A large portion (about 25%) of teens and adults struggle with depression, anxiety or a combination of the two. The good news is, there are many approaches a counsellor can use with clients to help them move through anxiety and depression. For example, learning how to deal with ongoing life stress can help decrease both anxiety and depression.
Anxiety and depression are some of the most common reasons people drift/push away from friends, creating isolation and loneliness. However, they also do not look or feel the same in every person. In some people, and quite often in children and adolescents, the subjective feeling can be “irritable” or “angry” rather than “depressed.”
Approaches to Depression
We are trained and experienced in many different approaches which are client-centred and collaborative. Therapy addressing Depression can draw from one of many approaches, or a more integrative approach can be taken with elements from many modalities.
Commonly, approach to depression treatment includes but not limited to:
Approaches to Anxiety
Anxiety is unique in that many symptoms are similar, but can present differently between people. Counselling helps someone explore their presentation of anxiety, and digs to to find an understanding of where it comes from, and how to manage it effectively.
Like depression, there are a number of approaches in counselling to address anxiety. Often times, a mixture of these is most effective. These approaches include: