Counselling Helped Me to Chase Away Hopelessness

After starting my fourth year in high school, I often use to have a feeling of something being amiss. But it was not until several weeks that I became quite cognizant of what was actually going on. I started becoming extremely fatigued during the day, and shunned away from society as often as possible. It was so hard to control the expression that my lachrymose face revealed in front of people.

Although I really missed my amazing friends and the school during vacations, I could not fathom the reason why all of this faded away when I went back. I told my parents about the unusual mental problems I had been experiencing and they tried desperately to help. But all their efforts were simply in vain. Even my friends were perplexed and saddened by the strange behaviour I was exhibiting.

It was not that I disliked my studies or hated my students or teachers. Neither could I comprehend nor explain to others what the actual problem was. I was lost and desperately trying to get rid of the feeling of hopelessness gripping onto me day by day. When the first term began to slip away from my hand and my teachers called in my parents to report about my poor performance in the class tests, I decided to help myself by seeking the help of a counsellor.

One of my aunts told me about Jade Couquax, a French psychologist in Bondi who was renowned for her exceptional counselling skills. I wasted no time and immediately booked an appointment with her. During my first visit, she contracted me for 5 sessions. But soon after we started to discuss about my persistent psychological problems, she realised that my treatment would require more follow-ups. There was something very relaxing in the way she interrogated me, and I did not feel any kind of intimidation while confronting and answering her questions.

As time passed by, I started feeling more and more confident about myself. The conversations I had with Jade helped me to relax and have better thoughts. My condition kept improving significantly and I was able to concentrate on my studies better. I no longer felt the need to run away from people and my parents and friends were more than happy with my positive change. I still remember my last session with Jade, how she made me feel like she would always be there to help me. She said her doors would remain open for me, if my demons tried to come back ever again.

Guest Author: I, Katherine Saavedra, 18, am presently studying in the fifth year of high school. I love reading books, listening to music, playing guitar and watching movies.

Facts About Depression In Women

The rate of depression in women is more than men. When women feel depressed they generally use friends, food and love to self-medicate. To know more about depression in women, have a look at this slideshare. 

Psychologist - counselling in bondi from Counselling Bondi

Causes of Work-Related Depression in Women

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Women offer suffer from work-related depression. It has become a growing problem all over the world. It affects not only the health & well-being of the working women but even the productivity of the organisations. It is after all the second most common compensated injury/illness in Bondi Junction, NSW after musculoskeletal disorders. 

A woman may experience work-related depression die to many reasons. It is said that work-related depression in woman generally arises when there is too much of workload and pressure with deadlines as well as overtime, unsupportive work environment, bullying & harassment, lack of job security or job satisfaction, redundancies, problems with office colleagues, personal problems or too much of responsibility beyond the job level. 

Many people think that it is actually the heap of unfinished work that causes depression in women at work. But that's not the main reason. A lot of studies have been conducted on this and it has been found out that heavy workload has no such effect on employees who get depressed. It is basically the work environment & feeling of being ill-treated by the boss or management, which has the greatest impact on the mood of the employees. 

However, one thing needs to be kept in mind that what one woman may consider as stressful and depressive, another may view that same thing as challenging. So, whether a woman actually suffers from work-related depression depends on the nature of the job, the psychological make-up of the woman and such other factors. 

Given below are  some internal as well as external causes of work-related depression in a woman. Have a look at them: 

Internal causes :

• wrong-fit role 
• mismatch between personal values and company values 
• working parent guilt 
• interpersonal discomfort 
• work/life imbalance 
• extrovert/introvert stress 
• financial struggles 
• feeling trapped 

External causes :

• unreasonable demands from the management 
• unclear guidance at workplace 
• bullying behaviours faced at work-related
• poor project practices
• low engagement or low morale at work 
• poor working conditions 

Are you a woman who is facing work-related depression? Try talking to your boss or human resources manager at your workplace. If you want, you can also take the help of your doctor or a psychologist in Bondi to deal with your depression. 

When to Seek Psychological Counselling?

Maintaining a proper and sound mental health is as important as caring for physical fitness of the body. For having a healthy mind, a person must be free from anxiety, depression, excessive stress, addictions and various other psychological issues. But it is not always easy to keep oneself away from these problems, especially in the modern times when our lives are filled with busy schedules and hecticness. Therefore, it is important to understand when to seek psychological counselling. 

Some of the conditions that require mental health counselling are as follows:

Suicidal Thoughts and Tendencies :

Individuals contemplating on suicide or harming themselves must be administered with professional psychological counselling. Their safety should be secured properly and steps should be taken to determine if they are a potential danger to the safety of others. After a suicidal individual receives the first evaluation, appointment must be set for a session in future.

Signs of Depression :

Talking therapy can help to curb down the symptoms of acute depression such as feelings of despair and hopelessness, loss of interest in favourite activities, anxiety, weight loss or gain, and changed sleeping habits. Physicians can administer screening for the signs of depression and also refer the patient to some reputed psychologist or therapist.

