Depression Counselling in East York, ON.

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.

You may be feeling stuck and alone in your pain; but, I promise, many of us have felt this pain, and you are most definitely not alone in feeling this way. You may be carrying old wounds that keep resurfacing making it difficult to focus on the here and now. I provide a nonjudgmental space where you can explore the root of this pain and begin to connect with yourself and the world around you. Together, we can work on developing a compassionate inner voice, get curious about what this pained part of you might need, and find ways to cultivate hope for healing. Please reach out so you're not navigating this alone...

With the fast pace and challenges of life, you do not have to face them alone. Sometimes you need a helping hand and a friendly ear to talk to. It's my passion to help people. I offer counselling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples and families. I work with clients to improve their resiliency, and uncover their strengths using a client centered approach and different modalities to meet needs .

I do not believe depression is something that requires a "cure." Instead, I wonder if depression is a way of telling ourselves that our lives are not giving us the sense of fulfilment, freedom, and joy that we want to have. Together, we will explore your thoughts and feelings, discover what fulfilment means to you, and navigate how to overcome barriers.

Depression can leave us feeling hopeless and sometimes even the way our loved ones respond can actually increase our sense of isolation. In my work with clients experiencing depression, I focus first on understanding and appreciating each person’s unique story. Fostering a trusting and collaborative relationship creates an environment that feels safe to explore our emotions and paths to healing. Contact me today to book a free consultation to start your healing journey.

Depression can paralyze, devastate and debilitate. You might find yourself helpless, exhausted, empty, worthless and in despair about being a hopeless prisoner of darkness, and the relentless little negative voice inside seems to have the upper hand, blaming, discouraging, frightening or putting you down. Allow me to offer you my support, to help you understand your situation and its possible causes and to gently explore manageable ways to better cope, feel new hope and to improve your quality of life. 905-842-3626

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).

I practice Person-centered counselling which respects individual uniqueness and steers clear of any form of advice, preferring to support you in finding your own meanings and solutions. Especially useful when your main need is for caring, non-judgemental support and a neutral space where you can get things off your chest. I also practice Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), which is solution and action-focused, especially helpful in tackling unhelpful thinking habits. Has strong evidence for effectiveness in treating both depression and anxiety.

The difference between depression and pain is often misunderstood. We get stuck in a process that should come to a natural completion. We get stuck because our environment does not encourage us to respect our feelings, to honour our process and to discover our own way to live. I believe no one would suffer depression if they could express themselves fully and be heard. Therapy can teach you how to receive this respect, then you naturally begin to give yourself the compassion and understanding you need to allow your process to reach completion. To remember or rediscover emotions, from laughter to anger to tears; To allow flow to replace the fear that fed the depression and hopelessness.

Depression is not pleasant. People who suffer from depression probably do not want to stay in a depressive state, but they lack the tools to move out of the negativity. Coming to a therapist when you are feeling depressed is the first step to overcoming these emotions. It means that you are ready to change your pattern of thoughts and behaviours and are willing to seek help to assist you in doing so. Together we can make a plan to help you identify when you are moving towards a depressive state and keep you from going down the unwanted path. We can help you identify the things in life that influence you positively and work towards focusing on the things that give you strength.

People are often faced with moments of sadness which can sometimes lead to chronic sadness. My work with clients could involve deep reprocessing of certain memories related to depression which allow clients new insights into how to face their depression. Further to this, by guiding clients on their recovery from depression, we are able to pinpoint aspects that must be addressed to help the recovery process which may include mindfulness, thoughts, and/or behaviors.

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 is a sadness that accompanies us wherever we go stealing our experience of happiness and joy. Others often do not understand that depression has changed our vision of a colorful, vibrant world to one of varying shades of gray. Depression can make tasks that were once completed without much thought like taking a shower, brushing one's teeth, or even getting out of bed, feel like an overwhelming challenge. Activities and people that we once enjoyed, no longer bring pleasure. "Why can't I just snap out of it?!" I use an integrative approach to therapy providing an empathetic, supportive dynamic to empower you to change your emotional experience of life.