Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression
Does It Feel As Though You Shouldn’t Feel This Way?
- Do you feel a sense of emptiness, of not being good enough, or of not being okay with who you are?
- Have you felt this way for a long time- maybe for as long as you can remember? Or maybe you know exactly when it began?
- Maybe you’ve tried various fixes and distractions, but on the whole they haven’t worked for you.
- Maybe they have even made things worse at times.
The Myth of Universal Happiness
It can be hard to go through the motions of life when you’re not really feeling how you expect to feel. It’s not like it is supposed to be, they way it seems to be for most other people.
Depression is painful. It’s also everywhere. It’s hard to turn on the TV without seeing an advertisement for a new depression therapy or treatment for depression. Media stories often explain the tragedy of suicide by describing a struggle with depression. And we also hear stories about what life is like when depression treatment is successful – it often looks like bliss. Dejected sufferers are now suddenly carefree. The first message here is that depression is a terrible feeling that shows up, wrecks the place and refuses to leave, like some nightmare party guest. The second message is that in order to get on with your life, you will first have to get rid of the depression. You’ve probably already tried many different strategies to get this particular guest to pack up and go.
You Are Not alone
Emotional difficulties can be difficult to talk about, particularly for men. It can be hard to share the way we feel with our close friends, family members and workmates because we worry about burdening other people. But there is hope. You can share your concerns with someone who understands how difficult this can be. Over the years I have helped hundreds of individuals who have been in your situation. In my therapy sessions I’ll address your needs, worries and wishes. When you work with a therapist who truly understands where you are coming from, it becomes easier to take a fresh, hopeful perspective. I will help you to clarify the things in life that are really important in life. What is the big picture? What makes life worth living? I’ll also help you identify the obstacles that seem to be blocking your path.
You have to believe that you can grow and change if you are actually going to do so. When my patients bring some level of commitment to moving in a valued direction the results can be staggering. That is why my hopeful, encouraging approach incorporates behavioral techniques and “homework” assignments like mindfulness exercises.
When you learn to remain present with your difficult thoughts and feelings, you will be able to respond to them in a much more flexible way. Even if you feel disconnected from your life right now, with the help of a supportive and experienced therapist, it is possible to feel energized, motivated and excited about life. You can develop new perspectives on your life, relationship and career.
Brief Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression
Consider this: What if depression is not really a bunch of feelings but more like a bunch of actions? After you reflect on it for a moment, you will probably notice that this statement (if it’s true) contains both bad news and good news. The bad news goes something like: “Great, if this is an action then it must be all my fault!” We all love to blame ourselves when we have depression, but in fact therapy will show you that this is almost certainly not the case. Depression is nobody’s fault. Now consider the good news: If depression is something we do not something we are then real change is possible.
With a little help, you will begin to untangle the illusion of depression. It turns out that real change is much more exciting than self-blame. As you begin to understand the actions that have gotten you stuck you will see that there is a clear and concrete way to get unstuck. Often, this is like turning on the light in a darkened room.
Although there are be many different types of depression counselling available, not all of them are based on the best science available. I specialize in brief cognitive behavioural therapy for depression.
What if therapy makes things worse? Deciding not to get help for a problem right now very likely means the problem will become larger in a few months or years. Your life – and each person in it – is going to change because change is inevitable. Therapy for depression puts you in a position where you can have some control over how you respond to life’s ups and downs.
Maybe you know you are ready for an effective depression treatment? If so, book a free consultation session with me by clicking here.
