Depression, Life Transitions, Parenting Issues Counsellors

Depression, Life Transitions, Parenting 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.

Life transitions can be rewarding, but that doesn't mean they are necessarily easy. Change usually comes with mixed emotions, challenges and stress. It's natural to feel anxious, confused, unsettled and fatigued, no matter how you have looked forward to a change. While promotions at work can be positive and exciting, there are also negative transitions that could make you feel hopeless and negative, anxious and unable to see the solutions to the inevitable problems you face.


Some of the common transitions that people face include moving house, divorce, remarriage, empty nest syndrome, concerns about aging, adjusting to a new job, illness, or death of a loved one.

During periods of transitions, it's common for emotions from some of your past experiences to be triggered, which can make the current situation feel so much worse. That's when confusion takes over, leaving you feeling out of control and confused.

Transition counselling can help you deal with your life changes and the emotions that you are feeling in a safe and effective manner. You will be able to find the root causes of your reactions and you will be able to face the changes head on. You may even be able to push past your self-imposed limits to broaden your horizons and find a strong, new you.

You will gain clarity and understanding, as well as self-confidence to help you feel more grounded and you will develop a sense of purpose in your life. Transition therapy  has helped hundreds of thousands of people to come to terms with difficult issues in life and you can too.

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

It's not until we become parents that we realize just how daunting a task we have to raise a human being. Pregnancy is a miracle for most, and small babies are adorable, despite the restless nights. However, long months of precious little sleep and caring for a helpless infant who can't verbalise their needs in language we understand can take its toll on the strongest of people. These are just some of the many parenting issues people around the world face every day.

Little people have their own unique personalities, needs and quirks and being responsible for them is not always the easiest thing to do. Of course, most parents don't have the luxury to spend every waking moment with their offspring, as we face work stress, marital issues, complicated family relationships, financial pressure and much more. Most children are left with caregivers for most of the day, where they create other relationships and where personalities are shaped in different ways.

While parenting is not for the faint hearted, it certainly is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a human on Mother Earth.

Parenting therapy can help parents to better cope with this daunting tasks by learning how to deal with outside influences, and how to cope with the demands of a young child or a teenager. It can help parents to be more cognizant of what they say to their children and how to cope with stressful or traumatic events, peer pressure, sibling relationships and day-to-day pressures faced by their children.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers family counselling to address your parenting issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

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

Xavier Williams

MCP, CCC
I take an existential-phenomenological view when working with clients—which means that I seek to be open to whatever issues you bring to our sessions, without judgement or applying my interpretation. Together we... Read more

Kelly Archer

M.A., RCC
Kelly Archer, MA, RCC (pronouns: she/her/hers) Kelly is a clinical counsellor with over 13 years of experience working in the social services field with children, youth and young adults within outreach, community... Read more

Adrian Juric

M.A., CCC
    • Video on profile
    • Blog on profile
    • Online booking
To all appearances you’ve got a great life. You’re smart, driven, & successful. But privately, you sometimes struggle under the weight of negative thoughts and beliefs about who you are, what you are... Read more

Lisa Bylsma

M.Ed., RCC
Currently accepting new clients. Available for in-person sessions in Nanaimo or virtual sessions anywhere in BC. After over 12 years working as a counsellor within government and non-profit organizations, I have... Read more

Maureen Lee

Ph.D., RCC
Dr. Maureen Lee is a Registered Clinical Counsellor who sees clients in North Vancouver. She practices a client-centred approach to therapy which means you, the client, decide the outcome, goals and direction... Read more

Jennifer Turnbrook

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Life can have many challenges. Sometimes you can navigate through difficult things on your own while some issues are not so easily resolved. If you’re having a rough time and unsure how to get started, counselling... Read more

Ishtar Beck

M.A., RCC
    • Video on profile
I believe that healing is possible. In the therapeutic space, I aim to provide a supportive space for you to grow as an individual and in your relationships. You will be attentively listened to. You will find... Read more

Julia Hewko

M.C., RCC
    • Online booking
Hello, my name is Julia, and I am a Counsellor helping clients with a variety of challenges, such as anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, life transitions, parenting support, postnatal mental health,... Read more

Sarah Siddiqui RCC

M.S.W., RSW
    • Online booking
*Now Accepting Clients.  For insurance purposes: please note I am an RSW and RCC* Whether trying therapy has been an unfulfilled new year’s resolution for the past number of years, something that just... Read more

Alistair Gordon

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Director of Wellspring Counselling Inc., as well as an Adjunct Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia, my mission is to help you navigate the... Read more

