Depression Counselling in Madoc, ON.

In working with individuals who struggle with depression, I primarily use a cognitive behavioural therapeutic (CBT) approach. The principal aim of this approach is to increase awareness that thoughts and behaviours drive emotion. In addition, the goal is to increase consciousness of distorted perceptions. That is, often individuals who struggle with depression do not think accurately, and if their thoughts are not accurate, than they cannot be trusted. The purpose of CBT is to bring awareness to cognitive distortions and then teach individuals how to rebalance their thoughts to be more accurate.

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.

Depression can feel overwhelming, leaving you drained of energy, hope, and motivation. In depression counselling, I offer a safe, compassionate space to share your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Together, we explore the root causes and contributing factors, such as negative thought patterns, unresolved emotional pain, or life transitions, and develop practical strategies to improve mood, increase motivation, and restore balance. Drawing on evidence-based approaches like CBT, EFT, and mindfulness, I help clients challenge self-defeating beliefs, build coping skills, and reconnect with sources of meaning and joy. My goal is to support you in creating lasting, positive change.

When working with clients struggling with depression, I offer a compassionate and personalized approach that blends evidence-based therapies with genuine human connection. Depression can feel like a fog that dims your energy, motivation, and hope—but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Together, we’ll explore the underlying patterns that contribute to your low mood and disconnection, while building practical tools to help you find relief and regain a sense of purpose. I draw from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and mindfulness strategies to help you manage difficult emotions and various challenges.

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.

For anyone who has ever felt the hopeless, despairing numbness of clinical depression, it can be difficult to really believe that things could turn around, that you could ever hop out of bed with enthousiasm - much less ever feel like yourself again - but it is possible. Working together, we'll put one foot in front of the other and guide you, step by step, in simple but powerful actions you can take to help you get back to enjoying life again. Don't settle for feeling depressed, hopeless, tired, and bad about yourself for one more day. You CAN regain your energy, your motivation, and your enjoyment of living again...starting today.

While everyone has felt various amounts of sadness and hopelessness, depression is different. It can permeate multiple aspects of your life including relationships, work, and friendships. It may feel isolating to not have the motivation to engage in simple activities, while others may have no idea why you feel the way you feel. However, there is hope and help is available! Together, we can slowly work through your thought patterns, emotions and behavior to turn the direction of the downward spiral. As difficult as it may seem, I encourage you to take your first step and reach out today to book a consultation.

Depression can be very challenging but it can also be a doorway to a new understanding of the self. What ever the cause there are many strategies to address what can be a debilitating state. Recognizing that depression is actually the surface skin of our feeling experience, protecting us from our deeper feelings, but with support and compassion, uncovering its underside puts the whole experience in a new and promising light!

Depression is often a response to having experienced profound psychological pain. It is a way for us to retreat or numb ourselves from the overwhelming emotions of such stressful circumstances. It acts as a protective shield in a way. In therapy, we will work towards addressing the underlying sources that are contributing to feelings of deep sadness. This can be a difficult task and as such it can be helpful to include strategies alongside our reflective work which may include CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, and Behavioural Activation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with me to see if I’m the right fit for you.

Depression often feels like disconnection — from self, from purpose, from others. Depression is often felt like giving up, like surrender, like what's the point. Depression can also mimic the "functional alcoholic" and we act in front of others like nothing is happening: we go to work, we go for dinners, we meet others yet we don't show up. My approach goes beyond surface strategies to help uncover what feels stuck, flat, or hollow. We work to reestablish a sense of vitality, meaning, and connection, not just symptom reduction. I work with clients to help me re-establish the meaning that has been lost.

I have seen many clients who have either given up or whom are on the verge giving up on, what many claim is ‘everything’…. Nothing seems to be of interest to them. Nothing really is happening in life that they want to talk about. But the persistent sadness and lack of personal drive becomes a constant burden and the constant persistence of everyone telling them to get out of their ‘funk’ is starting to take its toll. Using Dialectic Behavioural Therapy, guided meditation, mindfulness, and other strategies we work to successfully get clients “out of this rutt” and truly realize their potential.

The common symptoms of depression can be crippling. Many try to be brave or stick it out and hope it will go away. Without treatment, episodes often increase in frequency and severity. Without depression treatment, episodes can last for years. Shauna works with you to create a depression recovery plan that fits your life and reflects your experience. Her depression treatment clinic uses evidence-based therapies, such as DBT and CBT, along with a holistic approach to making you well, including yoga, exercise, art therapy, and exercise walks.

Depression is not something to be ashamed of, nor is it a character flaw or a sign of a weak personality. No one with depression can just "snap out of it". You wouldn't ask someone to "snap out of diabetes or some other illness and you cannot expect it of a person with depression. Everyone gets sad sometimes - a brief blue mood, feelings of disappointment or loss. The great news is that up to 80% of people who receive proper treatment improve as a result. There are two principle modes of treatment for depression - Psychotherapy and medication. You’re not alone; millions of families and friends have felt exactly like you. Your one step closer to change.

