Depression

DEPRESSION

Depression is a mental health condition which effects a person’s thinking, energy, feelings and behaviour. Depression can range from mild to severe, and can prove disabling in some cases.  It is normal to feel down or sad at times during your life. But for some people, sometimes these feelings can continue over a long period for no real reason. This persistent low mood is a characteristic of depression.

The main symptoms of depression include:

  • Feeling sad, anxious or bored
  • Low energy, feeling tired or fatigued
  • Under- or over-sleeping, or waking frequently during the night
  • Poor concentration, thinking slowed down
  • Loss of interest in hobbies, family or social life
  • Low self-esteem and feelings of guilt
  • Aches and pains with no physical basis, e.g. chest/head/tummy pain associated with anxiety or stress
  • Loss of interest in living, thinking about death, suicidal thoughts.

    Depression is an extremely common condition which affects more than one in ten people at any one time. Any of us can be affected at any stage of our life, irrespective of age, gender or background. Sometimes it is in response to a particular traumatic event and sometimes it occurs for no apparent reason.

    It is important to sometimes look at depression from a different angle too.  If you experience low mood or high anxiety, AND you comfort eat, binge eat or restrict regularly, low mood and/or anxiety are consequences of this disordered eating. When your gut is not working properly, your hormones are out of balance. This means high cortisol (the stress hormone which causes anxiety), and low serotonin (our feel good hormone).

    If low mood is an issue and emotional/binge eating or restricting is also an issue, please look at the Eating Freely Program, developed by our founder Emma Murphy MIACP, which is a more appropriate place to start.  Emma has trained dozens of practitioners in Dublin and around Ireland to support adults struggling with Emotional Eating, Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia.  You can find the help you need in person or online here:

    Eating Freely Program for Emotional Eating & Binge Eating Disorder.

    HOW CAN WE HELP?

    CBT, or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a particularly effective therapy for addressing and resolving depression.  Therapist and client work together to identify and break negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and find other, more positive ways to respond to life events. At Sandyford Wellness Centre all of our Counsellors and Psychotherapists are fully qualified and experienced in their areas of expertise.

    Geraldine Dunne MIACP Gealdine Dunne Pic

    BA(Hons) Psychology, MA Counselling & Psychotherapy, CBT, Mindfulness.

    Since 2001 I have worked with people who have acquired a long term illness and their families, providing emotional support and counselling on a wide range of issues such as coping with a diagnosis of a serious illness, dealing with the onset of disability and the changes involved for an individual/family.

    I have also worked individually with adults on issues such as management of stress, anxiety, depression, significant life changes, loneliness and bereavement.  My passion is for empowering people to overcome the obstacles and challenges that they may experience in their lives, and to live the life of their choice to their fullest potential.

    I graduated from Dublin City University in 2001 with a BA (Hons) in Psychology.  In 2012 I completed a Master of Arts degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, for which I did a research study on the Psychological Experiences of Losing Weight. I also hold a Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). IN 2013 I trained in the use of Mindfulness for Therapists and this has greatly influenced me in my work with clients as well as in my own personal life.

    My aim is to create a safe, confidential space for my clients and my approach is Person-Centred, although I also use CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy and Mindfulness.  I am also a qualified, experienced Holistic Therapist, and I have a particular interest in stress management, and facilitating people to find their own individual way of dealing with stress in their lives.

    I can be contacted on 086 8566464 for an appointment.