Depression Counselling in Milton, ON.

Depression can be debilitating and devastating not only to those experiencing it but also to those around them. Understanding what is going on within brings a great deal of peace to a person when they can realize what it was that put then into depression. Sorting through our lives is not something that we are trained by life to do, which is where the therapist comes into being.

Depression involves a persistently low mood coupled with a loss of enjoyment in activities that once inspired joy. While this condition is synonymous with a loss of hope for those who suffer from it, there are in fact a great many effective treatments that can help. While painful emotions are part of life, counselling can help you process them so that you can move forward and rediscover happiness. In my experience, customizing every treatment plan to the individual provides the best outcome as each clients needs are as individual as they are. Reach out, change your path and start your recovery.

Depression-What it is and what it isn’t. Depression is a common illness worldwide, with more than 264 million people affected. Peoples’ experiences and feelings can differ greatly from mood fluctuations to some feeling suicidal. Affected people can suffer greatly and function poorly at work, at school, or in their relationships. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds. We know at some point, everyone experiences problems with irritability, sadness, or self-blame. Such responses usually don’t last that long. Clinical depression occurs when these feelings, along with a set of additional symptoms, become intense or remain for several weeks.

I provide a compassionate and collaborative space for clients to explore the complexities of their depression. By combining evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-Based Approaches, I assist clients in identifying negative thinking patterns, developing effective coping strategies, and fostering self-compassion. Together, we work towards alleviating symptoms, improving overall well-being, and cultivating a greater sense of purpose and joy in life. Through our therapeutic journey, clients can gain insight, resilience, and the tools needed to navigate their depression and experience lasting positive change.

Depression is among the most common and devastating health conditions a person can face. Fortunately, there are treatments that are scientifically supported to provide relief to individuals suffering from depression. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is among the most researched and proven for mild to moderate depression. At Meristem, we strive to incorporate CBT interventions into individually tailored treatment plans that are wholistic and comprehensive because research and clinical experience has shown us that this eclectic approach gives us the best results at recovery for clients of all ages.

Depression is common and pervasive in our society. I will help you explore the reasons for your depression and what keeps it going as well as provide support practical, powerful and effective tools to help you manage and move through this challenging issue. Some depressions may be based in trauma and I use a trauma-informed approach to therapy in general. You don't have to continue to suffer with depression and you don't necessarily need to rely on medication either. Effective help is here!

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.

Hope, purpose, self-respect, and connecting with those close to you are vital for a full and healthy life. Depression can often come like a wave and steal them from you. When these factors are missing from our lives it can result in feeling helpless, irritable, lonely, confused, and negatively impact your energy, sleep, appetite, and ability to concentrate. Working with strategies to help you process negative thoughts and difficult emotions, therapy can help you develop a sense of control and safety in your life, as well as work on a more positive sense-of-self and of those around you. Change is possible and joy is available, we can do it together.

Each New Leaf Psychology Centre associate has experience offering therapy for depression. Therapy can help you feel less depressed, engage more fully in life, and feel more optimistically about your future. Ms. Saliba specializes in providing therapy for youth who are depressed and engage in risky behaviors such as self-harm. Dr. Gilani specializes in depression related to pain, physical disabilities, and injury.

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.

Experiencing big emotional ups and downs is normal, but there can be times when it feels like the lows are getting longer, more frequent, and harder to deal with. Therapy should be a safe space where you feel comfortable sharing and exploring your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with someone who offers you empathy, authenticity, and acceptance. I work collaboratively with clients to explore how feelings of depression show up in their lives, and to strengthen and develop strategies to minimize the impact they have on living the life you want to live. Book a free consultation to learn more about my approach and explore if we are a good fit.

Living with depression can be a very lonely, isolating experience. Through counselling, the individual can find renewed hope, well-being and happiness. I incorporate cognitive approaches such as mindfulness and gratitude practices. I can also utilize psychodynamic therapy to explore the source of the depression. Sometimes, merely identifying the root cause can provide improvement in mood, and can enhance the treatment process.

Have you lost all interest and pleasure in what used to bring you joy? Are you feeling hopeless and wondering if you're worthy? Instead of worrying, wouldn't you rather have energy, relief, and focus? Wouldn’t it be a relief to have someone hear your thoughts, knowing you won't be judged? Would it be appealing to have someone listen to you with compassion?

Getting to the root of one's depression, why it occurs, and how it presents itself is imperative in understanding how one can remedy it. By working with clients to explore and comprehensively understand their depression, we will be able to better manage, mitigate, or eliminate the cognitions, behaviours, and feelings tied to our depression. How we became depressed is only the first step in ones work on depression; figuring out how to create change, support, and maintain change is the bulk of it.