Depression Counselling in Sun Peaks, BC.

Depression is often seen as a disorder of the person. Although there is certainly a biological component to depression, I work with individuals to reflect on how their depression can also be a response to their lived experiences. The more we understand the many components of how we are feeling and experiencing the world, the more empowered people struggling with depressive symptoms feel.

Depression can be a debilitating mental health issue, but the good news is there are excellent therapies out there designed to help treat it! Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been shown to be one of the most effective treatments in helping with depression. CBT is a shorter term and skills-based therapy intended to help individuals learn strategies to better manage their mood and improve the quality of their life. I'd be happy to discuss more about CBT for depression with you!

When one is depressed the range of thoughts and feelings encompass a wide spectrum. Sadness and despair might be pervasive. One can feel as if they have fallen into a deep dark pit where everything is covered in negativity and hopelessness. In this state, one can feel inadequate, discouraged, unable or unwilling to make decisions. In addition, guilt, shame, profound low self-esteem and loss of interest in relationships, sex, career and even life itself are commonly found. A variety of evidence-based tools, specific to the needs of the individual, applied skillfully at the right time, can dramatically lift one out of that deep, dark pit and help avoid relapse.

Navigating depression in therapy involves a compassionate approach to understand its complex nature. Recognizing triggers, which vary widely, is a crucial first step. These can include life changes, stress, or genetic factors. Common Triggers Significant life changes (e.g., loss of a loved one, divorce) Chronic stress and overwork Emotional trauma or unresolved past issues Genetic predisposition or family history Substance abuse or medication side effects Chronic illnesses or pain Isolation or lack of social support Seasonal changes (e.g., Seasonal Affective Disorder) Hormonal changes (e.g., postpartum depression) Signs of Depression Persistent sadness or hopelessness Loss of interest in

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 deeply supportive and holistic orientation to shift this dynamic. My approach comes from my years of experience moving through and finally out of my own 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.

We are first interested in the context and history of the depression or sadness and what may it potentially be in response to. We understand that it is normal to feel extreme sadness in the face of trauma, violence, grief and loss, etc. We also know that clinical depression is something that deserves intentional support and intervention. We work to understand and provide the best support for each individual or family.

Periodic sadness is considered normal, however, if the sadness leads to depression over time, this becomes a call for assessment and intervention by your physician. Your physician may prescribe medication and because it is known that therapy combined with medication is superior to medication alone, the physician may request that you engage in therapy to assist your recovery. We provide talk, cognitive, behaviour, interpersonal and counselling therapies to compliment your recovery. We provide a safe and non-judgemental environment with the emotional support your require to understand your depression and enable you to embrace a new freedom in your life.

Depression gets in the way of living life with joy. It takes away from our everyday experiences. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR techniques people can begin to find peace in their lives and experience life fully. Through active participation in counseling clients will learn how to defeat depression, develop self-esteem and discover joy in daily living again.

Depression can be an overwhelming sense of sadness and hopelessness. It can also come with or without a clinical diagnosis. Through therapy we will begin to explore the sadness and what it means in the context of your life. We will explore the unique rules of sadness and depression and exceptions to sadness and depression. We will utilize interventions from Response-Based Practice, Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy.

I create a confidential, safe place where you can feel comforted and understood, while learning to manage the changes and challenges that come with all types of loss — illness, age, sudden or accidental death, suicide, child or pregnancy loss. I will assist the client in reaching goals, which may change over time. Goals are set by the client in collaboration with me.

Both youth and adults can struggle with low mood or depression at different times in their lives. Sometimes it is situational, and sometimes, it just happens, for what seems like no reason at all. Coping with this is hard, and for people who experience post-concussion it can be especially difficult and impact all areas of life. Using a CBT/DBT approach to understanding these patterns that can lead to unhealthy coping patterns, I will help to develop new coping skills and patterns of joy in your life.

Depression can be an incredibly lonely experience including the often feeling that there is no way out of it. One first step is finding a therapist who can walk alongside you to find hope and healing. I use researched and proven therapy approaches that can help you increase mood and to reengage in a fulfilling life. Feeling better is possible.

If you are feeling down, blue, hopeless, and are not enjoying doing any of the things you used to enjoy or often find you're just too tired to do anything, OR IF YOU FEEL LIFE IS JUST NOT WORTH LIVING, it is time to get some help from a counsellor. This sadness can lead to more complicated concerns such as clinical depression if you don't get some help. It is especially important to note that in TEENAGERS OR ADOLESCENTS these symptoms often go unrecognized because it appears to others as general teenager "moodiness and irritability". Please contact me if you or someone close to you has these symptoms. I use Cognitive Therapy as a successful tool to help with your feeling of sadness.

Ferne assesses depressive symptoms and makes recommendations for treatment. She uses cognitive behavior therapy to reduce negative thoughts about your life and your situations. Ferne uses mindfulness practice to help you learn coping skills to relax, and move forward to feeling well again. She will help you reframe negative thoughts to positive thoughts so you can feel hopeful. She also uses self awareness, education and goal setting.