Depression Counselling in Madoc, ON.

Depression is typically an outcome of a current or past life event, or both. It might be due to grief or a recent disappointment. Depending on what we explore together to be the cause, we will work with action plans and strategies to set your life area in the direction that you want to improve. Further, if there are issues from your past, which is frequently the case, we will identify these upsets, identify schemas that you have formulated that impact how you think, feel, and behave, and we will work to improve your mood. Further, we may work through various worksheets and processes to understand what your thoughts and behaviors are and how these are helping or hurting your mood.

Hope Centered Counselling has a lot of experience working with Anxiety and Depression. We know that often holding space is all someone can handle on a bad day. The darkness sometimes just feels like too much. We know that asking our clients to make big changes in their life to get better just doesn’t cut it. Baby steps are necessary to start the journey to recovery together. We know its hard and some days there’s nothing in the tank, but we really do care about what you are going through and have the capacity to hold space for you through the journey until you turn a corner. You just don’t have to be alone anymore if you find the right therapist to share the walk with you. We care!

My approach to depression is usually to start with the basics. Is the client getting enough sleep, sunlight, proper nutrition, exercise/movement, social contact? I also like to use CBT, particularly behavioural activation, to see if we can start to implement small behaviours that help lift the client a bit. This is then accompanied by deeper discussions about what the client's experience is. Have they lost a sense of control or meaning in their lives? How can we increase motivation and agency?

Art therapy and counselling support individuals experiencing depression by gently addressing emotional heaviness, numbness, and withdrawal. Creative and somatic approaches can help reconnect clients to their bodies, inner experiences, and sources of meaning when motivation feels limited. Therapy focuses on building awareness, strengthening coping tools, and cultivating self-compassion, while respecting the pace and capacity of each person.

Depression presents in various forms and has many different features. When working with me, you will find that space is created to explore the experience of depression, its influence on different aspects of your life, and how you can work through these challenges as they arise. If you are hoping to find solace in your experience, I invite you to contact me for a free consultation to see if we would be a good fit.

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.

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.

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.

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 affects both the mind and body. It can impact appetite, sleep, concentration, and even the will to live. What depression is like for you may not be exactly what it’s like for someone else, together we will identify your particular depressive symptoms and the impact they are having on your life. We will explore the origins of your depression and possible depression in your family. Through the process of therapy, you will develop insight and understanding about your depression triggers, process emotions and past experiences that contribute to depressive states, explore your relationship patterns (loss, abuse, and/or misunderstanding) as well as your strengths.

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.

Depression has the ability to severely impact our daily lives, often making small everyday tasks difficult. Those who are affected by depression may be left with lack of motivation, low self-esteem and disinterest in the things they used to enjoy the most. What they could once do effortlessly may become one of the greatest challenges. Navigating depression can feel really lonely and scary, but I am here to walk that journey with you and to help you reconnect with your passions and joys. Contact me today to book a free consultation.

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.

Depression can seriously impair one's ability to function in activities of daily living. The prospects of recovery from depression are very good with professional support. In my practice, I support individuals and families affected by depression through cognitive behaviour therapy, psychoeducation and solution focused approaches.

Depression can make even the simplest parts of life feel heavy, leaving people feeling stuck, unmotivated, or disconnected from themselves and others. In my work with clients, I provide a warm, supportive space to explore these feelings while offering practical tools to begin moving forward. Together, we focus on building self-compassion, identifying unhelpful thought patterns, and reconnecting with values and activities that bring meaning. Using evidence-based approaches like CBT, ACT, and mindfulness, clients learn strategies to manage low mood, increase resilience, and foster a greater sense of hope and balance in daily life.

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.

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 a mood disorder that can cause a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that can interfere with daily functioning. Reaching out for help is a step towards wellness. Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person, but it is a very treatable condition. Therapy for depression helps you overcome the feelings of hopelessness and despair and to gain control of your life.

One of my passions in life is to help guide people through the process of recovering from depression. In many cases, the ways that people try to get themselves out of depression, paradoxically end up causing more problems. I will help you sidestep these habits that can develop (ex. 'thinking' your way out of it, being overly self-critical, isolating yourself and discontinuing activities you used to enjoy). I will help you learn how to more skillfully manage the difficult/ unpleasant emotions and thoughts that are part of the 'territory of depression'. You will learn how to be less self-critical, to tap back into positive emotions, to take much better care of yourself & feel 'alive' again.