Depression Counselling in Clearview, ON.

Depression can feel like a heavy blanket that slowly suffocates our motivation in life. Just reaching out for help can be a major undertaking when living with depression. I validate the true struggle that comes along with depression, and strive to find tools that work for you, to life the fog and get back to feeling like yourself again. You don't need to struggle through it alone, I am here to support you.

Do you wake up or go to bed feeling the blues? Do you feel dread and wonder how you will get through the day? Are you experiencing negative thoughts? I can help. Not only do I use talk therapy with my clients I help clients by using a technique called CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT can help you notice triggers and events that effect both thoughts and mood restoring balance.

Like anxiety, depression is the other side of the same emotional state of being. Depression does not happen instantly, it sets in over time and it takes more than medication to shake off the depression. It is like a person getting ready to swim in the ocean. Medication helps to reduce the size or height of the waves to manageable levels to help the swimmer swim through the water but it cannot get rid of the waves in the ocean of life all together. Counselling and psychotherapy with Julian D’Souza rsw msw helps you to swim through the waves and gives you certain skills to float, swim, snorkel and go scuba diving to ride through the waves.

Depression has become an epidemic in our world...hard things happen, biochemistry responds and depression can set in---it can brew over many years with many causal factors [chronic childhood difficulties and learning], or happen quickly [reactive depression]. It changes everything and does not magically go away---it takes time; reframing with active cognitive work; diligent self-care; a consult with your GP; possibly medication and counselling. Depression often can be held firm with a constant focus and depressive rumination on the past. Therapy can help loosen our grip on the things wee cannot change.

Whenever I have worked with clients during the past 10 years who have experienced depressive symptoms, I have found that they have found that both a client-centred and Cognitive Behavioural Theoretical approach seems to be appreciated by them. Within the CBT model, I also have relied on Dialectical Behavioural Theory also to gain understanding and to move on towards coping strategies. I think this therapeutic pattern has been helpful to many of my past clients, as they have said that need to be heard first, gain understanding to their struggles, and then find solutions to alleviate the symptoms which they are experiencing.

The combination of schema therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective approach to dealing with depression. The CBT aspect of the therapy provides insight into HOW depression affects our lives. The schema portion of the therapy addresses the question of WHY depression exists in our lives. The therapy is comprehensive and intense and I encourage you to give it a try.

It's like a dark cloud. You try to explain it to people, but most of them don't really understand, and some of them don't even believe it exists. Depression is very real, and it also has very real solutions. I've experienced it personally, and I've also helped hundreds of people over the last seven years. I know what it feels like, and I know how to help. Get modern, effective counselling that will provide you with the tools and support you need to overcome your depression. Call me for a free phone consultation today, and start feeling better.

Often the sense of hopelessness, the inactivity, isolation, sleep and eating issues, and sadness associated with depression benefit from work in therapy, where clients can explore the thoughts associated with these symptoms, and can work to manage or change them. Often negative core beliefs about oneself, learned in the past, can be roadblocks to allowing the depressive symptoms to ease. Working on these can lead to a sense of empowerment and to change. Overwhelming feelings benefit from being heard and understood. Sometimes a diagnosis and medication are required to assist in the therapy process. I refer to a physician for medication, if you and I think that is necessary.

Depression is a sign that we are no longer able to adapt to the complex and stressful world we live in. Our biological bodies and brains were not designed for the types of financial, cultural, social, and relational stressors we live with today. I see depression as a pivotal moment in one's life - as a reminder to start listening to our body, our mind, and spirit. If you are feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, sad, fearful, stuck or on autopilot in your life, I can help you to get at the root of these feelings and work through them to attain relief.

If you find yourself caught in a cycle of feeling stuck, sad, hopeless, and emotionally drained, with a loss of interest and growing self-frustration, know that you are not alone. Depression can be exhausting, but the good news is that it is treated. Drawing upon evidence-based approaches, including Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), I will work with you to not only help you learn new coping skills, but also take you into and through difficult emotions - to increase your self-awareness and reduce feelings of helplessness.

The purpose of depression counselling or depression therapy is to help alter the way you think and react to situations. Depression typically displays thought that focus on a severe inability to perform daily functions, very low mood, personal helplessness, and other symptoms mentioned above. We want to change this way of thinking to a more normalized or more helpful thought process, through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This involves focusing on a more realistic likelihood of various outcomes, and on the ability to cope and problem-solve challenging circumstances. By changing the way you think, we are able to also eliminate the physical symptoms associated with your depression.

The fog of depression is often an isolating blackness, a heavy cloud that obscures the sunlight, casting shadows in all areas of our lives. You don’t have to endure this journey alone. In our sessions I will join you in this journey and sit with you in the darkness. Together we will navigate a safe path towards hope and healing knowing that even in the darkest moments you won’t be alone.

