Counselling for Depression

in Victoria BC

What is Depression?

Depression is a treatable condition that affects many people of all ages. All of us have regular ups and downs in our mood, but sometimes we may experience mood changes that last a lot longer than usual and have an adverse effect on our regular daily functioning. Even really healthy people can experience depression. It is not uncommon when experiencing a depressive episode to feel a degree of shame for our inability to regulate our mood, so it is important to understand that depression is something that "happens to us" -- it is brought on by factors that are outside of us -- rather than merely a reflection of poor coping skills, faults in character, or part of our identity.

You might be experiencing depression if you feel a higher than normal degree of irritability, or you feel overwhelmed easily, or you find yourself uninterested in the things you normally find motivating. You may be more teary than usual, or you are thinking more about death or dying. Often, our appetite is affected by depression, so notice whether you are eating way more than usual or if you find yourself with little or no appetite at all. Sleep is also commonly impacted by depression, and either extreme tiredness or an inability to sleep is a marker. Each of these symptoms are clues or potential indicators of a depressive episode.

"When circumstances cannot be changed, we all need companionship, empathy, encouragement, and care."

Joel Durkovic on Counselling for Depression

Various types of depression exist, and they have unique characteristics and treatments. A Major Depressive Episode is characterized by having 5 or more of the 8 or 9 classic symptoms for a period of time that is sustained over 2 weeks or more and is having a negative impact in your daily functioning. An MDE can have varying degrees of severity, duration, and impact. But other types of depression also exist. For example, Dysthymia is a low level melancholy that often has a chronicity that doesn't really clear. Bipolar Depression is characterized by extreme highs (manic or hypomanic episodes) followed by extreme lows, and depending on the severity of the highs and lows may have different treatment recommendations.

Sometimes depressive symptoms are brought on by outside circumstances or experiences. These circumstances can range from traumatic experiences to losses of loved ones, hopes, or goals. Counselling for trauma will have some unique characteristics, and understanding how our bodies respond to various types of trauma is an important part to healing.

When depressive feelings are connected to unprocessed or unresolved grief, the themes and conversations in counselling will likely turn toward unpacking and reflecting on the loss through grief counselling.

It is evident that depressive feelings can arise from many different kinds of situations, and counselling will help distinguish the severity and type of depression being experienced. Counselling can be helpful, irrespective of the severity, and our therapists are capable and competent to help discern a path forward for treatment and healing.

"It’s not easy to swim when you are tied to an anchor; depression can feel like a weight that pulls us away from everything that life offers."

Beth Cowin on Counselling for Depression

How can an Arbour therapist help with depression?

Most people who are experiencing depression can be helped with the support of counselling. Meeting with a trained psychotherapist can be a helping link to pull together a set of tools to manage the mood disruption. A therapist is someone who works with you to unpack the themes that may be contributing to a depressive episode. Many people experiencing depression feel isolated and exhausted, and having an objective and caring person to help can often offer hope. A therapist will work with you to identify what things you can practically do, can journey with you and alongside you as you tell your story, and can help you process vulnerable areas. Often depression has underlying roots of grief or loss that we have pushed down as a way to initially cope. While these coping mechanisms are a normal and healthy part of how our body manages stressful situations, trauma, and loss at the time, our bodies also need ways to make deeper sense of things as we gain some distance from the inciting circumstances. Counselling goals for depression often entail visiting these vulnerable places with new eyes, support, safety, and a greater hope.

"Counselling is a space where we can be exactly wherever we are. We can say whatever needs to be said..."

Joy Gillett on Counselling for Depression

Sometimes, medication can be part of the toolset that helps alleviate depressive feelings. When depression closes the window down to the degree that you feel less able to function in your everyday activities, an antidepressant medicine such as a Selective Serotonine Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) can help open the darkness and offer clarity. SSRIs are prescribed by Medical Doctors, but your therapist can help you identify whether talking to a doctor about depression may be a good step. While medicine can help open a window of clarity, a counselling space offers a way to work to go deeper to understand and process the root causes and contributors in a safe, empathic, and supportive environment. Often, a doctor will appreciate a second set of eyes on the situation, and at Arbour we are willing and able to talk with your doctor or provide you with a letter for a walk-in clinic that describes the themes we are seeing that led to the recommendation to speak to the doctor about medications.