Counselling Victoria - Depression, Intimacy Issues Somatic Approaches, Psychologists, Therapists in Victoria

Victoria

Counselling Victoria contains information about counsellors, psychologists, and therapists in the Victoria area. These counsellors, psychologists, and therapists may assist individuals, couples and/or families. As is typical with trained counselling professionals they may vary in their areas of expertise. Many will be able to address anger management issues, depression, anxiety and relationship issues.

Victoria consists of the following neighbourhoods:

Victoria: Burnside Gorge, Downtown, Fairfield/Gonzales, Fernwood, Harris Green, Hillside-Quadra, James Bay, North and South Jubilee, North Park, Oaklands, Rockland, Victoria West

Esquimalt: Kinsmen Park, Gorge Vale, Rockheights, Old Esquimalt, Saxe Point

Oak Bay: Henderson, Uplands, Estevan, North Oak Bay, South Oak Bay, Gonzales

Saanich East: Cordova Bay, Sunnymead, Broadmead, Mt. Doug, Gordon Head, Blenkinsop, Lambrick Park, Lake Hill, High Quadra, Arbutus, Queenswood, Ten Mile Point, Cadboro Bay, Camosun, Mt. Tolmie, Cedar Hill, Quadra, Swan Lake, Maplewood

Saanich West: Willis Point, West Saanich, Elk Lake, Prospect Lake, Beaver Lake, Royal Oak, Northridge, Layritz, Interurban, Glanford, Strawberry Vale, Granville, Marigold, Tillicum, Gateway, Rudd Park, Gorge, Portage Inlet

Central Saanich: Inlet, Saanichton, Hawthorne, Turgoose, Island View, Martindale, Tanner, Keating, Oldfield, Brentwood Bay

View Royal: Prior Lake, Hospital, Six Mile, View Royal, Glentana

Colwood: Colwood Corners, Colwood Lake, Royal Roads, Hatley Park, Sun Ridge, Wishart North, Triangle, Wishart South, Lagoon, Royal Bay, Latoria, Olympic View

Langford: Goldstream, Humpback, Bear Mountain, Thetis Heights, Florence Lake, Mill Hill, Atkins, Fairway, Langford Proper, Langford Lake, Glen Lake, Luxton, Walfred, Happy Valley, Olympic View

Metchosin: Neild, Olympic View, Albert Head, Metchosin, Kangaroo, Rocky Point, William Head, Pedder Bay

Sooke: Port Renfrew, Jordan River, French Beach, Sheringham Point

North Saanich: Deep Cove, Lands  End, Swartz Bay, Curteis Point, McDonald Park, Sandown, Airport, Ardmore, Coles Bay, Dean Park, Bazan Bay

Highlands

Sidney

These Victoria counselling professionals have designations from the following list:

Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Registered Psychologist (R Psych), Registered Social Worker (RSW), Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC), American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT), Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), and Registered Art Therapist (BCATR).

Explore the information within the counselling listings for Victoria to get a better sense of which counselling professional might be a match for you.

If you want to search a nearby city then click on the check mark for Victoria to unselect it and choose another city.

Depression, Intimacy Issues

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.

Intimacy issues are common for people who fear vulnerability. Some people can become vulnerable in front of a few trusted friends, however, but when a relationship starts becoming too close, they feel suffocated. In this sense, the intimacy issues are seated in the fear of developing a deep and meaningful relationship with another person.

Two fears that are at the heart of intimacy issues, are the fear of abandonment (fearing the partner might leave them) and the fear of engulfment (fearing that they would lose themselves in a relationship), which sometimes co-exist. These fears, often rooted in childhood traumas, are often deeply entrenched in codependent adult relationships where they cause friction.

A therapist who works with people who have intimacy issues will first help you to learn to become comfortable with yourself and accept yourself for who you are. You will explore the complex past events that have created these intimacy issues and discover that those events don't have to cloud your present experiences.

This process is essential in discovering that rejection does not have to be a traumatic experience. Finally, you will learn how to set personal boundaries that will help you to avoid the fear of engulfment and to cope, should abandonment occur. While healing intimacy issues can be a challenging and somewhat painful task, the rewards are incredible.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses intimacy issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Somatic Approaches

Somatic approaches to therapy recognize the mind-body connection and focus on addressing psychological issues through bodily experiences. By incorporating techniques such as body awareness, breathwork, and sometines movement, these approaches help individuals access and process stored emotions and trauma. This value lies in their ability to foster self-awareness, emotional regulation, and healing.  Some therapies like "somatic experiencing" require specialized training and certification.  Please ask your therapist whether he/she has sprecialize training and in which approaches.

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

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

    • Online booking
Through an inclusive, collaborative and trauma-informed lens, Shauna has a vested interest in helping clients learn about stress and related disorders, trauma, and healthy sexuality during various adult life stages so... Read more

Stephen Marcus

M.S.W., RCSW
    • Online booking
Do you struggle with a challenging relationship that affects your ability to feel seen, heard, and validated? Do you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and lost by consistent arguing, defensiveness, and lack of closeness in... Read more

Shelley Gordon

M.S.W., RCC
    • Article(s) on profile
Shelley Gordon has been an Imago Relationship Therapist since 1996, and a Therapist since 1983. She has over 25 years of experience, and is an advanced clinician with Imago Relationships International. Shelley is... Read more