests in all kinds of ways. In my practice, I help people to gain insight into their relationship with depression and develop a personalized approach to get through to the other side. With some help, change is very much possible. You can get up again and move toward different experience in life.

Depression includes low mood, feelings of sadness or hopelessness, diminished interest in activities, fatigue, change in appetite or sleeping behaviour, diminished ability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and suicidal ideation. These symptoms cause impairment in an individuals’ social, occupational, or other areas. Therapy for depression typically involves cognitive-behavioural therapy, where thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are investigated, cognitive-restructuring, and learning new skills and coping strategies. At the outcome of therapy, individuals can experience more energy and joy, greater peace, clarity, connectedness, self worth, hope, and improved functioning.

I am available to support at any point in your experience of depression. Recovery from a episode of depression can take time, warmth, patience and small steps. Prevention can involve learning about thought patterns, reducing triggers, plans for action, consultation with other health professionals and lifestyle changes. Some approaches I draw on include, talk therapy, mindfulness, EMDR (eye movement desentization and reprocessing) and CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).

Did you know that depression and sadness are two different things? While sadness is a normal emotional response to certain situations, depression is a mental health disorder that affects a person's mood, thoughts, and daily functioning. It is important to recognize the symptoms of depression, such as persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, and difficulty concentrating. If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, don't hesitate to seek help from a mental health professional. Remember, you are not alone.

Those who suffer with Depression know that it is far more than being sad. It is a pall, a darkness, a fog that permeates every part of your existence and sucks the life out of every joy. It is also a complex and complicated knot to untangle. Sometimes depression can be a mask for shame that has been carried from our family of origin. Our work on your experience of Depression will offer practical skills, which can start to ease some of the heaviness. I will also support you to get underneath the pain and discover what is fueling that story and that experience. Any of this will be in concert with, not take the place of, therapeutic medication prescribed by your Doctor.

I know all about the deep darkness of depression and how to climb out of it. Depression can be brutal and isolating. First we need to be witnessed and understood in our pain in a safe comfortable non-judgemental space. Then we can learn tools and strategies to face the things that seem impossible to face. I will support you to take the steps necessary to improve your depression.

Depression can affect many areas of a person's life, including mood, motivation, energy, sleep, relationships, and overall wellbeing. My approach focuses on understanding the factors contributing to depression and helping clients develop practical strategies to improve mood and build resilience. I use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based approaches to help clients identify and reframe patterns of thinking that contribute to hopelessness, self-criticism, guilt, or feelings of helplessness. Treatment may also include behavioural activation, which helps clients gradually increase activities that support wellbeing, connection, pleasure, and a sense of accomplishment.

When you are depressed you may feel sad, weepy, hopeless, helpless, unmotivated, maybe sleep too much or not enough and also lose interest in sexuality, your friends and activities. These feelings last a long time and are really hard on relationships. You may think that you will never be happy again. You may have tried drugs but now want to take charge yourself of the changes you want to feel in your life. Counseling starts with your story of what is happening. I will ask lots of questions to help you get a clear idea of the causes and patterns in your life. We'll work on coping strategies and maybe try therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. You'll feel more content with your life.

While merely discussing past events can sometimes leave us feeling stuck or overwhelmed, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) creates a safe, structured environment to actively relive, process, and transform painful dynamic patterns. Instead of intellectualizing your journey, we focus on experiencing and re-patterning core emotional responses—allowing genuine healing and long-term emotional resilience to take root.

If you are living with depression, you may be suffering with feelings of hopeless & despair, low self-esteem, lack of energy & motivation, and, self-defeating negative thought cycles. My approach to treating depression draws on contemplative & psychodynamic psychotherapy helping you to cultivate self-compassion & mindfulness while deepening awareness of underlying emotional roots & historical patterns. Sometimes depression arrives in our life to help us come into deeper alignment with our authentic self and release what no longer serves us. Together we can gentle explore what is happening for you and what you need in order to feel better longer term.