Do you struggle with any of the following?

• Feelings of failure and inadequacy. It may seem like every time you fall short of achieving your goals, you fall into a self-critical cycle with no end. You define yourself by your mistakes and shortcomings – forgetting that it is common to fail. You faults become you. Your perfectionist mindset tells you that you’re not allowed to make mistakes, have no discernible flaws, or at the very least appear that way. It becomes increasingly difficult to disregard others’ opinions of you.

• Feelings of shame about yourself – not being good enough. You believe that something is terribly wrong with you. You don’t believe that you are a person of value, that you are worthy of anything good in life. Having a low self-esteem has convinced you that loving yourself or being loved by others is conditional. You’ll either strive for perfection in all things, or self-sabotage when you fear perfection is unattainable. You see your experiences and the world around you as an extension of how you feel about yourself.

• Feeling of not being able to bear it. Too much pain and loss. You wish that life was different. Living is difficult, you’ve lost loved ones, your future looks bleak, and you feel backed into a corner. You have fleeting or scary thoughts about ending your life. You see no reason, no way out, no more purpose. You are trapped in black and white thinking. Nothing relieves your pain so you reach out to numb it through alcohol, drugs, food, sex or other destructive behaviors. 

• Feeling numb and cut of from your feelings. You feel nothing, detached from reality and people, walking around like an empty shell. You may feel that you are not able to show or feel any emotions, to respond to events with joy or sadness as others would, or to connect with others in a deep and meaningful way. You may feel that you are holding back, watching life go by without being “in it.” You may even struggle to remember much of your life, feeling surreal when you look at old pictures of yourself. The feeling of emotional flatness has overpowered you and you wish that you could feel something…ANYTHING.

• Feeling hopelessness and despair. There’s no energy, no spark – life feels dull. You feel like you are a lost cause and nothing or no one can help you. It may feel like your pain and suffering cannot be resolved. You feel you do not have the right resources to make it in this world and that you have been treated unfairly. You are no longer able to chart the path of your life. You’ve lost the mastery over your own life. You have no vision of a way through it. You feel doomed; you’ve lost everything in the game of life. And it seems it will be this way forever.

• Feeling physically slowed down. You might feel queasy, nauseated or experience digestive problems. No matter how much you sleep, you may still feel tired or worn out. Getting out of the bed in the morning may seem very hard, even impossible. Or you struggle to sleep, period. You may have experienced a change in appetite or weight. You feel dizzy or lightheaded. Any kind of chronic pain may have worsened.

• Feeling mentally slowed down. Lack of energy and desire to do most things. Your thinking is cloudy and it takes a lot more effort to get things done. It is harder to concentrate on things. Completing once-easy tasks is hard and sometimes close to impossible. You are plagued by the inability to make decisions. Remembering the simplest things is impossible.

• Feeling irritable and grumpy. You get angry and fly off the handle easily. You may be an externalizer of your feelings – you may act out, even lash out on others. Or, you are more withdrawn and exhibit over-controlled behaviours – you don’t lash out and are careful to manage your feelings in front of others. You experience bursts of mood swings from high to low, from explosive to irrational. Most people will mistake this as an anger management problem, when in fact it’s a manifestation of being sad and lonely.

• Feeling of wanting to withdraw and isolate yourself. You were once someone who loved to be around others but now barricade yourself in your home. You don’t call or visit anyone. You won’t go out to gatherings. You may have even stopped going to work or school. You feel exhausted and talking to someone becomes too overwhelming and strenuous on you.

Will it work for you?

The clients who get the most out of working with us typically share many of the following characteristics. If these fit you, you are likely someone who can overcome your struggle with depression.

• You are ready to deal with the life situations and beliefs you may be carrying that contribute to your pain, and have acknowledged that what you’ve been doing (or more likely, not been doing) is contributing to the problem.

• You are willing to face the difficult feelings, physical sensations and symptoms, memories or situations that lead to your emotional pain.

• You are finally ready to stop the endless spiral of self-criticism and shame, and embrace acceptance and validation of yourself and your imperfections.

• You are ready to let go of the negative feelings and develop a good emotional balance within yourself.

• You are not looking for a quick fix; you know that real healing is a process that takes time, energy and commitment to a long-term solution.

• You are open to asking for and receiving help to move past this problem; you’ve tried so many different things, and you realize that new results require new approaches.

• You are ready for a therapy process that is honest, transparent and challenging. You’re not just looking for someone to listen and support you; you also want to be guided through the process and ensure that you achieve your goals.

• You are willing to challenge yourself or be challenged to learn new ways of coping and let go of old habits.

• You are ready to heal! By breaking free from the patterns that sustain your emotional pain and depression, and learning to cope with your emotions in other ways, you will not only find peace and happiness, but will grow into a more evolved version of yourself!

Results you can expect

When you work with us, you can expect to get at the root of your depression, stop the emotional and physical pain that plague you, and find inner peace and happiness. You will finally learn how you came to be where you are, confront the emotional barriers, heal the underlying wounds, and develop a healthier relationship with your mind, body and emotions.

We are committed to helping you achieve these results:

• Figure out what’s behind your depression. By exploring the elements of your life that have led you to your emotional struggles, and by identifying the consequent negative self-concept and self-esteem, we can begin the process of rebuilding your relationship with yourself from a critical and conditional one, to one of acceptance and empowerment.

• Stop self-sabotaging and self-harming thoughts and behaviours. No more numbing, easing or lessening your pain. You’ll learn how to accept and understand the underlying needs that your emotions are expressing, and how to attend to them in an effective and enduring way.

• Stop running on empty. Stop taking yourself for granted and overextending your capacities. We are a society of people-pleasers and over-achievers. We expect ourselves to be limitless and selfless, until we burn out and crash. By working with us, you will not only learn how to set boundaries with others but mainly with yourself. You will learn that “it’s not just because you can, that you should” and how to break ties with the negative influencers in your life.

• Learn the art of letting go. Our sadness and pain can at times serve an adaptive purpose, and can become a reliable friend that protects us. The consequence, however, is one of isolation and loneliness. By confronting this pain and committing to forgiving yourself and others, you will learn how to have authentic and healthy connections to others and to yourself. 

• Learn to embrace who you are. Criticizing yourself is easy and can at times feel natural. We learn to tolerate and justify it. By working with us, you’ll learn how to accept your imperfections, appreciate who you are, identifying the values you stand for, and the strengths and passions that define you, you will reclaim your aliveness. 

• Find a balance in your emotions. No more highs and lows. No more emotional rollercoaster. You will learn how to stabilize and control your feelings, thoughts and behaviours, and live an emotionally resilient life.

Ready to Book an Appointment?

Call us at 514-558-9858

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