Help with Depression
Depression refers to a collection of symptoms that impact how we think, feel, and behave. Depression is often referred to as a ‘mood disorder’ as it is characterised by a persistent and overwhelming low mood and/or feeling completely numb. In psychotherapy we get to look at how the body reacts in depressive states – in particular, the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).
Beating depression
Using Compassionate Inquiry and other methods that focus on autonomic nervous system and examine behavioural patterns, I have helped many patients come to terms with and understand the causes of their depression, leading to full recovery and a life free from depression.
Understand this debilitating mood disorder
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.
Controlling your emotions
I can help you reach an understanding of where these feelings come from – this is the first step in gaining regulation of our emotions.
Befriend your autonomic nervous system
Combining Compassionate Inquiry with Poly Vagal Theory (PVT) provides useful approaches to reach an understanding of a person’s behavioural needs.
You are not your emotions
I believe that you can live life without depression – and I know that, with therapy, I can help you achieve this.
Depression is a process that occurs within you that forces you to push your emotions down. It is this adaptation that makes you feel depressed.
At some point in the past, this adaptation served you when your emotions were too raw and painful. Together we work to reveal the source of this emotional suppression and, in the process, understand how your childhood experiences may have played a role in developing this state of depression.
Gaining the knowledge and understanding that your depression is an adaptation, where beliefs you carry towards the experience and our understanding of how and why it affects you – is the beginning of our journey together.
Know your Autonomic Nervous System
There are many forms of psychotherapy that are beneficial in supporting clients suffering from the symptoms of depression.
The use of Polyvagal theory (PVT) is extremely important which I include into my treatment. This treatment focuses on the Autonomic Nervous System and the neural circuits that regulate reactive behaviour. The vagus, or tenth cranial nerve transmits parasympathetic signals to and from the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. We can use the measurement of vagal tone in humans as an index of stress vulnerability and reactivity in people with affective disorders such as depression.
Helping clients understand and befriend their autonomic nervous system is vital for talk therapy to be effective. Combining Compassionate Inquiry with PVT provides useful methods to reach an understanding of a person’s behavioural needs.