Dramatic Mood Fluctuations :

Irregular mood fluctuations during puberty, menopause, pregnancy, etc. can also be an indication that the person requires counselling. Sometimes the cause can be due to hormonal imbalances, which must be confirmed with a physician. Duration, times and frequency of the mood swings must be noted down carefully so as to report the counsellor about them later on.

Substance Abuse :

People with addiction problems also require psychological counselling. In most cases, it plays an important role throughout the rehabilitation process. After doctors detect medical stabilisation, therapeutic counselling for improving mental health can be essential to overcome the addiction.

Post-Traumatic Stress :
Individuals recovering from the after-effects of traumatic events can significantly benefit from talking therapy sessions. Many people often find it difficult to manage post-traumatic stress without the help of a mental health therapist after incidents like car accidents, abuse, loss of someone dear, sexual assault, etc. Talking to a counsellor about the emotional difficulties can make it easier for them to cope up with the situation more effectively.

If you are experiencing any of the above mentioned psychological problems, you can book an appointment with the French psychologist Jade Couquaux. She is a renowned counsellor who works with individuals as well as couples in Bondi Junction.

Body Image Issues in Women

Body image may be defined as the way how a person actually feels about his or her body. Due to increased focus on looks in our society, body image issues are becoming very common particularly in women. In Australia, dissatisfaction with body has grown considerably during the last few decades and is currently considered as a major concern among teenage girls and women alike. The way a woman feels about the shape of her figure can be influenced by that which they hear and see in media and also how their family, friends and acquaintances treat them.

Feelings of discomfort with one’s shape of figure can also lead to eating disorders and severely affect self-esteem as well as relationships, self-medication, unhealthy patterns of exercise and self-harm. According to extensive research, almost half of the women among Kiwis are under the impression that they are overweight. Most of them obsess themselves over perceived imperfections, desperate ways of losing weight, spending hours grooming themselves and hating almost every part of their own frame. The discomforts can even cause a certain mental sickness known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which may cause a woman to believe objectively false things about her body.

People who do not suffer from such issues often tend to dismiss the victims. Body image is not a superficial problem. Issues with self-confidence can cause a myriad of other medical conditions, commonly eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Unfortunately, almost 10 per cent of the people struggling with such afflictions ultimately die. Depression is another associated problem.

There are several factors which can collectively cause one to develop negative feeling about one’s own shape of figure.

• Excessive exposure to media such as fashion mags, commercials, billboards, etc.
• Health problems
• History of trauma, abuse or eating disorder
• Sudden alterations in appearance, such as women gaining weight right after pregnancy
• Domestic violence
• Past mental illness
• Addiction

Counselling and therapy can significantly help in uncovering the primary causes of body image problems. In most scenarios, multiple factors can combine for destroying a woman’s self-esteem. Pessimistic thoughts about one’s figure can have disastrously unhealthy influences, but proper counselling can successfully determine those thoughts and replace them with strategies for alleviating the issues. Breaking away from the negative behaviours and thoughts is one of the main factors to achieve a healthy image. No matter what, it is essential to consult a reputed psychologist in Bondi immediately if one is experiencing such issues.

Relationship Advice for Couples

A healthy and a strong relationship can be the best support in your life. A good relationship can always strengthen your health, improve different aspects of your life, boost up your mood and help keep good connections with others who have value in your life. 

But if your relationship is not working, it can be an enormous drain. Relationships, after all, are like an investment. More you will put in, more you will get back. Here are some advice for couples who are having a tough time with their spouse in maintaining a good relationship. Read this out to know how to strengthen your relationship. 

Resolve conflict wisely :

It is natural for couples to fight but the way it is done is important. Some couples discuss things out quietly while there are some who raise their voices. No matter how you do it, the main point is you should not be fearful in expressing things that bother you and must be able to resolve conflict without humiliating your partner or insisting on the fact that you are always right. 

Keep outside relationships & interests alive :

Never expect everything from one person. That person won't be able to fulfil all your needs and expectations. If you do, you are simply putting unhealthy pressure on the relationship, which is not needed at all. Have friends and outside interests. This would not only strengthen your social network but also bring new insights & stimulation to your relation. 

Don't stop communicating :

Communication is one of the main ingredients of a strong relationship. It is very essential for couples to communicate their feelings, their needs, fears as well as desires because that strengthens the trust and bonds. Nowadays, there is lack of communication in many couples and that triggers a relationship  to go through most problems. 

Be intimate physically :

Getting physically involved and keeping the intimacy alive is the cornerstone of a relationship. Having sex is not only the method of physical intimacy. Affectionate touch on a regular basis like hugging, holding hands or kissing is important as well. While touch is an important part of maintaining a healthy relationship, it is even important to know what your spouse actually likes. Inappropriate overtures or unwanted touching may make your partner tense up & retreat, which you would definitely not want. 

If you are looking for more relationship advice, then you can visit a counsellor who offers relationship counselling in Bondi Junction. Some couples even benefit from the spiritual advices given by religious figures.