Depression, Self-Esteem Issues Somatic Approaches

Depression, Self-Esteem 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.

A positive self-esteem is an essential tool to help someone function as a productive member of society. Our basic sense of worth determines how well we are able to deal with situations and how well we perform in the family, at school, at work and in life.

Having a healthy self-esteem means that we have a sense of self-worth, self-respect and the ability to find the good in yourself. On the contrary, a negative self image can lead to social anxiety, loneliness, self-criticism, shame and even anger. A person with low self-esteem often feels isolated.

Self-esteem issues are usually created in childhood when negative experiences and poor influences and reactions from caregivers stunt the development of a positive self esteem. Self-esteem can also be affected by abuse, or by being different. A person may be stigmatized for his or her social identity, race, social class, behaviors or appearance.

However, a person's self-esteem can also be challenged during adulthood when one experiences marital issues, financial problems, career glitches or legal challenges.

Therapy can help a person come to terms with self-esteem issues. A therapist will help identify the causes of self-esteem issues and help the individual to regain control over circumstances through goal-directed therapy.

It can help someone with low self-esteem to separate who they are from what they have, or how they look in order to overcome low self-esteem issues. Discovering one's worth is a great way to take control of situations and to learn to feel adequate.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers goal directed therapy to address your self-esteem 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.

    • Video on profile
    • Online booking
Feeling lost, misunderstood, stuck? I have been there. Besides being an experienced therapist, I am also a child of divorce, immigrant, wife, and mother. My own healing journey and continuing professional... Read more

Aaron Chin

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Hi, I’m Aaron Chin. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC# 21391) practicing online, and in person for clients in Surrey BC on some days of the week. I strongly believe in the power of therapy to... Read more

Lindsay Bhuller

M.Ed., RCC
    • Online booking
Do you find yourself getting triggered for reasons you can't explain? Are you having trouble turning your brain off from racing thoughts? Maybe you are overwhelmed by emotion, or the opposite- not... Read more

Kirsten Reid

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Would you like help to find some relief and an overall sense of lightness? Whether you believe your life challenges to be major or minor ones, including a specific event or a reoccurring problem pattern that you... Read more

Elisa-Maria Chong

M.Ed., RCC
    • Online booking
Our lives each contain moments of great joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, opportunity, and obstacle. At the center of these experiences is our innate search for connection. We need relationships, they are precious and... Read more

Lisa Woolgar

M.Ed., RCC
    • Online booking
If you're suffering through a loss, or feeling emotionally overwhelmed or stuck, I'm an Registered Clinical Counsellor who specializes in helping people navigate even their most challenging emotions, felt... Read more

Nicole Lam

M.A., RCC
    • Video on profile
    • Online booking
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor devoted to guiding individuals on their healing journeys through improving overall wellness and building strong relationships. I strive to bring a unique blend of cultural insight... Read more

Krista Blakelock

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
We wake up each day, perhaps with the hope that today will be easier than yesterday, that stressors won't cause outbursts, that conversations won't be agonizing. You try to handle a variety of issues, challenges... Read more

Avneer Dhillon

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
I believe we are constantly changing, and each of us are capable of directing that change toward becoming the person we want to be. How we arrive there, of course, is the difficult part. i’m here to walk alongside... Read more

Kate Malone

M.C., RCC
    • Online booking
Maybe you are struggling with anxiety and depression, working on building self-confidence, looking to heal past trauma, facing challenges in your relationships, or just needing a space to talk. I welcome individuals who... Read more

Lindi Dale

M.A., CCC
    • Online booking
As a therapist, I strive for you to feel held: to feel cared for and understood, with the assurance that I am fiercely present and always in your corner. Above all, my goal is for you to cultivate a grounding sense of... Read more

Julia Blackwell

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
I invite you practice a few deep breaths as you reflect on aspects of your journey that led you to this page. Have you been feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed? Exhausted or drained? Perhaps seeking to to learn... Read more

