Depression Counselling and Therapy

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” — Aristotle
Feeling sad or down from time to time is a normal part of life. Although it may be unpleasant to experience these emotions, they typically do not last long for most people. However, if feelings of sadness, low mood, and negative thoughts persist for an extended period, they can spiral along with intensifying depressive symptoms that affect your quality of life, work, and relationships.
Signs And Symptoms Of Depression
Depression is more than just feeling down or having a tough day. It’s a deep, ongoing experience that can impact every part of life, often associated with feelings of despair, emptiness or hopelessness. While feeling sad from time to time is a natural part of life and human experience, depression goes beyond that. The feelings are more persistent and are accompanied by certain thought patterns that lead to a spiral as well as more intense physiological sensations . Noticing the potential signs of depression is a meaningful first step towards seeking the support you deserve.
Depression can manifest in various ways, including:
- Persistent feelings of helplessness
- Crying uncontrollably or unexpectedly
- Fatigue and difficulties sleeping
- Anger or irritability
- Changes in appetite
- Difficulty experiencing pleasure or joy
- Self-loathing
- Reckless behaviour
- Thoughts of self-harm
These symptoms vary from person to person. Some describe it as “living in a black hole” or being followed around by a “suffocating grey cloud.” Others feel lifeless, apathetic, or empty and find it difficult to engage socially or lose interest in work or activities they once enjoyed. Despite how overwhelming these feelings can be, with the right help and support, it is possible to manage and even overcome these symptoms.
Some Situations Linked to Depression
Depression may be linked to a variety of factors or situations, each of which can affect individuals in unique ways.
- Life Changes: Major life transitions, such as losing a job, experiencing the end of a relationship, moving to a new location, or other significant losses in one’s life.
- Negative self-image: Long-term negative self-image and seeing oneself as bad, inferior, unloved or unworthy. One ends up being harsh and highly critical towards oneself.
- Adverse Life Experiences: Adverse life experiences such as abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences can significantly impact a person. Emotional wounds that remain unresolved may surface as depressive symptoms.
- Chronic Stress: Ongoing stress, whether from work, financial pressures, or caregiving responsibilities, can contribute to burnout and depressive symptoms.
- Medical Conditions: Physical health problems, like chronic pain or long-term illness
Benefits of Depression Counselling and Therapy in Singapore
Depression counselling and therapy provides a safe and collaborative environment for individuals to address the complex emotions and issues associated with depressive feelings and thoughts. At In Focus, you’ll find a supportive space to gain insight, develop resilience, and work towards a more fulfilling life. Here’s what counselling and therapy can offer:
- Self-Understanding: Through exploration with us, you’ll gain deeper self-awareness, helping you better understand your personal challenges and related issues.
- Collaborative Approach to Overcoming Struggles: Counselling encourages you to discover and build healthy ways to manage your emotions, thoughts, and related behaviours and eventually overcome them with counselling and therapy that is personalised and based on your experiences and story.
- Building Resilience: As you work with In Focus, you’ll strengthen emotional resilience, equipping yourself to face life’s ups and downs with a more empowered outlook.
- Achieving Positive Change: Counselling supports you in setting meaningful and realistic goals, as well as making and implementing attainable plans that align with your personal vision, towards living a healthier, more satisfying life.
Is It Time to Consider Depression Therapy?
If you’ve been experiencing prolonged sadness, low mood, or a sense of hopelessness, it may be time to consider reaching out for support through depression counselling and therapy. While these feelings may be affecting you to the point that your quality of life, work or relationships are affected, it does not need to go on indefinitely. Working in collaboration with a qualified and experienced counsellor or therapist means you don’t have to be on your own on this journey towards improving your situation.
Depression counselling and therapy can offer a compassionate space to explore the root causes of these persistent emotions and find ways to manage them more effectively. At In Focus Counseling & Therapy in Singapore, we’re here to walk alongside you on this journey, providing a personalised, empathic and safe approach to help you reconnect with a more fulfilling and balanced life. Seeking support can be an empowering step toward living in line with your true aspirations at a pace that respects your unique needs and goals.
What can I expect from depression counselling?
Counselling is a form of talk therapy that helps you understand and address the issues contributing to your depressive feelings. It’s a journey of self-discovery, where you gain clarity on what is important to you and create a plan to move towards a more joyful, fulfilling, and satisfying life.
During depression counselling, you may uncover deeper issues underlying the ongoing distress. You have the option to explore these further through psychotherapy, working towards resolving them. Depression therapy can also address how past experiences impact your current life and struggles, promoting healing and empowerment.
Someone I know is depressed and has self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Should I bring this person for counselling and therapy?
If a person is experiencing a crisis and has very active suicidal urges, the priority is to keep them safe. Here are some helplines to approach:
- IMH Helpline: 6389 2222 (24hr)
- SOS Helpline: 1800 221 4444 (24hr)
In the event of an immediate risk, call 999, or bring the person to the emergency room at your nearest hospital if you are able to do so safely.
Stability and commitment to safety are necessary conditions for progress in depression counselling and therapy.
When someone feels depressed to the extent of considering self-harm or suicide, they often feel very alone and unsupported. In addition to individual counselling, we encourage family involvement through family counselling and therapy, providing a broader support network to aid in the healing process.
Should I take medications together with counselling and psychotherapy to improve my depression?
Every individual’s situation, severity of symptoms, safety risk and preferences are unique. For many, depression counselling and psychotherapy alone are effective when they actively apply what they learn in sessions and make positive changes in their lives. In some cases, medications serve as temporary support while undergoing counselling and psychotherapy. These decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions, they will be addressed during the counselling process, incorporating information from your medical provider to help you gain clarity on the most appropriate course of action.
What are the long-term benefits of depression counselling and depression therapy?
Depression counselling offers you help to address current challenges, and depression therapy helps you go further to understand and even heal from the deeper issues linked to depressive symptoms.
At In Focus, we take a personalised approach in counselling and therapy. With both counselling and therapy, you will develop new perspectives, address personal issues that impact you at a deeper level and learn new ways to relate to yourself, others and the world around you and improve your overall well-being for the long term.
Can depression counselling and therapy help with work-related stress and burnout?
Yes, counselling can be a valuable resource for managing work-related stress and burnout, including those feeling overwhelmed by job demands, deadlines, or challenging work environments. When there are deeper issues linked to the present stress at work or feelings of overwhelm, such as an overwhelming sense of guilt or excessively harsh and critical stance towards self, therapy can be appropriate to also go further to helping you at a more profound level to unpack these challenges to address the core issues
How long does depression counselling and therapy usually take?
The duration of counselling and therapy is different for everyone, as it’s based on each person’s unique needs, goals, and personal growth journey.
At In Focus, we take a collaborative approach, working closely with you according to your progress and aspirations. Intermittent review of the journey, progress and goals will be done together, supporting a path towards a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Contact us or book an appointment to find out how we can support you during this time.
ABOUT US
At In Focus, we empathise with our clients as they go through myriad of life’s problems, stresses and challenges which are overwhelming at times. As these happened to us too. The only difference is, it is our profession to help others overcome these life hurdles so as to live life to the fullest.
OUR SERVICES
We have a range of services available for your consideration depending on your needs. You can get in touch with us for coaching services, corporate consultation, professional training, counselling and psychotherapy services. Please visit our services page to see what we offer.
CONTACT US
Phone: +65 8725 9303
Email: enquiry@in-focus.com.sg