Depression can impact every part of your life, your work, your relationships, your self-esteem, and even your physical health. For some, it’s a constant sadness that never lifts. For others, it’s irritability, emptiness, or a sense of hopelessness. It can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming and strip away the joy from things you once loved. I understand how heavy and isolating depression can be, and my goal is to help you find your way back to a place of hope, resilience, and emotional balance. Whether we meet face-to-face in my office or connect through secure online sessions, you will have a safe, supportive space to explore your feelings and start building a path forward.

I am specialized in working with emotion regulation difficulties, such as depression. My counselling approach is informed by Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which explore one’s relationship with their thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical sensations in order to promote greater self-awareness, regulation of difficult moods, and present-moment mindedness. MBCT was designed to help clients cultivate skills to notice warning signs leading to depression relapse in order to prevent further episodes. Both MBCT and CBT have received extensive research support for their effectiveness in treating depression.

Depression is like falling into a deep hole and you can't seem to get out. Using a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Emotion Focused Therapy, I can help you manage your depression so that it won't negatively impact your relationships, jobs, and health. Even as little as a few sessions, you will see that you are not as stuck and able to make movement in life. You will gain a sense of control and joy into your life.

Depression can leave you debilitated. The hopelessness, heaviness and anxiousness you feel can make everyday tasks feel impossible. It can impact your relationships and overall quality of life. Therapy with me means up-regulating you and your nervous system. I supported you with a mind-body approach to get you activated. Let's connect to get you back to feeling like yourself.

Depression affects how you feel, how you think, and how you act. Over time, it becomes so exhausting that "shutting down" sometimes starts to seem like a helpful or beneficial choice. If not shutting down, it may show up in other ways, such as unhealthy habits (drug/alcohol use, malnutrition, sexual promiscuity), self-neglect (poor hygiene, bad sleeping habits, isolation), and even socially or professionally (arguing with friends/family, not showing up for work / not completing tasks). Talking to someone about your feelings of sadness, helplessness, or hopelessness can be the first step to getting that flicker of light re-sparked in your life.

When sadness, low energy, or hopelessness take over, it can be hard to see a way forward. In therapy, you’ll find understanding and practical strategies to lift your mood and reconnect with what matters most. Together, we’ll work to uncover patterns that contribute to your depression and create personalized steps toward renewed motivation, purpose, and a brighter outlook on life.

Depression comes in varried degrees. Severe depression can be extremely debilitating, and can cause one to feel utterly hopeless. Depression can manifest itself biologically, and it can also be situational. Regardless of the kind of depression one may be experiencing, there is hope. One must remember that our psychology can affect our biology. Furthermore, our relational context has a direct impact on our ability to cope. There is no quick fix to depression, but help is here.

One of the most well known aspects of mental health, depression, often gets confused with “being sad”. Depression can zap an individual’s energy, while also leaving them with a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. Unchecked, depression can be very dangerous, sometimes leading to individuals to consider suicide. Luckily, depression can also be countered through counselling, where an individual can identify and counter the various thought patterns that contribute to their depression, while also fostering hope.

You have been down for such a long time, or maybe you go in and out of feeling blue and want to get off the rollercoaster. I use Emotion Focused Therapy to help you explore and experience safely the emotional spectrum that underlies depression. I will work slowly and carefully with you to help you to resolve the heaviness that has robbed you for too long so that you can be more resilient and joyful in life.

The term depression has become a quite “popular” in the lexicon of people, almost synonymous to being “moody”. However, depression should be taken seriously because it can have dire consequences and can indeed kill. It kills your joy, your interests, your energy, your workability, your relationship and possibly literally you. If you have been moody for weeks, do not delay in seeking care and get professional help. Depression is not easy to treat. It is difficult to overcome on your own, but together we can find your way out of it and resources to get better over time.

Depression is the most common mental-health disturbance worldwide and falls within a wide continuum of severity. There is an equally broad range of causes, including grief and loss and absense of a supportive community. Some believe it is biological. Whatever the cause, some individuals feel depression more acutely and more frequently than others. Current research recognizes the benefits of psychotherapy on positive treatment outcomes. My approach is to recognize the life experiences that have contributed to depression and to help address directly the feelings underneath. To find relief and hope is sometimes a matter of learning to dig deeper into feelings with help from a psychotherapist.

People are often faced with moments of sadness which can sometimes lead to chronic sadness. My work with clients could involve deep reprocessing of certain memories related to depression which allow clients new insights into how to face their depression. Further to this, by guiding clients on their recovery from depression, we are able to pinpoint aspects that must be addressed to help the recovery process which may include mindfulness, thoughts, and/or behaviors.