Depression Counselling in Sooke, BC.

My approach is to work with you to understand all of the many layers of your life which may have caused your depression. Then we can collaboratively develop a plan for getting better, one step at a time. I use therapies such as CBT, ACT, and EMDR as needed to speed your recovery in collaboration with you. Most important is our therapeutic relationship and connection for change you can count on.

When you are depressed you may feel sad, weepy, hopeless, helpless, unmotivated, maybe sleep too much or not enough and also lose interest in sexuality, your friends and activities. These feelings last a long time and are really hard on relationships. You may think that you will never be happy again. You may have tried drugs but now want to take charge yourself of the changes you want to feel in your life. Counseling starts with your story of what is happening. I will ask lots of questions to help you get a clear idea of the causes and patterns in your life. We'll work on coping strategies and maybe try therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. You'll feel more content with your life.

Depression is a debilitating condition, characterized by feelings of sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness. People who are experiencing depression my lose interest or pleasure in activities they normally enjoy, lose or gain weight, sleep too much or too little, feel fatigued, and have difficulty concentrating. I use a combination of somatic, cognitive, narrative, and self-focused therapies to unlock your own inner healing strength and potential for change.

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.

Using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Shelley helps clients with depression explore their distorted thinking that leads to feeling hopeless and defeated. By reframing their negative thoughts clients can begin to see their world in a more positive and empowered perpective. Shelley helps clients to embrace themselves in a compassionate and empathic way, and to explore what they can learn, or change in their life that might come from this difficult time. The concept Pain in the Service of Growth helps clients to understand that their negative feelings might be an indication that something needs to change and to feel supported in making those changes, with Shelley's guidance and encouragement.

Those who suffer with Depression know that it is far more than being sad. It is a pall, a darkness, a fog that permeates every part of your existence and sucks the life out of every joy. It is also a complex and complicated knot to untangle. Sometimes depression can be a mask for shame that has been carried from our family of origin. Our work on your experience of Depression will offer practical skills, which can start to ease some of the heaviness. I will also support you to get underneath the pain and discover what is fueling that story and that experience. Any of this will be in concert with, not take the place of, therapeutic medication prescribed by your Doctor.

If you're up against depression, we'd collaborate and become a team of sorts. Through thoughtful questioning and listening, we'd begin to identify alternative narratives that challenge your depressive story. By attending to your strengths, resilience and prior successes, you can begin to foster a sense of hope and feel empowered to envision a future where you can live beyond the limitations of depression.

Depression is usually marked by a change in eating habits, sleep, and energy levels. The person may suffer from isolation and a sense of worthlessness. I work to draw out my clients' concerns and deeper thoughts as well as their doubtful concerns. Every person has the potential of drifting into a depressed states, and some people live here a lot. But sharing one's personal thoughts and unmet needs is a powerful way to draw a person out of their depression. I also focus on some of their past successes, even in situations that appear to be futile. We all have the power to survive and overcome, even when things seem hopeless. Bearing witness to the moments of success, contribute to forward moti

Clients have talked about being down there in ‘the pit’, not being able to see any light, only darkness with no path. You are doing less and less, you are losing motivation to connect with others, or even get out of bed. Using behavioural activation, where we listen to or thoughts instead of our feelings, we can pull ourselves out of the downward spiral of depression. Sometimes that means treating trauma too. With help, imagine someone throws down some tools and materials, we make a plan to build a ladder, and with support and encouragement, you get yourself out of that pit. I know there's a path and I have helped others find it.

Depression is often associated with negative beliefs about oneself and the world, and EMDR can help to desensitize and reprocess these negative beliefs, leading to a more adaptive and positive worldview. Through the use of bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, EMDR can help to process the distressing memories and beliefs, reducing the intensity of the emotional response and increasing emotional resilience. By addressing the underlying negative beliefs, EMDR can help to alleviate symptoms of depression and improve overall mood and well-being.

Depression can be experienced in a multitude of ways and often differently by each person. Depression can leave an individual feeling overwhelmed, a loss interested in activities that they used to enjoy, feel a lack of energy, have difficulty sleeping, experienced pronounced weight changes, and even serious illness. You do not have to suffer or feel alone. We will work with you to uncover the elements to your depression and help you to regain enjoyment and satisfaction in your life.

The circumstances and issues that you are dealing with are unique to you, but you don't have to face them alone. Every individual has different experiences, perceptions, feelings, thoughts, beliefs, values, attitudes, cultural backgrounds and "upbringings". Counselling sessions are private and confidential, and can provide a way for you to explore your problems and really tune in to your feelings. This is an opportunity to speak freely about your circumstances and release pent up feelings, without having to worry about what others think or feel, and without receiving unwanted advise from family, friends or coworkers. At the root of the problem, there are very real, legitimate and understandable reasons for feeling the way you feel, thinking the way...(view profile to read more)

Depression is a mood disorder that can cause a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that can interfere with daily functioning. Reaching out for help is a step towards wellness. Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person, but it is a very treatable condition. Therapy for depression helps you overcome the feelings of hopelessness and despair and to gain control of your life.

I am honoured that you are interested in my services and I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I have been described as slightly non-conventional in the counselling world, which suits me perfectly, and also tends to suit youth who are trying to stand up to the force of the problems in their life. I am very comfortable working with this population, and I feel fortunate that I can connect with teens the way I do, conventionally or in a way that makes sense to them.

Dr. Sloat's therapeutic approach* to treating depression stems from her belief that depression is best treated while a person is feeling well. Although she acknowledges that depression should also be treated while acute, she also recognizes that depression tends to be episodic for long term sufferers, and the best way to long term success is to create tools and strategies while well that inoculate against further episodes. In short, Dr. Sloat describes her approach as "Depression Management". *Approach includes CBT, i.e., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Depression hurts. It hurts to feel stuck, to feel alone, and to feel out of step with other people. And it hurts not to know how to pull ourselves out of it. When depressed, we often believe that something is deeply wrong with us at a personal level. In counselling, we explore the legitimate reasons why you might be depressed – what in your situation sets you up to feel bad? And we consider what you can do differently to support yourself. It can be challenging to face your difficulties, including both those things you can and cannot change. In counselling, I help you clarify your experience, support you, and help you find confidence and motivation to live life differently.

I can guide you to take that first important step using relevant therapeutic insights and my own experience. If your depression is crippling your life or is hurting your loved ones, you need to do something even if it is hard to believe that anything can ever be different. You may tend to feel that nothing matters or that talking or sharing can not help you. Even when you feel you have little or no control, getting a sense of what is going on can provide a small opening you need to think and feel differently. A small change at times when we are desperate can make a huge difference in the end. Yes, it takes patience and tenacity. You need to show up and to be prepared to do what you can.

My approach to dealing with depression is to face it on two levels. First, there are the cognitive behavioural treatment options to address the basic skills needed just to get through each day. We will build a strategy together and I will help to keep you on track. Then the real therapy begins. Together, in a safe manner and at an acceptable pace, we will unveil some of your defences and rediscover your trapped potential - the part of you that gives life real meaning and purpose. I truly believe your life means something and that you have purpose.

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.