Depression Counselling in Lake Cowichan, BC.

Depression can leave people feeling lonely, misunderstood and scared. My approach to counselling is to understand my clients and create a nonjudgemental space where they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. I want my clients to feel understood and that they care to share whatever they need to. I like to introduce tools and skills to help when my clients are feeling low.

Depression is tricky. Depression causes a lowered mood, fatigue, and decreased motivation. Sometimes, Depression goes unnoticed by friends and family. It can appear like everything in your life should be fine, but inside, it's a struggle to get out of bed. I provide a non-judgmental space to explore the areas of your life impacted by depression. You will learn alternative coping mechanisms to help ease future symptoms of depression.

Many people experience periods of depression in their life time. There are different types and they are diagnosed and treated differently. Situational depression may be caused by a traumatic event or life change, can be resolved with time, is more common than clinical depression, and appears to have a smaller impact on day to day life. Talk therapy can treat it on its own. Clinical Depression is often longer term and chronic, more difficult to treat, can be connected to brain chemistry differences, interferes with daily functioning, and is often treated with both therapy and medication. If you want to learn more about your mood and how we can help, book a free consultation.

Depression can feel isolating and draining, but therapy provides a supportive space to rediscover hope and rebuild your sense of purpose. My approach focuses on understanding your unique experiences, identifying underlying patterns, and fostering self-compassion. Together, we’ll develop practical strategies to manage symptoms, challenge unhelpful thought patterns, and create meaningful changes in your daily life. Clients benefit from personalized care that promotes resilience, emotional balance, and a renewed connection to joy and fulfillment.

Depression can be deeply painful, robbing you of energy, motivation, and hope. It creates a negative view of life, your self, and your future. It typically disrupts sleep patterns, appetite, emotions, and your thinking ability. I use the clinical practice of cognitive behavioural therapy to help people regain healthy control over their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and reclaim a sense of influence over their life style and life situation's. Coaching you to refocus, set small daily goals, celebrate your successes, and learn new behavioral and thinking skills can take time but the good news is that once you have acquired these skills you have them for life.

Depression results from a chemical imbalance in the brain. It is not the result of a personal weakness or lack of coping skills. The impairment is real and can result in feeling sad, anxious, overwhelmed and in some cases suicidal. Fortunately, depression can be treated with both medication and counseling; the combination usually being most effective. Counselling can help persons who experience depression in providing an outlet for voicing frustrations and obstacles, identifying support avenues, leaning new coping skills and exploring the most recent avenues of treatment. Counselling offers a non-judgemental and confidential sounding board.

In therapy with Molly, you'll find a compassionate, non-judgmental space where you can explore the roots of depression and develop strategies to manage it. Molly combines evidence-based approaches like CBT, Attachment-Based Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, and EMDR to support you in breaking unhelpful thought patterns and regaining a sense of hope and purpose.

Living with depression can be like wading through mud. Every step requires enormous effort. All the while, the gas tank is empty. For many, the urge is to take to bed, as the world just feels like too much to face. I like to work on the root cause of depression while simultaneously collaborating on small manageable steps to regain confidence and interest in living a valued life. I find that working on what seems to be an unsolvable problem is often the starting point of recovery. My goal is to provide support and guidance that goes beyond just the sense of feeling "better". Rather, my aim is for my client's to thrive, with the newfound capacity to experience joy and happiness.

There is still a lot of discussion out there about "overcoming" or "ending" depression, but at Allius Services we ask what if these symptoms are actually protective signs that are designed to let us know that something in our lives needs to change? Understanding depression as a symptom of withdrawal that comes from a place of protection, can better help us move toward living a life that feels more meaningful, rather than continuing to avoid or ignore the difficult thoughts and feelings that reinforce depression. New insights from neurobiology provides some answers and a compassionate understanding about what is happening when someone becomes depressed and how to re-engage with life again.

Depression is a clinical diagnosis that goes beyond "just having the blues" for a couple of weeks. Under a physician's care, counselling is indicated as the best treatment alongside medication and/or lifestyle changes. If you are struggling with the symptoms of depression due to a diagnosis of Major Depression; Bipolar depression; Postpartum depression, or Seasonal Affective Depression Disorder (SADD), I use an approach to meet your needs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Dialectical Behavior Therapy; Depth psychology, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Narrative approaches are beneficial modalities that support the resolution of symptoms of depression.

Depression is a condition that varies greatly between each presentation. It often is a downstream effect of other dynamics and relationships that takes a serious toll on the body, the nervous system, digestion, relationships and emotional well-being. My approach to treating depression begins with respect and understanding of the individual experience, their past, present, and concept of the future. I take that understanding of past experience, and beliefs of the future, pain in the present, and to provide safety, support, and strategy to improve your well-being and cultivate resilience through life's significant challenges. Depression can also look like anger, fatigue, isolation, etc.

Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or constantly tired? Are you struggling with a sadness that won't lift, losing interest in things you once loved, or trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts? I get it. Depression is tough. But with the right support, you can find joy again, rediscover motivation, and build resilience. As a clinical counsellor, I'm here to help you reclaim your life with compassionate, results-oriented therapy using proven techniques. Let’s take this journey together. Book your free 15-minute phone consultation today and start moving towards a brighter, more empowered future.