Depression Therapy: What is it & How Can It Benefit Me?

Have you lost your way in your life where your sleep may be troubled, mind is frequently racing about worries from the past or the future, you have trouble finding the energy to do things that used to bring you joy, your inner critic is working overtime, or perhaps you find yourself comfort eating a fair bit, or even hitting the bottle a little too often as a way to cope with the stress in your life?

If you can relate to many of the above, and if you’re like many of our clients, men and women that are pretty high functioning where you wouldn’t know they’re experiencing depressive symptoms unless they told you, you may be struggling with depression and not even know it. We hear this all the time.

Everyone has difficult days and moments of sadness. That’s part of being human. But depression is different. It can feel heavy, persistent, and all-consuming, affecting how you think, feel, and move through your life. It can disrupt your work, your daily routines and your ability to concentrate and stay focused. Many people describe feeling stuck, disconnected, exhausted, helpless, numb, burnt out, or like they’re no longer feel like themselves. Often these feelings creep up on you over weeks, months and even years, and sometimes linger for long periods of time without intervention.

Depression doesn’t just impact mood. It can affect your relationships, career, level of motivation, sleep, and self-worth, making even everyday tasks feel overwhelming and sometimes impossible. You may find yourself withdrawing from others, losing interest in things you once enjoyed, or feeling hopeless about the future. If this resonates, you’re not weak or lazy. You’re struggling with a condition that is indicating that something is out of alignment in your life, and getting the therapeutic support you need can help tremendously.

For some, feeling down happens at regular intervals throughout the year. Sometimes during annual anniversaries of difficult past experiences or the loss of a loved one, and for others they notice that the weather impacts their mood and it becomes a challenge to maintain a positive outlook during the winter months, sometimes known as the winter blues or seasonal depression when the days become darker and shorter and we don’t have the sunshine and the physical activity that often goes along with it to buoy your mood.

At Susan Blackburn Psychology, we offer compassionate, evidence-based therapy for depression in a warm, non-judgmental environment. Our experienced therapists work with you to understand what’s contributing to how you’re feeling, build practical coping tools, and help you reconnect with yourself and your life. Depression therapy is collaborative, personalized, and focused on creating meaningful, and sustainable changes at a pace that feels right for you.

We offer confidential, virtual therapy to support you from the comfort of your own home in the midtown neighborhood of Yonge and Eglinton, the wider community of Toronto and suburbs, all over the GTA, and across Ontario. If you’re feeling low, stuck, or overwhelmed, you don’t have to navigate this alone. Relief is possible, and reaching out can be the first step toward feeling like yourself again.

At Susan Blackburn Psychology, your Depression Counselling will help you make sense of and alleviate:

 – Feeling blue, teary, empty, sad, helpless, or like a shadow of your former self

 – Fixation on worthlessness, guilt, comparison with others

 – Less interest in people places and things that used to bring you joy (this is known as anhedonia)

 – Trouble concentrating, maintaining focus, or decision making

 – Any suicidal ideation and thoughts of harming yourself

 – Being set off or irritable, feeling agitated, frustrated, overwhelmed, or angry

 – Inertia along with lack in energy and motivation and struggling to get much of anything done

 – Either under eating or over eating due to lack of appetite or feelings of ravenousness

 – Exhaustion and fatigue, lack of energy, and very little motivation to complete even the smallest tasks

 – Issues with sleep, either sleeping excessively or not enough