Depression Counselling in Kitchener-Waterloo

Depression can almost always be helped. When a person is experiencing the overwhelming pain of major depression or when he or she is experiencing partial symptoms - such as low mood, tiredness, or low motivation, depression counselling is an important part of getting better. A large part of depression counselling involves cognitive restructuring and activity scheduling.

Depression Counselling is Useful after Distressing Incidents or a Major Loss

People often seek depression counselling after distressing incidents or major life changes, especially those that involve a significant loss – i.e. death of a loved one, divorce, or loss of a job. Depression counselling makes use of an individual’s potential for adapting to change. It uses problem-solving to find ways of changing the external stressful situation or to change the feelings and thoughts about it.

Depression Counselling changes Self-Defeating Cognitions

Depression counselling focuses on the cognitive factors influencing depression; these factors involve thoughts of oneself, the world, or the future; teaching people to change self-defeating cognitions. For instance, people who view themselves as inadequate or defective, who view their ongoing experiencing in a negative way, or who believe that the future will continue to bring suffering and difficulties benefit from depression counselling. Depression counselling teaches people to challenge self-defeating cognitions and develop more realistic thinking.

Depression Counselling Identifies Factors Influencing the Depression

Depression counselling identifies factors influencing the depression, such as past trauma, current stressors, self-defeating cognition, or a genetic predisposition. Identifying these factors is an important part of developing interventions to change the factors influencing the depression.

Research indicates that depression counselling, particularly CBT Counselling, is effective at improving depressive symptoms, but depression counselling and medication together are more effective. Reduced levels of serotonin and norepinephrine have been linked with depression, and medication can increase levels of these neurotransmitters. Some people, however, do not want to take medication. Depression counselling discusses all options to treat depression.

You can also read more about my Counselling Skills and background as a Child and Youth Counsellor which allow me to provide these counselling services.

Ryan is also an Anti-Bullying Motivational Speaker - presentations to inspire students to stand up against bullying in schools, as well as a Guest Speaker for a variety of other topics. He travels any distance but will speak in Kitchener, Guelph, Hamilton, London, Toronto, Mississauga, Barrie, Markham, St. Catharines, Milton, Oakville, Burlington, Stratford, Owen Sound, Oshawa, Ottawa, Windsor, Kingston, New Market.