DEPRESSION THERAPY CALGARY
"I just want to feel like myself again."
Is hopelessness, persistent sadness, and loss of interest threatening your quality of life?
When life slows to a crawl and everything feels heavy, you don’t have to carry it alone. At Compassionate Central, our depression therapist offers warm, human-first support grounded in proven approaches. We listen deeply, move at your pace, and focus on small, steady shifts—kinder self-talk, doable routines, and a little more light in your day.
Trusted & Verified by:
DEPRESSION COUNSELLING CALGARY
How Do I Know if Depression Counselling is Right for Me?
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Do mornings feel heavy before the day even starts, like you’re already out of fuel and moving through a depressed mood?
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Have things you used to look forward to lost their colour, as if joy is harder to taste, and you’re noticing more poor moods even during tough times?
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Are simple tasks—showering, making a meal, replying to a message—getting pushed off because everything feels uphill, or like a kind of mental pain?
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Do you catch yourself pulling back from people, even the ones you care about, when feelings of helplessness creep in?
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Have you tried powering through with “be grateful,” “be tougher,” or extra to-do lists—only to feel more drained and discouraged by unhelpful thinking patterns?
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Is your inner voice critical or hopeless, telling you this is just who you are now, as challenges in life keep stacking up?
Other Depression Symptoms Include:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), common depression problems include a persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood; feelings of hopelessness or pessimism; irritability, frustration, or restlessness; guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness; loss of interest or pleasure in activities; fatigue, low energy, or feeling slowed down; difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions; sleep problems (trouble falling or staying asleep, early-morning waking, or oversleeping); appetite or unplanned weight changes; physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause that don’t resolve with treatment; and thoughts of death or suicide—and these symptoms typically occur most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks and interfere with daily functioning. If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts or feel unsafe, please contact 9-8-8 in Canada for immediate support
"You're not broken - depression is common, human, and treatable; with the right support, real change is possible. "
COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR DEPRESSION
Your Symptoms Are Signals, Not Character Flaws.
Depression isn’t a personal failure. It’s a human response to heavy loads—stress, loss, loneliness, burnout, trauma, health changes, big life transitions, even just “too much for too long.” Your mind and nervous system have been doing their best to keep you going, and the very symptoms that feel scary or frustrating are often protective strategies that got overused. That doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human—and it’s common for chronic stress, family history, chronic pain, or a history of depression to play a role. Depression is also common: in Canada, about one in eight people will experience major depression at some point, and roughly one in twenty adults have an episode in a given year. [1]
At the same time, it’s also normal for depression to look different from person to person. Some people feel a deep sadness. Others feel flat, numb, easily irritated, or wired-and-tired. You might still be “high-functioning” on the outside—meeting deadlines, taking care of family—while feeling empty or exhausted inside.
There are different types of depression disorders—including major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, psychotic depression, atypical depression, and bipolar disorder—and related affective disorders; your experience may not fit neatly into categories, and that’s okay. If your experience doesn’t match a stereotype, it’s still valid. Different aspects of depression may stand out at different times and in each case we always align our guidance with resources like the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Here’s what depression is not:
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It’s not laziness. Low energy and stuckness are symptoms, not character flaws.
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It’s not “all in your head.” Your body and brain chemistry are involved—including possible chemical imbalance—and so are your life circumstances.
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It’s not a sign you’re failing at self-care. You can’t out-habit a nervous system under strain; you deserve real support and accessible mental health care.
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It’s not your fault. You didn’t choose this, and you don’t have to power through it alone—this is a personal journey toward a more meaningful life.
The good news, is that change doesn’t require perfection—just a beginning. A therapist for depression can help turn heavy days into doable ones, restore motivation and joy in small moments, and rebuild a sense that your life is your own again.
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Compassionate Central
Do you want to learn science-based form of therapy skills and everyday tools to lift your mood, quiet self-criticism, rebuild motivation, and feel like yourself again?