Maya Misic

Ph.D., RCC
    • Online booking
Since 2002, I’ve helped my clients break through the obstacles that seem to be holding them back in life. Life's too short to be unhappy, unsure, or unfulfilled. I am here to help my clients achieve a more... Read more

Amrita Grewal

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Everyday life has become increasingly complex because we are continually presented with endless possibilities of how things ‘could be' or ‘should be.’ The juggle is real and can lead to... Read more

Robyn Kozak

M.Ed., RCC
    • Video on profile
    • Online booking
Whether it is struggles with trauma, anxiety, pregnancy, postpartum, parenting, relationships, or mood, I support individuals with identifying what they want to be different in their life and co-creating a... Read more

Sandy Hawkins

M.A., RCC
"Although feelings of stress, anxiety, depression or relationship conflict may sometimes seem all-encompassing, they do not define who we are. Therapy is a process, and I believe we are each the experts of our own... Read more
    • 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

Danielle Green

M.A., RCC
    • Video on profile
    • Online booking
It is frustrating and painful to get stuck in unwanted patterns in life.  Overthinking, relationship conflict, low mood and a deep sense of overwhelm can feel like issues that continue to recycle throughout your... Read more

Bonnie Zargari

M.A., CCC
    • Online booking
Bonnie Zargari is a Canadian Certified Clinical Counselor who sees clients in person, online or via telephone.  Her main clinical focus is working with adolescents and adults with depression, anxiety and/or... Read more

Melissa MacNeill

M.A., RCC
    • Video on profile
Life can be hard. Relationships can be really hard. It's natural to feel overwhelmed, powerless, hopeless, anxious, and depressed when one of our important relationships is going poorly. When we get stuck, and don... Read more

Michelle Carchrae

M.C., RCC
    • Video on profile
    • Blog on profile
    • Online booking
People come to counselling when they want to feel better. I'm here to help you do that.  Whether you're experiencing depression and stuckness, anxiety, overwhelming emotion or difficulty in your... Read more

Nadia Neely

MCP, RCC
I believe that cultivating self-awareness and gaining insight is a crucial first step in bringing about change and facilitating healing. By engaging in self-exploration and becoming more mindful, we can develop a deeper... Read more

Stephanie Gillingham

M.S.W., RSW
    • Online booking
Stephanie (she/her) is a Registered Social Worker who lives and works as an uninvited guest on the stolen territory of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) people. Stephanie... Read more

Sandi Bossons

M.A., RCC
Counselling Process Making the decision to seek out counselling is a courageous step towards healing. Often people hesitate to seek out counselling because they feel it is a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it is a... Read more

Kathryn Als

M.Ed., RCC
    • Online booking
Sometimes, all we need is someone to listen. I work with clients who feel like they need a compassionate, empathetic ear to listen to whatever they wish to work through. I strongly believe that everyone has the power,... Read more

Sarah Causton

M.S.W., RSW
Currently Accepting New Clients. Sometimes we all feel stuck. Our go-to methods of coping aren't working anymore, or we aren't getting what we need from those we usually turn to. Sometimes we need a space to... Read more

Linda Quennec

Ph.D., RCC
    • Online booking
Your yearning for joy, creative expression, and contentment may be your psyche or soul’s way of quietly telling you that it’s time to rest, replenish, and renew.  If you need support in quieting the... Read more

Janice Bell

M.S.W., RCC
Janice has had a private practice for 25 years, twenty of those in Nanaimo.Her office location provides comfort, confidentiality and convenience. Herschedule is structured to meet the needs of clients.Janice... Read more

Michele Francis

MCP, RCC
You are important and what you have to say matters! Taking the first step to looking for counselling tells me your mental and emotional wellbeing matters to you. You are not willing to sit by and let challenges... Read more

Colette Mrazek

M.Ed., RCC
    • Online booking
My counselling career began over 20 years ago and since then, I have worked in a variety of settings with many different populations, such as youth at risk, children who have been orphaned, young parents,... Read more

Ann-Marie Inoue

M.C., RCC
    • In-Person Sessions
    • Online booking
Do you feel dissatisfied or discontented with life? Is your relationship the source of pain and isolation? Do you constantly push people away that love you? Many people work hard to appear happy on the... Read more

Johanna Simmons

M.A., RCC
I believe that families are the foundation of any society. As parents you create the future through your children. Occasionally we encounter challenges and need some encouragement to overcome these. I can provide... Read more