Holistic Counselling

A dynamic approach, working with you in partnership, to bring about cohesion between body, mind and spiritual functioning. The process enables you to work through patterns, beliefs and behaviours that keep you stuck; and supports you in opening to greater aspects of the Self.

As a Holistic Counsellor, my role is to facilitate each client’s understanding and awareness of him/herself, relationship to others and patterns of coping with day-to-day living. Holistic Counselling is a commitment to oneself and, as such, is best done when the client is/are willing to engage in the process. This process is a journey, and it occurs in the dialogue between therapist and client. However, as psychological issues are also stored in the body, meditation and energy work recommendations are common and are available as part of treatment.

We often get stuck at specific points on life’s journey and feel stagnated or uncertain about what decisions to make or which direction to go. You may be dealing with career choices, difficulties at work, relationship issues, or parenting challenges to name a few, and it doesn’t help if Anxiety or Depression is needing attention too.

depression /de·pres·sion/ (de-presh ́un)

· A hollow or depressed area; downward or inward displacement.

· A lowering or decrease in functional activity.

· A mental state of altered mood characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, and discouragement.

In common language when we talk about depression we are referring to the mental and emotional state of being unhappy. This feeling of unhappiness can vary in its intensity depending on different individual, different times and different circumstances of the sufferer.

Depression can mean experiencing frequent, reoccurring and persistent feelings of sadness, fear, hopelessness, lack of motivation and often self-hatred, along with a myriad of other similar feelings.

Depression can be a general feeling of not being in ‘peak’ emotional condition and includes a range of feelings along with a steeply sliding scale that can cause suicidal thoughts and death through suicide.

DESCRIPTION OF DEPRESSION

All people experience hard times at different stages through life and feel down or sad. The term depression is sometimes used to describe what is really normal sadness people feel when they’ve had to cope with a stressful experience or problem, such as the death of a loved one, job loss, financial strain or the end of a relationship.

Depression is also the term used to describe an illness that is a more severe and long-lasting than normal sadness. This kind of depression interferes with other areas of the sufferer’s life, seems impossible to shake and can cause serious physical illness.

Experiencing feelings associated with depression is a normal part of life. When the cause of these feelings is not addressed, the person does not have the tools and skills required to work through the depression in a reasonable timeframe, or the depression has become prolonged and the root cause is not being identified – there is a problem.

Feelings (or states of mind) commonly associated with depression

· Feeling sad and/or moody

· Feeling hopeless or helpless

· Feeling numb or empty

· Feeling anxious

· Feeling guilty and blaming yourself

· Unable to feel good

· Unable to enjoy normal or usual activities

· Feeling angry at others or victimized

· Being overly self-critical

· Believing you can’t cope

· Feeling that ‘things’ are out of your control

· Difficulty making decisions

· Difficulty thinking clearly

· Poor concentrating and memory

· Thinking about suicide

· Loss of motivation and energy

· Frequent crying

· Withdrawing from friends and family or being overly dependent on others

· Increased use of alcohol or other drugs

· Rage,

Anxiety

What is Anxiety? What causes Anxiety? What can be done to heal Anxiety?

We all experience mild and brief feelings of anxiety before or during a stressful event such as public speaking or a first date. Others experience intense anxiety over more than six months.

Many people think they cannot control their anxiety (or anxiety attacks) and that it’s a problem they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. Not true! Though some people may continue to struggle with their tendency towards anxiety, many people can and do move past the triggers of anxiety and improve their quality of life.

Sessions usually consist of identifying core beliefs about yourself and the world, automatic thoughts, cognitive distortions, and the cycle of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Clients are then helped to understand the impact of this cycle on their anxiety triggers and are taught to implement successful strategies to overcome their emotions.