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Compassionate Central
Are you ready to work with a trained therapist who tailors evidence-based depression treatment with a goal-oriented focus so you can reconnect with what matters most?
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Compassionate Central
Are you willing to give yourself permission to start—even imperfectly—because staying the same is costing more—and to do so in a non-judgmental therapeutic space made for you?
THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION
Depression Therapy Can Help You Feel Like Yourself Again.
Therapy offers practical tools for today and deeper repair for tomorrow. In plain terms: spending time with a trained therapist to make sense of your experience, learn skills, and shift patterns is an effective treatment for depression for many adults. Large reviews of hundreds of studies show that psychotherapy meaningfully reduces depressive symptoms compared with usual care or waitlist, with benefits that are broadly similar across well-established therapeutic modalities and other mood disorder treatment options for adult depression. [1]
Just as important, therapy helps in ways you can feel in daily life—not only on a questionnaire. Meta-analyses find improvements in quality of life, everyday functioning, and social connection—supporting a more meaningful life—and these gains are not fully explained by symptom change alone. In other words, therapy supports getting back to living—having more energy to do what matters, engaging with people again, and feeling more able to handle stress. [2] [3]
Therapy can also set you up for the longer term. Effects often persist beyond the last session, especially when you keep using the skills you learned, with alleviated clinical depression and a growing sense of control. For many people—particularly after recurrent depressive episodes—therapy is part of a relapse-prevention plan, and when it’s combined sequentially with medication (for example, therapy after you’ve responded to meds), risk of relapse goes down compared with medication alone as part of a comprehensive treatment for depression. [4] [5]
What this can look like, practically, for depression therapy goals:
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More steady sleep and energy, so mornings feel more doable.
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Clearer, more flexible thinking, with less “all-or-nothing” self-talk.
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A quieter inner critic and more self-compassion to meet hard days.
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Better emotional regulation and stress-coping skills you can use between sessions.
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Renewed motivation and purpose, with momentum toward meaningful goals.
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Reconnection—to yourself, to people you love, and to activities that nourish you.
"Asking for help isn't giving up. It's refusing to give up."
- Charlie Mackesy-
DEPRESSION TREATMENT CALGARY
How the Depression Treatment Process Works
What to Expect in Therapy Sessions
Your first sessions focus on safety and clarity: we’ll understand your story, current symptoms, strengths, and goals. Together we’ll co-create a tailored plan and choose evidence-based approaches that fit you. We meet weekly or bi-weekly to keep momentum, adjusting as we go. Our work is collaborative—you’re the expert on you; we bring clinical skill and a caring, trauma-informed presence. We serve adults in Calgary and offer a free 20-minute consult to help you get a feel for our approach. Sessions are $150/60 minutes (sliding-scale spots available) and are covered by many Canadian insurance plans. This approach to treatment blends direct counselling approaches, collaborative counselling sessions, and a strong therapeutic alliance.
