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Mood disorders are a category of mental illnesses that involve a serious change in mood that affects how a person thinks and feels about themseelves, others  and life in general.

The illnesses in the catagory of mood disorder includes:

• depression / dysthymia
• bipolar disorder / cyclothymia 
• seasonal affective disorder

Some people may experience psychosis during severe depression or mania. There are two parts to psychosis: delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are strong beliefs that are not true. Hallucinations are things you sense that are not real.

Mood disorders are treated by counselling, antidepressants, as well as support and self-care.

Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, bipolar disorder, and cyclothymic disorder.

Through counseling and skills learning we are able to help you recover your motivation, perspective, and the joy that you once had in your life.

Depression is not the same as feeling sad.  While depression does include as one suymptom feelings of sadness or hoplessness it also includes other symptoms such as having less interest in activities that were normally enjoyed,  disturbed sleep, suicidal thoughts, change in eating pattern, confusing / lack of concentration, racing thoughts and other symptoms for a minimun of 2 weeks may indicate depression.

Dysthymia is a chronic / persistent depressive disorder involving a low-grade depressed or irritable mood that lasts for at least 2 years.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) not the same as winter blue.  It is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons, beginning and ends about the same time every year. For most people the symptoms start in the fall and continue through the winter months. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer.   SADs will impact a person's energy and causes them to have periods of low mood. Treatments for SAD include light therapy (phototherapy), anti-depressants and counselling.

One of the more misunderstood mood disorders.  Bi-polar is NOT what is is commonly thought of - as having frequent mood swings or easily becoming sad or angry.

Bi-polar disorder is when a person has periods of depression alternating with periods of mania or elevated mood (euphoric, hyperactive, inflated ego, unrealistic optimism, etc).  These periods can last from days to weeks.

Cyclothymia a mild form of bipolar disorder.

Many medical illnesses such as hypo-thyroid, iron anemia, B12 anemia, low testosterone, diabetes, cancer, injuries, infections,  and chronic illnesses can mimic or trigger symptoms of depression.

We will often ask new clients to visit with their family physician to have bloodwork to rule out a biological basis for their mood disoders.

Symptoms of depression or anxiety that are due to the effects or side-effects of medication, substance / dependence, exposure to toxins, or exposure other forms of chemicals.

Many individuals can experience symptoms associated with painful and traumatic circumstances. Depression, anxiety, overwhelming fear, sleep disturbances, helplessness and hopelessness are a few emotions that can linger after traumatic events. We can help you overcome these symptoms and guide you through the process of healing.

Trauma, Acute Stress, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Vicarious Trauma & PTSD      

Stress response syndromes occur when a person develops emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to a stressful event or situation. The stressors may include natural disasters, such as an earthquake or tornado; events or crises, such as a car accident or the diagnosis of a major illness; or interpersonal problems, such as a divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, or a problem with substance abuse. Stress response syndromes usually begin within three months of the event or situation and ends within six months after the stressor stops or is eliminated

 PTSD is a condition that can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, or a natural disaster. People with PTSD often have lasting and frightening thoughts and memories of the event, and tend to be emotionally numb.

Vicarious Resilience

Many people struggle with issues around their sexuality however, these issues often don't meet the criteria for a Sexual or Gender Disorder.

Sexual and gender disorders include disorders that affect sexual desire, performance, and behavior. Sexual dysfunction, gender identity disorder, and the paraphilias are examples of sexual and gender disorders.

Paraphilia is the experience of  sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, fantasies, behaviors, or individuals. 

Positive Symptoms:

Negative Symptoms:

While these two disorders are part of the mood-disorder catagories their effects can be severe enough to cause periods of psychosis.

Dissociative disorders: People with these disorders suffer severe disturbances or changes in memory, consciousness, identity, and general awareness of themselves and their surroundings. These disorders usually are associated with overwhelming stress, which may be the result of traumatic events, accidents, or disasters that may be experienced or witnessed by the individual. Dissociative identity disorder, formerly called multiple personality disorder, or "split personality," and depersonalization disorder are examples of dissociative disorders.

People with personality disorders have extreme and inflexible personality traits that are distressing to the person and/or cause problems in work, school, or social relationships. In addition, the person's patterns of thinking and behavior significantly differ from the expectations of society and are so rigid that they interfere with the person's normal functioning. 

Personality Disorders are more the product of historical observation than of scientific study, and thus that they are rather vague and imprecise constructs.  Their division into three clusters is intended to reflect this tendency, with any given personality disorder most likely to blur with other personality disorders within its cluster.

Personality Disorders are more the product of historical observation than of scientific study, and thus that they are rather vague and imprecise constructs.  Their division into three clusters is intended to reflect this tendency, with any given personality disorder most likely to blur with other personality disorders within its cluster.

Paranoid PD

Schizoid PD

Schizotypal PD

Antisocial PD     

Borderline PD      

Histrionic PD     

Narcissistic PD

Avoidant PD

Dependent PD

Anankastic / Obsessive-compulsive PD