Depression Counselling in Niagara Falls, ON.

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.

Depression not only affects your mood state, but also your -- *behavior, *the way you look at yourself, *relationship with people around you and *physical and organic function. Gestalt therapy emphasizes your capacity to develop your potential. In therapy with me change will take place through the relational experience, and increased awareness, this process, is what gives meaning to discovery to you. In Gestalt therapy, what is considered is your totality, a combination of your sensorial, affective, intellectual, social, and spiritual dimensions (Brownell, 2010). Studies show that the patients treated with Gestalt demonstrated fewer depressive symptoms following the intervention.

The quagmire of depression can feel impossible to escape. Getting started is the hardest. In counselling we first explore ways you might change the situation. Initially you may not succeed. But even the effort will energize you and may lead to other actions, other arenas where you have more options. You will learn something new. Best of all you will feel more alive, more involved with other people and with daily life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & it's offshoots are well-tested approaches to changing depression by altering your actions or expanding your thoughts. Another approach, Mindfulness, can give a broader perspective. Counselling helps you explore and discover what works for you.

People struggling with depression are often battling negative thought patterns, low mood and sometimes behaviors that may include withdrawal, lack of energy and low motivation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets negative thought patterns. The premise of CBT is that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by each other. If we can reframe these negative thoughts, we can change how a person feels and hence change some of the behaviors associated with depression. All three therapies: CBT, ACT and DBT have been shown to help with mood disorders such as depression.

Depression can be mild moderate or severe. It need not be severe in order to ask for help. Wherever your depression is along the continuum of severity, we can work together to develop strategies to help you work toward rediscovering motivation, increase energy levels, let go of the tendency to dwell on negative thoughts and feel more connected in your life and your relationships.

Depression can manifest itself in many ways and be triggered by a variety of factors. It is often accompanied by anxiety and can lead to isolation and poor coping mechanisms. We begin depression treatment with cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns, and blend in interpersonal therapy, which focuses on relationships and communication. By tailoring treatment, we're able to ensure each client gets help that meets them where they're at

Life is challenging and it is easy to begin to feel overwhelmed by situations, relationships, life events and world events that just seem (or sometimes truly are) out of our control. Finding hope again is possible! ​ As a Psychotherapist, my goal is to walk with you for a period of time. I will help you navigate through some of those difficult situations, life changes and events. Together we can find new strategies that will help you to face the challenges and begin to move forward to live life with meaning, purpose and hope.

In many cases, I view depression as an "alarm bell" that tells the individual that there is something wrong in their life. Have they turned their anger in life toward themselves? Are they not living their best, or preferred, life? Is there something that's happened in their life that is getting them down, but they don't realize how much power it truly has? Depression can also be about learned helplessness, or having a sense, through experience, that there is no point in even trying at something. Such helplessness can come from feeling defeated, feeling significant guilt about something, & even from self-defeating 'self-talk' that an individual engages in (without completely realizing it).

Depression is a common mental health issue that can leave you sad and hopeless. It can become challenging to do things you usually enjoy, make it difficult to focus and concentrate, and sometimes lead to anxiety, anger or thoughts of suicide. In therapy with me, you will be able to explore your experience of depression and why you might be feeling the way you are feeling, find ways to manage symptoms, and better recognize the strengths and resources you have to change and grow. Schedule a free consultation with me to see if we are a good fit.