Depression and Anxiety

You’ve surely experienced feelings of stress or sadness in your lifetime. It’s ok to admit that, because most people have at some stage. After all, it’s what makes us human!  These feelings can be brought on by any number of experiences, events or factors.  The feelings can last for various lengths of time.  However if they start to drag on too long, it can have a serious effect on your wellbeing. If you’re experiencing depression and anxiety as an ongoing experience that doesn’t seem to be letting up, you may want to consider seeking assistance to find relief.  If you’re finding how you are feeling is getting in the way of your everyday life, seeking help from the right person is essential for you.

What is Depression and Anxiety?

Depression and anxiety are similar in that they tend to cause the individual experiencing the emotion a great deal of distress. Although very similar, there are some clear differences between them.

Depression

Depression tends to be associated with a deep and often dark sense of sadness. Often the individual will experience a sense of hopelessness.  They will find often that activities they used to love are no longer enjoyable. People dealing with depression can tend to shy away from people.  This even includes those who are closest to them such as their friends and family. This distancing can cause conflict for the sufferer, because they will often find themselves losing their relationships, just when they need them the most.

Anxiety

Anxiety is often associated with feelings of distress when thinking about the past or the future. Feelings of anxiety can manifest in many ways. Sometimes it manifests itself into phobias, such as fear of flying or public speaking. Other times it simply leaves the individual fearing the future.  They may fear situations that are out of their control, such as loved ones getting into accidents. Similar to depression, anxiety takes a negative toll on the individual and can have ripple effects on their relationships and other aspects of their life.

Although many learn to live with depression and anxiety, it is not the only option available. There is help out there!

How Does Depression and Anxiety Manifest?

Although some people suffer from depression and anxiety from physical reasons (such as hormones, chemicals etc), there are also any number of life events that can act as triggers. Examples of some triggers might be:

• post-partum depression,
• bereavement,
• emotional feelings of failure, worthlessness,
• grief and
• physical or mental trauma.

No matter the reason for depression and anxiety, it’s important to understand its triggers. It may be something you have dealt with since you were a child.  Or possibly, it’s a recent event that has brought it on.  Either way, understanding it’s origin can help you deal with the pain in a constructive way.

Your Inner Child

One of the ways Bernie will explore and help heal these feelings is by helping you delve deep and working with your inner child.  Your inner child may be a factor in holding onto past fear, resentment, not being good enough or sadness. It may also be the reason you have trouble moving on and accepting that you deserve happiness. By working with your inner child and past core memory beliefs you will be working through your anxiety and depression at its roots and will find ways to assist in your healing process.

How Can Depression and Anxiety be Treated?

Although medication can be used to treat depression and anxiety, these medications may simply treat the symptoms as opposed to dealing with and resolving the underlying issues. Non-medical help with depression and natural methods of relief from anxiety can be used in conjunction with medication to assist in healing all aspects.

Resentment and Hurt

Many of us have underlying resentment, sometimes resulting from relationships with family members, friends or even colleagues. If this is the case, Bernie will help you work through it and find ways to let go of that past resentment and hurt.  Sometimes this is in the form of healing the relationship with the person.  Sometimes its simply finding ways to be at peace with that person, without being in contact. Whether you reconnect with that person or not, being at peace with the relationship may help relieve some of that pain that you have been holding onto.

Traumatic Past Events

Other times, a person’s depression or anxiety is associated with a past event that is causing them pain. Similar to dealing with broken relationships, Bernie will guide you through the event and help you find ways to both acknowledge that it happened – and to accept it.

Acceptance

Sometimes, when bad things happen to us, we have a hard time accepting it because it feels out of our control. We tend to associate the event with anger and frustration because we have not yet learned to accept it and move past it. Bernie will help you move past these emotions.  Bernie helps you accept what you cannot control and find ways for you to be at peace.  This is so that you are able to overcome your depression and/or anxiety.

Sometimes we are just simply susceptible to these emotions.  This is even despite having great relationships or never experiencing a traumatizing event. If this is the case, Bernie will work with you and help you figure out why you are susceptible.  Bernie will provide you with techniques to overcome the day to day feelings that can arise.

Bernie’s Approach to Depression and Anxiety Relief

You may find that you have a stronger grip on your emotions after addressing the underlying reasoning. You may also find that you are able to process your depression and anxiety symptoms in a more constructive way when they arise. Working on addressing the underlying issues for your depression and anxiety is where Bernie can help! Bernie has worked with a range of clients with varying needs. She will work with you to help explore the inner workings of your anxiety and depression.  Together you’ll uncover where they originated.  Furthermore, you’ll discover ways to manage the conditions. By seeking out help to find depression and anxiety relief, you are taking the first steps to a clearer, happier and healthier life.

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