Depression Counselling in Port Moody, BC.

Modern populations are increasingly overfed, malnourished, sedentary, sunlight-deficient, sleep-deprived, and socially-isolated. Research is showing that depressed people who put time and energy into activities that will help them recover have a higher recovery rate. Things that can help improve mood and feelings are: physical exercise, diet, managing our thoughts and feelings, self-care, social contact, improving our body 'clock' and mindfulness. None of them work like a magic cure, but when used regularly and in combination, they will help you feel much better. Everyone's mood fluctuates, so even if you put these things into practice, you will still have bad days. Be patient, it takes time

Depression is more than just feeling temporarily down or blue. It's a painful state of body, mind, and soul that can leave you despairing and feeling like you’re in quicksand. Through therapy you can examine what’s going on and what has led you here. Maybe you’re playing a role that you don’t want to play but don’t know how to stop. You feel like you’re not living your own life, that you’re living someone else’s idea of who they want you to be. Or you may feel like you’re nailed down somewhere in the past because of painful experiences that haven’t been addressed. In therapy, you can discover where you’re pinned, risk speaking the unspeakable, and we can pull the nail out together.

Sometimes life can feel overwhelming and we do not know where to turn. No matter how much we want to change we sometimes fail, leaving us feeling even more afraid and alone. Counselling sessions can help us challenge and change negative thought patterns and feelings of hopelessness, by addressing new ways of seeing and dealing with life's difficulties. There is hope - you don't have to live with debilitating depression.

Depression can color how we see the world, ourselves and other people. Activities that used to be fun are not fun anymore and doing small things can feel like a chore. We might lose our sense of meaning and purpose and struggle to motivate ourselves. I want you know that there is hope, even if you cannot fully feel it right now. When working with depression, I help my clients to develop skills to improve their mood . Sometimes making little changes can help you feel better, which results in hope and lead to more hope and create an upward spiral. I also always help my clients heal the roots of their depression since this is an important part of recovering from depression.

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.

No two people experience depression in exactly the same way and so dealing with it also needs an individual approach. Rather than viewing depression as something wrong with the person experiencing it, the client and I listen to what it might have to say to them. Though understandably, nobody likes depression, and it can be managed with tools such as Cognitive Behavioural therapy and mindfulness, etc., it can also be engaged through other approaches that allow its importance and meaning (and what it is calling for) is revealed. This can bring greater richness, wisdom, and appreciation for life.

Depression is approached with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Education and coping / management techniques are explored, as well as 'homework' in the form of skills practise. With children / youth often Art Therapy and / or Play therapy is integrated into the counselling. Parents of kids should expect to be involved and supported in their awareness of anxiety and stress and how to assist their children in management. Depression as an aspect of trauma (PTSD) can also be addressed.

When people are depressed there is some reason this has happened. It is not simply that their brain has caused this. Often there are specific, challenging life events that have occured, to which the person has not yet found resolution. Medication has just "numbed" their feelings so they are no longer in a pit of despair, yet they don't feel fully alive. In Canada, it is also very common for there to be an extra layer of depression caused by seasonal affective disorder. I support you and stand by you in facing the issues, and healing each layer of the depression. The therapy I do includes EMDR, self-soothing techniques, unveiling old attachment issues, and even art and stories.

In Depression Counselling and Treatment, my approach is rooted in compassion, evidence-based techniques, and a deep understanding of the complex nature of depression. I work collaboratively with clients to create a safe and nonjudgmental space where they can openly explore their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Through a combination of CBT strategies, mindfulness techniques, and tailored interventions, clients can expect to gain valuable insights into the underlying causes of their depression and develop practical coping skills. Together, we work towards reducing symptoms, increasing resilience, and ultimately helping clients regain a sense of control and well-being.

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.

Do you find yourself waking up in the morning unmotivated, low energy and just blah? Is it hard to remember feeling happy and excited? Depression may creep up on you or it may be feel like you are at the bottom of dark hole that you can't find your way out of. Together we will work to discover the source of your sadness and re-build your life. There is hope and things can feel better.

I view depression as an internal system of parts in conflict, with exiled parts holding painful emotions and protective parts trying to manage or avoid the pain. When this happens, it's normal to feel disconnected from yourself and others, unable to make progress or find relief because these parts are all working at cross-purposes. Therapy helps you to foster compassion for these parts, heal the underlying trauma, and unburden the emotional weight, leading to more internal harmony and relief from depression.

Is getting out of bed becoming to be the hardest accomplishment of your day? Do you feel irritated and or unsociable? Are you unproductive in your relationships or at work? How about eating...are you eating too much or too little? Do you just not care anymore? What if I told you that you don't have to feel this way? What if I told you that your life could be turned around quickly, and often painlessly. Lets work on it together, piece by piece - you don't have to do this alone. Depression is often caused by thoughts you have that you have learned to listen to, and have come overtime to believe. Lets take a look at those thoughts together, and see if we can't gain a new prospective!

