Depression Counselling in Oakville, ON.

If you have lost interest in your usual activities, are feeling sad and/or more tired than usual, have noticed a change in sleep or appetite, have difficulty concentrating or are feeling that life isn't worth living, you may be experiencing depression. Research has shown that a combination of medical treatment and therapy is the most successful in treating depression. I have helped many clients reduce depression symptoms and have led depression support groups. I use a holistic approach that helps you change the feelings, thoughts and behaviours that contribute to depression

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.

Let's face it, life is not easy. Whether you feel trapped in life or your own poor self esteem and negative outlook, you can overcome depression and transform into a joyful and balanced individual who can solve life's problems. Utilizing the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness, I use a step by step approach to help you reconstruct old thinking patterns, deal with feelings and experience life with confidence.

Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand. If you find that you or your child/teen is unmotivated, tired, feeling 'stuck' or lacking motivation to get things done, or even get out of bed some days, I can help. During treatment, I work with my clients to focus on creating positive changes, while also building on skills to support what is already working.

Adolescence is a critical stage where rapid changes, physical, social and emotional take place in your child’s life. Sometimes, these changes feel too big for children to handle and the pressure of growing up can be really stressful for them as well. Adolescents can experience depression as adults do. Some of the common signs include, loss of interest in activities, irritable mood, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts. Counselling approaches such as CBT or DBT are the first line treatments for child and teen depression used in my practice.

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.

Part of my work with clients involves coming to know what drives their depression, how it evolved, what makes it worse and what helps. Often there are underlying causes - at the end of they day, each person is unique and so is their suffering. The next step is helping them with tools and strategies for coping with and overcoming depression. I use CBT, Mindfulness and talk therapy, as well as strategies derived from the latest research on depression treatment to help my clients shift to a place of greater happiness and contentment.

Depression is not in your head but a real mental health issue that needs to be taken seriously. In our culture, depression is stigmatized and often misunderstood. When someone is depressed, they do not receive the same treatment as if they had a physical problem. Especially if on a medical leave from work, the shame and the judgement of others can be debilitating for patients. I can offer a space for clients to be themselves, to talk freely (without consequences and shame). Often, just feeling heard and understood does a great deal for the improvement of symptoms. I offer a listening, non-judgmental ear as well as practical and updated strategies to get back to your real self.

I will help you to design your own Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), use charts to track and control your moods, find helpful care providers, build a system of mutual support, increase self-confidence and self-esteem, use relaxation, diet, exercise, and light to stabilize your moods, and avoid conditions that can worsen your symptoms. There are new ways of thinking. There is a way out of depression!

Having symptoms of depression can be devistating. I can help you examine what life circumstances may have led to or may be contributing to how you are feeling. We can also uncover stressors and pressures that you may be experiencing, as well as lifestyle choices that may be contributing to your symptoms. I can help you in your journey to lifting the cloud of depression.

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 often the result of loss. It comprises a myriad feelings of despair and isolation and loneliness and lethargy which sever us from loved ones who we feel don't understand. So we don't talk ..or don't want to talk. Only if that depression would just go away. It can be a chemical imbalance from a family history or from reactive loss, it still isolates us. My approach is to help you feel you can trust to talk and explore the source of the "disconnect". I will listen without judging and guide you to express the "hidden" feelings that congregate into "depression". Gradually you will begin to understand and learn effective ways to handle and manage the various feelings of depression.

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.