Depression Counselling in Vancouver, BC.

Depression is often misunderstood as simply sadness, worse as self-indulgence. But this is far from the truth. People do not chose to be depressed. Symptoms of depression can include feelings of guilt, anger (at themselves or others), apathy, helplessness or agitation. My approach to help you deal with your depression includes cognitive therapy, building up self confidence, improving communication skills as well as looking at the underlying causes of depression from childhood or present situation. My role as a therapist is to act as a guide to lead you out of the darkness into clarity and hope

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

As human beings, we mostly ignore the flashing red engine light warning us that a tune up is in order. We put our heads down and keep going and before we know it we're just not functioning right. My role in helping you through depression is reconnecting you with your needs: emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, relational, and occupational, so that you become your best champion in meeting your needs and feeling more connected to yourself and others.

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.