Depression - it's a word we hear often and it's a condition that many of us experience. Depression can show up in lots of ways - maybe you always feel sad, or your motivation is gone, perhaps making it through a day seems impossible sometimes. Regardless of how you experience depression, counselling can be helpful. Approaches like CBT, which is part of how I work with depression, can help you identify and challenge negative thought patterns and distorted thinking, and unlock new, refreshing and positive perspectives on your life. Therapy for depression is a step towards improved mental well-being and a chance to work with a professional who can guide you through the healing process.

Managing depression is easier when you use positive coping strategies. Talking about and addressing your thoughts and emotions realistically helps to break the downward spiral of depressed mood. Together, we will work to change the patterns of behaviors and thoughts that keep you depressed, and move towards a more active and fulfilling life. The heavy cloak of depression can be lifted and you can live again.

I often describe depression as 20lb weights around your ankles as you try to tread water. Being available and supportive in a client's experience of depression is a meaningful experience. I feel at times that it's like tossing a lifesaver out to someone who is drowning and maybe overwhelmed for too long. Being present, encouraging small steps forward, in a compassionate way is a privilege every time.

For depression I use the technique of externalization - the idea that the depression is not part of you, but rather an external entity that can move closer to you sometimes, and sometimes is further away. I ask questions about what the depression wants from you, the lies it tells you, and we work together to gently tell it some truths, and have it move away for now, and eventually for good.

Depression is not only about feeling sad - it can leave you feeling irritable, tired, it can affect your ability to concentrate, and small tasks can sometimes feel insurmountable. Sometimes it's a feeling of emptiness inside that can be hard to describe. Life does not have to feel like this - you CAN work through depression, and feel more like your old self again. CBT is highly effective in treating depression - best of all, there are no side effects, and the skills that you learn can last a lifetime.

At the Online Therapy Centre, our experienced therapists help those who suffer depression by identify the specific triggers that cause their symptoms and develop strategies to cope with those triggers. This can include developing relaxation techniques, learning how to challenge negative thoughts, and practicing behavioral activation to increase engagement in pleasurable activities. Depression can be a chronic condition, and therapy can provide ongoing support for someone who is struggling with depression. Our therapists can help someone identify signs of relapse, provide ongoing encouragement, and offer strategies for managing depression in the long-term.

While we all have days where we feel sad and 'depressed', if it goes on day after day so that negative thoughts make us feel exhausted, powerless, empty, discouraged and hopeless, then we need help. Leaving depression untreated can lead to several physical and mental complications and even suicide. Fortunately, trained counsellors can assist us in retraining our mind and teach us new skills to challenge depressive thinking so that we can lead a confidently depression free life.

In our work together, you can expect gentle exploration and guidance around your experience of depression and it’s impacts on your life. I aim to help clients find meaning and purpose in the face of low mood and lack of energy. I use Narrative and Solution-Focused therapies to dive into ways we can make small and significant changes in the direction of your goals. Book a free consultation to explore if we are a good fit.

Depression can rob you of pleasure, motivation, sleep, appetite, energy and the ability to concentrate or work. It can make you feel badly about yourself and feel hopeless. I can assist you in navigating through these turbulent waters through a CBT approach to therapy. My approach to therapy will assist you to discover new solutions or healing, work with the root cause of your depression where possible and assist you to celebrate your life more fully. Moreover, my approach will help you in building new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving to reclaim the life you so desire. Allow me to walk that journey to recovery with you. You can find meaning and purpose once again.

Depression is not pleasant. People who suffer from depression probably do not want to stay in a depressive state, but they lack the tools to move out of the negativity. Coming to a therapist when you are feeling depressed is the first step to overcoming these emotions. It means that you are ready to change your pattern of thoughts and behaviours and are willing to seek help to assist you in doing so. Together we can make a plan to help you identify when you are moving towards a depressive state and keep you from going down the unwanted path. We can help you identify the things in life that influence you positively and work towards focusing on the things that give you strength.

Sadness is a common emotion. However, when sadness lingers in our lives, is long term, and affects our day to day life, then it is something to be addressed. I help clients to take steps towards reducing depression through related actions. Alongside this, I work with clients to understand how the depression is controlling them and what strategies we might consider to reduce this control. For example, clients often find it helpful to engage with others, challenge their thinking, consider their past positive experiences, and consider changes to their environment to begin to feel more and more positive emotions and less depressed.

Are you having a hard time with your mood? Not connecting or engaged to your relationships? Are you experiencing low mood, energy, and having a hard time with motivation. Is the transition to parenting not what you had envisioned? We work with parents and individuals to help boost mood, build their motivation and feel connected to their relationships. To support you through the transition to parenthood and through the first year. To support you to live joyously.

I practice Person-centered counselling which respects individual uniqueness and steers clear of any form of advice, preferring to support you in finding your own meanings and solutions. Especially useful when your main need is for caring, non-judgemental support and a neutral space where you can get things off your chest. I also practice Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), which is solution and action-focused, especially helpful in tackling unhelpful thinking habits. Has strong evidence for effectiveness in treating both depression and anxiety.