I help client with depressive symptoms by listening and validating their experience and helping them change their negative self talk. This negative self talk that clients experience are contributing to their feelings of depression. I use a technique called cognitive behavioural therapy to help clients release their depressive symptoms. By creating a safe enviornment to talk about their concerns healing and change occurs through the counselling relationship. Dealing with your depression will allow you to have a happy life.

Sometimes feeling sad, stuck, and hopeless is something that can be shifted with support and some fairly straightforward strategies. At other times, depressed feelings can be signs of complex processes that take time to unravel and sometimes lead to profound transformations. Still at other times, stuck emotions and energies can be moved through experiential processes. Ultimately, feelings of depression and their resolution are unique to your life. Even though ways out can be challenging to see when we’ve been feeling stuck for some time, there are many ways through. I'll help you find the one that works for you.

I can help you explore feelings that you may not be aware of. I can help you understand how your behavior and mood can be affected by unresolved issues from your past or present. Some depression symptoms may be low self-esteem, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, changes in sleep, and feelings of loneliness. I offer counselling that will help you understand and work through difficult relationships or situations that may be causing or contributing to your depression. I encourage you to talk through your feelings in order to make positive change in your life.

When stress builds up, it can leave a person feeling overwhelmed, sad or even depressed. Whether you are trying to cope with mild, moderate or severe depression, Counselling can help. Having opportunities to share your feelings and work together to build on your strengths is my goal as a Registered Clinical Counsellor. I work with children, youth and adults who are suffering from depression. Talk Therapy coupled with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help alleviate symptoms, and help clients feel more in control of their emotions, thoughts and actions. I want to help my clients to learn strategies and provide "tools" in order to fight back against depression. You deserve to feel happy!

Feelings of sadness and depression are one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. While common, everyone's experience of depression is unique, including how it began, how it feels and how it affects present day functioning. Heather always uses a collaborative approach with clients and a blend of therapeutic approaches, including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, interpersonal therapy, and an exploration of the relational, situational and social contexts and patterns that may be contributing.

Depression can a daily challenge to do the basics, to feel motivated and to give us a feeling of self worth. It can defeat us and leave us feeling hopeless. My belief is that there is a way through small steps, sometimes the smallest, to start to establish that the depression does not have to take hold of our lives. Sometimes medication is necessary as well and it is also important to ensure client's safety in case of sef harm thoughts.

Depression is a state of mind that effects most people at some point in our lives. Often, symptoms of depression include a loss of interest in things that once made us happy, sleep disturbance or abundance, change in appetite, and dark thoughts. People can experience depression for many many reasons including postpartum depression, situational, relationship loss or difficulties, loneliness, seasonal affective disorder, teen depression,isolation and many more reasons. There are many treatments for depression, beginning with talking to someone about your experience. In some cases, talking to your doctor about medication helps combined with therapy to help deal with the sadness.

Depression is a medical term that describes a mood but if we simply look at the overall meaning of the word, it means to "press down". Clearly, a person who suffers from 'depression' fits the definition as a 'person who is pressed down'. i am NOT arguing that depression is a simple issue, rather that there are REASONS that a person feels 'pressed down' and at least part of the process of recovery is to first identify then lift the burden that is 'pressing down' the person.

As someone who has a history of depression personally and intergenerationally, I am well aware of the great challenges and opportunities for growth that this experience can bring. For those struggling with depression, healing can feel elusive, as if nothing will ever work. It often requires a wider lens, an eye for patterns and a deeply supportive and holistic orientation to shift this dynamic. My approach comes from my years of experience moving through and finally out of my own depression and integrating the ancestral patterns that laid the foundation for it in my life. I now come to you with a wide-reaching tool kit to support you in your journey.

Depression may be the result of difficulties you have been struggling with for years, or due to a sudden shock. When we feel helpless to manage our struggles, that is depressing indeed! Symptoms of depression, such as sleeplessness, eating difficulties, lack of energy etc. only make the situation worse. There are always reasons why our bodies and emotions react the way they do. We may fear that there is no way to feel better but in over 30 years, I have never found that to be true. Every life is unique and we need to find out what is holding you back. This is not something you can handle alone but in a safe, private space we can explore and change the conditions that keep you depressed.

Depression can affect so many aspects of life. Together we will journey through your experience of depression, but also your hopes what you want your life to be. We will discuss strategies to support your life, whether that may be activation, medication, and processing difficulties that have led to depressive feelings. I will support your journey toward greater joy and the life you have hoped for.

When I counsel clients with depression, I focus on helping them become aware of their thoughts and feelings without judgment. I use mindfulness techniques, like meditation and breathing exercises, to encourage them to stay present and observe their experiences. This practice helps reduce rumination and promotes acceptance of difficult emotions. By fostering mindfulness, I guide clients to detach from negative thought patterns, build resilience, and develop a balanced perspective, enhancing their ability to cope with depressive symptoms.