Depression is not a weakness. It is not a lack of gratitude, motivation, or effort. It is not something you can simply “think your way out of.”
Depression is a complex health condition that affects the mind, body, and nervous system, and it doesn’t show up the same way for everyone.
Many people I work with carry shame alongside their depression, wondering why they feel this way, or believing they “should” be able to feel better on their own. Part of our work together is gently untangling those beliefs and helping you understand what’s actually happening in your system, with compassion rather than judgment.
Therapy for Depression in Duncan, BC and Online
Types of depression
There isn’t just one kind of depression. Understanding which type (or types) you’re experiencing can be an important part of healing.
Situational or Reactive Depression
This type of depression can develop in response to life stressors such as loss, trauma, relationship changes, burnout, illness, or prolonged stress. While the feelings make sense given what you’ve been through, they can still become overwhelming or persistent, especially if your nervous system hasn’t had space to recover.
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Persistent (lasting longer than 2 weeks) low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness. For many people, MDD has a strong biological or genetic component. It is not caused by a lack of willpower or resilience.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
Some people describe feeling “low-grade depressed” for much of their life — functioning on the outside while feeling flat, heavy, or disconnected inside. This longer-term form of depression is often overlooked or minimized, even though it can deeply impact quality of life.
PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)
PMDD is a hormone-sensitive mood disorder that causes significant emotional and psychological symptoms in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. This can include intense depression, irritability, anxiety, hopelessness, or even suicidal thoughts that lift once menstruation begins.
Perinatal Depression
Depression during pregnancy or after birth is far more common than many people realize. It is not a reflection of how much you love your baby or how capable you are as a parent. Many new parents feel extremely conflicted during this time of life, because they feel like they “should” be 100% happy and grateful.
Perinatal depression can occur during pregnancy or in the months (and sometimes years) following birth. It may show up as persistent sadness, numbness, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, irritability, guilt, disconnection, or a sense of overwhelm that feels impossible to escape. Hormonal shifts, sleep deprivation, identity changes, birth experiences, trauma history, and nervous system stress can all play a role.
For some, perinatal depression is primarily biological or hormonal; for others, it’s shaped by life circumstances, support systems, or past experiences. Often it’s a combination of all of these. Struggling during this season does not mean you’re doing something wrong. It means your system is under immense demand and needs care.
A combination of factors
For many people, depression is not purely situational or purely biological, it’s a combination. Genetics, neurochemistry, trauma history, chronic stress, hormonal shifts, and life circumstances can all interact. Two people can experience similar stressors and be impacted very differently, depending on their nervous system, history, and biology.
How depression might show up
Depression doesn’t always look like sadness. It can show up as:
Emotional numbness or emptiness
Exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest
Loss of motivation, pleasure, or interest in activities that used to be enjoyable
Irritability or increased self-criticism
Brain fog or difficulty making decisions
Feeling like everyday tasks require enormous effort
Many people blame themselves for these experiences, when in reality their system is doing its best under an extremely heavy internal load.
What does therapy for depression look like?
Because depression has many possible roots, effective treatment is not one-size-fits-all. I take a collaborative, integrative approach, tailoring therapy to your symptoms, your history, and your nervous system.
Learning practical tools to help calm your nervous system, manage overwhelm, and increase your capacity to cope with daily life.
Exploring how past experiences, chronic stress, relationship patterns, or difficult life events may be contributing to feelings of depression in the present.
Identifying and working with different parts of yourself, such as the inner critic, the part that feels hopeless, or the part that has learned to shut down or withdraw. Rather than fighting these parts, we'll approach them with curiosity and compassion.
Paying attention to how depression shows up in your body. Many people experience depression not only emotionally, but physically as heaviness, exhaustion, numbness, tension, or a sense of collapse. Together, we'll explore ways to help your body feel safer, more energized, and more connected.
Developing practical strategies to notice and challenge unhelpful thought patterns, while also gradually re-engaging with activities, relationships, and routines that support well-being and recovery.
Understanding what's happening in your brain, body, and emotions through psychoeducation, helping reduce self-blame and make sense of your experience.
Looking at the foundations that support mental health, including sleep, nutrition, movement, connection, and daily routines, and identifying small, sustainable changes that can make a meaningful difference.
When appropriate, collaborating with your physician or other healthcare providers to explore whether medication, hormonal support, medical investigations, or additional assessments may be helpful.
For PMDD, therapy often focuses on cycle-aware support, nervous system stabilization, self-compassion and coping during symptom peaks, and reducing the secondary shame that so often accompanies this condition. For perinatal depression, we might explore ways you can build up support around you. For situational depression, we might explore your values and how you can move towards being more aligned with them.
“If you know someone who’s depressed, please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn’t a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just is, like the weather.
Try to understand the blackness, lethargy, hopelessness, and loneliness they’re going through. Be there for them when they come through the other side.”
— Stephen Fry
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