Lisa Webster

M.A., CCC
    • In-Person Sessions
  What makes Lisa stand out is her warm personality and her straight forward approach. With gentleness and humour, she guides clients to find their own insights, while providing tools and teaching techniques... Read more

chelsea mcgowan

MCP, RCC
I am a passionate therapist, teacher, and dancer. I bring these elements into the work I do, and the love I have to see people develop a deeper relationship to self and in turn others. I am not a “blank slate... Read more
I work with adults who are trying to find ways to cope with depression, anxiety and past traumatic experiences. Finding a way through feelings of hopelessness, sadness and worry is exhausting and often isolating. It can... Read more

Amrita Dhoot

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
Welcome! Do you come from a family with complex dynamics and feel like people don’t quite understand you? Have these experiences led to you being anxious, and struggling to trust yourself or others? My unique... Read more

Chelsie Pilon

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Are you tired of repeating the same limiting patterns in your life? Does anxiety, overwhelm, or depression feel like a constant battle for you? Maybe you feel stuck, confused and alone. My name is Chelsie Pilon, and I... Read more

Gillian Curtis

MCP, RCC
Hi there, I'm Gillian! I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (#22672) and hold a Master’s in Counselling Psychology from Adler University. If you’re here, know that you’ve taken a huge step... Read more

Carole Gaato

Ph.D., R.Psych
With more than 20 years experience as a psychotherapist, I sometimes lose touch with just how daunting the task of finding your "right" therapist can be. Just so you know, as registered psychologists and... Read more

Kara Bezuko

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
I work with people seeking a gentler path to happiness and well-being. You may be grasped by anxiety, lost in the heavy darkness of depression, or caught in a turmoil of confusion and distraction. You might find... Read more

Tasha Johal

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
How connected do you feel? To others? To yourself? As a therapist, I emphasize the relationship and connection to one's body and mind through a trauma-informed, culturally-responsive, holistic lens.... Read more

Danielle Bowersock

M.A., RCC
    • Blog on profile
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor, I can help if you are stressed, anxious or depressed. At their extreme, anxiety and depression can be crippling, making you feel hopeless. Life becomes a struggle and your... Read more

Kristen Bailey

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
People come to therapy for a variety if reasons, but ultimately there is something you are experiencing in your life that is causing you pain and suffering that you want to address. We all experience pain that stems... Read more

Leanne Cuddington

M.A., RCC
Leanne is a Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Kitsilano. She obtained her Master’s degree in Somatic Counselling Psychology from Naropa University, Colorado and she has specialized credentials in Body... Read more

Delyse Ledgard

M.A., RCC
    • Video on profile
    • Article(s) on profile
    • Blog on profile
    • Online booking
To be understood, seen, feel the comfort of another’s presence is the heart of therapy.  With over 30 years of experience, I have encountered and worked with people from all walks of life helping... Read more

Sherry Moore

M.S.W., RCC
Hello, my name is Sherry. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and a Registered Social Worker (RSW & MSW). Are you struggling with mental health and/or addiction? Have you experienced trauma in your life?... Read more

Tamara Pearl

Ph.D., RCC
    • Online booking
As a psychotherapist and trauma counsellor I have helped people for over 20 years to heal from personal, intergenerational, and collective trauma as well as addictions, depression, anxiety, stress,... Read more

Sukhi Bal

M.Ed., RCC
Do you dream of feeling more confidence, joy and peace in your life?  Do you feel stuck in old stories and patterns? Are you just plain tired of feeling this way? No matter what you have gone through in your... Read more

Staci Illsley

Ph.D., R.Psych
    • Online booking
For over 25 years, Dr. Illsley has continued to hone her therapy skills and weaves cognitive-behavioral, developmental, attachment-based, neurological, mindfulness and somatic approaches into her therapy. She prefers to... Read more

Ishtar Beck

M.A., RCC
    • Video on profile
My practice is located in East Van on Commercial Drive. I am currently welcoming folks mostly for in-person appointments. Whether in person or remotely, when interacting with me you will find a supportive space... Read more