Depression Counselling at The Grounding Stone is a type of talk therapy provided for and by people with varying experiences with and exposure to depression.  Our counsellors at The Grounding Stone support folks with varying experiences of depression through an intersectional lens. We acknowledge the systems of oppression that contribute to the literal depression of many marginalized people’s life experience.  Our therapists acknowledge the collective and personal history of trauma that exists for many of our clients, and the ongoing impacts of racist systems of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color’s experience’s of depression. 

People approach counselling for depression due to a variety of reasons including seeking support around developing skills around distress tolerance and emotional regulation, learning ways to communicate needs, and developing personal care plans.

At The Grounding Stone we work through an intersectional lens and understand that there are many different experiences of depression.  We support clients who are seeking validation, skills, and psychoeducation around their experiences of depression.  We often support folks around communication skills, care plans, self awareness and emotional regulation.

Each counsellor at The Grounding Stone has their own personal style and approach and it is in this first session that we will begin to establish our therapeutic relationship with you.  During the first counselling session we strive to understand what motivated you to begin counselling, any relevant details about your life, and what changes or growth you are hoping to experience.  It is okay if you do not have clarity on these pieces; we are here to support you on this journey from day one, and to help you to identify what may be helpful for you.

Yes, what we discuss in counselling is held in complete confidence as a part of our ethical practice as Registered Clinical Counsellors.  There are 4 instances when we may be required to release certain pieces of information; these times are:

• When a minor is at risk of abuse or immediate harm
• When a client is in severe and imminent danger of harming themselves or others
• In a medical emergency
• When subpoenaed by a court of law

There are a variety of factors that may influence when you may notice changes in your life as a result of counselling.  Some of these factors may include your neuroindividuality, your readiness for change, your commitment to practicing the skills you learn in your counselling sessions in your day to day life (neurons that fire together, wire together), the systems of privilege or oppression that impact you, and the capacity that you have to focus on the work that you are doing in counselling.  Some clients identify new ways of experiencing themselves after just a few sessions, and other clients experience noticeable change after several sessions over a longer period of time.  We all have different neurotypes and we all move at different paces.

Yes, you may talk about anything in counselling.  Some clients feel able to open up rather quickly, whereas some clients need more time to establish trust in the therapeutic relationship in order to feel comfortable “talking about anything”.  At The Grounding Stone, we strive to move at the speed of relationship with you.  It is quite a thing to discover the healing that can take place within ourselves when we are able to be with someone from whom we do not fear judgment. We have learned that when we are safe to speak our shame aloud, and to have it witnessed, we are then able to dismantle it, and to meet ourselves in a place of compassion and wholeness.

The only limits to confidentiality are as listed above in the “Is Counselling Confidential” Section.

It is okay if you do not have clarity on where to start or what to talk about; for some clients, this can feel overwhelming.  We are here to support you on this journey from day one, and to help you to identify what may be helpful for you in this counselling journey.  Some clients feel able to open up and identify what they are looking for support around rather quickly, whereas some clients need more time and support to orient and organize.  It can take some time to establish trust in the therapeutic relationship, and at The Grounding Stone, we strive to move at the speed of relationship with you. 

Our team at The Grounding Stone all have the designation of Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). An RCC is a professional counsellor who has completed a Master’s Degree and has met specific educational and training criteria that provide assurance of experience, qualifications, and stringent professional and ethical standards under the BC Association for Clinical Counsellors (BCACC).

We are a virtual clinic and we provide phone and video counselling support to people who are 19+ and who currently live within “British Columbia”.  We work with a wide variety of clients here at The Grounding Stone.  We work with folks who identify within LGBTQ2S+ Communities, we work with folks who do not know or are exploring or changing how they identify, we work with folks who resist definition, and we work with folks who are struggling to understand the ways that loved ones identify.  We have space for everyone at The Grounding Stone, which we believe contributes to a more cohesive and loving world.

Yes, we work with a wide variety of clients here at The Grounding Stone.  We work with folks who do not know or are exploring or changing how they identify, we work with folks who resist definition, and we work with folks who are struggling to understand the ways that loved ones identify.  We have space for everyone at The Grounding Stone, which we believe contributes to a more cohesive and loving world.

We offer both phone and video/online counselling for clients throughout all of “British Columbia” and we operate from within the unceded traditional territory of the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh), Klahoose, Tla’amin, & Homalco Territory, and the K'ómoks Peoples.

You may take a look at Our Counsellors page to see if there is a particular counsellor with whom you resonate, or you may simply send a message through our Contact Page sharing a bit about what you are looking for support around and we will match you with a counsellor who sounds like they may be a fit for you.  You are also welcome to email us at connect@groundingstonehealing.com, or to phone or text us at 604.326.4325.