Depression, Personal Growth, Phobias Mindfulness approaches

Depression, Personal Growth, Phobias

Depression is the most common psychological condition, and most people experience it at one point or another in their lives.

Symptoms of depression include lethargy, low self esteem, a feeling of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety, dysphoric mood and even suicidal thoughts. People who are depressed usually feel a lack of energy and a lack of pleasure and they may be agitated or irritable.

Since there are so many causes to depression, which boils down to a natural response to life experiences (a defence mechanism), each situation warrants a thorough investigation into the exact catalyst. Depending on what causes a specific incidence of depression, a treatment plan can be developed to help the individual deal with his or her emotions.

Some people are predisposed to depression in that it can run in the family. In many cases, it is learned when someone is constantly exposed to it.

Counselling can help a person to adapt to life changes that are causing grief, particularly with bereavement or marital issues. Systemic therapy is helpful in family therapy, where the efforts of the whole family can help the individual. Psychodynamic therapy helps a person to find the hidden psychological defences that cause problems to manifest. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the problem at hand, providing solutions to day-to-day issues and finding ways to restructure negative thought patterns.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who has training and experience in depression counselling you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Personal growth is an essential part of the human experience. Life is ever-changing and ever evolving, and as productive members of society, we have the responsibility to expand. This need and inevitability of constant change could cause us to feel a lack of security and stability.

Personal growth reflects the changes of life transitions and changes. It shows your desire and ability to be an active participant in life and in your journey as a human being.

There are many personal growth goals that will help you better deal with life changes and moving through the stages presented. Therapy can help you define your goals and determine ways for you to reach those personal growth outcomes that will help you become the person you want to be. The most important benefit of counselling is that it can help you to turn challenges into opportunities for personal growth.

Counselling can help you to improve interpersonal communication, overcome self-doubt, reach your potential, maximize your strengths, minimize weaknesses, achieve personal goals, manage time better, become more organized and improve your mindset. If you need to learn to say yes to life and no to unnecessary demands, abuse or mediocrity, personal growth counselling is for you.

Personal growth counselling will help you assess where you find yourself right now, and where you want to go. It will help you find the path to your personal growth success through exploring your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your current behaviors and beliefs. A therapist will guide you through your own inner wisdom to find your path to success.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers personal growth  to help identify your stumbling blocks to success and other issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Phobias are classified as irrational fears that impede on normal daily life. While everyone has one or two irrational fears, they are minor. However, if irrational fears become so intense that they cause extreme anxiety that interferes with normal life, it is time to get therapy to help overcome these fears.

The most important thing people should understand is that phobias can be controlled and even cured. Between self-help strategies and professional phobia therapy, anyone can overcome irrational fears and start to live a life of freedom from phobias.

Phobias can interfere with life when you are forced to face them on a regular basis. People with phobias are generally afraid of things that pose little to no real danger at all. People with phobias generally fear heights, clowns, flying, driving, insects, small spaces, wide open spaces or needles.However, phobias are not limited to this, but to anything about which the fear is highly exaggerated.

While phobias are usually developed during childhood, adults may also develop new phobias. People will go to extreme lengths to avoid exposure to whatever they are phobic about.

The good news is that phobias are easily treated using a range of therapies. Cognitive behavioural therapy can help a person recognize their phobias and find different ways to react to their exposure to the things they fear. Desensitization therapy helps a person to learn how to manage being exposed to what they fear in a safe environment. A therapist will help the person understand that their fears are unfounded and as such, manage and eventually cure the phobia.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers phobias and related issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Mindfulness approaches, Emotion Focused Therapy

Mindfulness approaches help clients to be focused in the here and now. Generally rooted in Eastern meditative techniques,  Mindfulness approaches offer a non-judgmental alternative therapy for dealing with stress and other psychological issues.

By observing worrisome thoughts and learning to accept situations for what they are, people can learn to cope with issues better and make more productive choices.

Mindfulness approaches include a range of models, including dialectical behaviour therapy,  mindfulness-based stress reduction, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. These approaches can be used in a wide range of settings to reduce the symptoms of a broad spectrum of psychological issues.  These therapies can be practiced effectively in individual or group therapy.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Mindfulness approaches, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note:  Some practitioners practice Emotionally Focused Therapy rather than Emotional Focused therapy.  You will want to confirm that it is indeed Emotion Focused Therapy that the counsellor/psychologist practices.  

Michael Mandrusiak

Psy.D., R.Psych
    • Online booking
Dr. Michael Mandrusiak is a Registered Psychologist (CPBC #1803) and holds a Doctor of Psychology degree.  As a psychologist in B.C. since 2008, Michael has had extensive clinical ... Read more