Depression / Anxiety

Life is change, and a part of that is managing changing emotions and feelings. Most of us are brought up to think that unpleasant feelings are bad and something to be afraid of, despise and to get rid of. But that’s a myth. By reaching genuine acceptance with what we are going through, we are liberated from the power of our distress and better able to move on.
 

“Acceptance is not submission; it is the acknowledgment of the facts of a situation. Then deciding what you’re going to do about it”  

• Depression
• Feeling sad or gloomy
• Thoughts of hopelessness and negativity
• Feeling guilty or blaming yourself
• Lack of interest in people or activities
• Social withdrawal
• Poor concentration and memory
• Loss of appetite or eating more than usual
• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much

If you can relate to any of these, especially without any known trigger, and they don’t seem to be resolving on their own, you might be suffering from depression. Depression is common and can be treated using a flexible approach as each person has their own needs and aims for therapy. We can also assist you to:

• Learn techniques to lift your mood
• Change unhelpful reactions to cope with the ups and downs of life
• Gain self-esteem and confidence
• Learn strategies to improve sleep and become more relaxed
• Explore deeper causes to your distress

It is important to understand that this is a process and will take the necessary time, support and patience depending on your unique situation.

Anxiety and Panic

Many more people experience the following on a daily basis than you may think:

• Tension
• Nervousness and difficulty breathing
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea and dizziness
• Headaches
• Fear

With life being very hectic and challenging for most of us, it is normal to feel anxious or nervous at times. If you experience any of these to the point that they are affecting your daily life, you are not alone. Although it is always important to consult your doctor to rule out any medical problem, you will find that you can learn to manage and reduce the power of these feelings through your thinking and approach to life. Our supportive counselling will:
 

Provide you opportunities to learn to relax and manage symptoms when they appearGive you an understanding of what is happening to you

Teach you strategies to be more positive and engaged in your experience

Help you address your concerns and learn to live a better life

Explore factors that may underlie your anxiety

When feeling panic and anxiety always remember:

• Your bodily feelings are not harmful
• You are not in real danger
• Do not run away or avoid; if you wait the fear will pass
• Acknowledge your unhelpful thoughts and feelings without letting them own you. Fighting what you feel usually makes you feel worse

If you suffer from panic attacks, remember that people do not die from panic attacks and later attacks are rarely as bad as the first.

As many people become fearful of the fear itself, it is important to address this as well.

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship”

Louisa May Alcott