Imagine an Intercity 125 train. If a fire breaks out in one carriage, it spreads through the whole train quickly and effects everything in it. This is a bit like depression. Something can start in one area of life but with no ‘compartments’, very quickly, all areas of life become effected.
My definition of depression is a loss of hope. Our starting place is to find that one glimmer of hope – the one part of life that is still relatively untainted. From there we start to compartmentalise – dividing life up into sections, a bit like carriages on an old fashioned train. In these compartments, we can then start to put the fire out carriage by carriage.
The brain releases chemicals. There are a number of chemicals that support positive feelings and when these become suppressed, depression can result. Anti-depressants are pharmaceutical equivalents of these chemicals.
Part of our work will be to retrain the mind to start releasing these chemicals once more through re-evaluating the experiences that caused them to be suppressed.
The number of sessions will vary depending on the depth of depression and how long you have felt that way. We will continue to work together until you feel you have the tools and resources to maintain your own sense of well-being and regular reviews will be held throughout our work together.
Rachel