Below are some of the forms of depression therapy that promote healing:
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
CBT helps you notice and shift patterns that keep depression in place: rigid, all-or-nothing thoughts, down-mood loops, avoidance, and isolation. We’ll practice skills like cognitive reframing, activity scheduling, behavioural activation, problem-solving, and goal-oriented planning that build everyday life skills so your days include more of what lifts mood and less of what drains it. Strong evidence supports CBT for reducing symptoms and lowering relapse risk, and it pairs well with medication when that’s part of your care. [1]
IFS (Internal Family Systems)
If depression feels like an inner tug-of-war—one part that pushes you to perform and another that wants to hide—IFS offers a compassionate way to meet those parts without shaming them. We help you get to know protective patterns (numbing, perfectionism, over-functioning) and the wounded places they protect, so more Self-leadership (calm, clarity, curiosity) can guide your choices. We use IFS as part of Strength-based approaches that build resilience, support personal development, and strengthen your sense of control. Research on IFS is promising, including trials suggesting benefit for depressive symptoms and chronic conditions linked with mood. [2] [3] [4]
DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy)
When depression comes with emotional storms, self-criticism, or urges to self-harm, DBT offers structured skills: mindfulness (staying present without judgment), distress tolerance (getting through intense waves safely), emotion regulation (understanding and shifting feelings), and interpersonal effectiveness (asking for what you need, setting limits). We integrate DBT as part of Mindfulness-based approaches and practical stress management so you can navigate relationship challenges, care for healthy relationships, and overcome depression day to day. DBT is well-supported for reducing suicidality and self-injury and is being studied for treatment-resistant depression—an important option when other approaches haven’t been enough. We’ll weave DBT skills into your plan so you have practical tools between sessions. [5]
Depression Therapy That Builds Momentum
If you feel far from yourself—mornings heavy, energy low—long stretches of stress and loss can quietly reshape how you think, sleep, and show up. Depression therapy offers that steady room to make sense of the weight and begin rebuilding workable days. At Compassionate Central, compassion with precision—warmth plus clinical clarity—means our therapeutic alliance turns insight into action. Together we map patterns and turn small, doable steps into momentum—clearer thinking, better sleep, steadier energy, and a growing sense that life is yours again.
THERAPIST FOR DEPRESSION
What Does Our Calgary Depression Therapist Do Differently?
Shame-Sensitive Care
When self-criticism is loud, we start there. We work with the part of you that says you’re “too much” or “not enough,” using compassion-focused tools to soften shame and steady your nervous system. The goal is relief that feels sustainable in a non-judgmental therapeutic space, strengthening your sense of control.
Gentle Activation
On heavy days, “try harder” doesn’t help. We plan the smallest next step that fits your energy—two-minute tasks, values-based routines, and realistic rest. Together we notice what actually shifts your mood and build from there. This is about successfully managing depression with supports that build resilience.
Trauma-Informed
Safety first. Choice always. You decide what we talk about and how fast we go. We use grounding and body-aware tools so therapy doesn’t overwhelm, and you never have to share more than you want to. As your system steadies, mood lifts become easier to reach and keep, as part of your personal journey.
ABOUT ME
Meet Your Mental Health Therapist
Jeromy Deleff
CT, CCC, CCTP-II
Counselling Therapist (CT)
Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Level 2 (CCTP-II)
FOUNDER OF COMPASSIONATE CENTRAL
ACTA – Counselling Therapist (CT), License #2852,
CCPA – Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), License #11246851
Master of Arts, Counselling Psychology,
with Distinction (MACP)
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FROM:
“My work begins where mornings feel heaviest. When depression steals the first hour of the day, we take it back—one small, kind step at a time.”
I’m a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP), a licensed Counselling Therapist (ACTA), and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP-II). My training includes advanced mental-health assessment, concurrent-disorder treatment, and suicide-prevention practices. Across public and private care—including a role within one of Canada’s foremost evidence-based mental-health and addiction networks—I’ve supported people through some of their hardest seasons. I’ve sat with someone after a sleepless night when getting out of bed felt impossible; I’ve watched a group member in a psychoeducational program notice their first genuine laugh in weeks; I’ve stood in a small Northern clinic on a bitter winter day while a client circled a single doable action—“text my sister back”—and felt the room shift. Moments like these shape how I work: compassion first, precision always, and change built from real life. If you’re seeking help for depression, here’s what therapy with me is like. We start by making the room feel safe and steady. Together we map what’s fuelling the lows—stress load, isolation, unhelpful self-talk, burnout, grief, or long-standing patterns—and build a plan that fits your capacity. Expect tiny, doable steps that create momentum (gentle activation, better sleep habits, emotion regulation and mindfulness skills, kinder ways to meet the inner critic), so improvement shows up between sessions, not just in them. If medication is part of your care, I collaborate with your physician so your plan feels coordinated and sustainable. Clients describe the work as non-judgmental, practical, and calming—less about “trying harder,” more about trying differently with support that sticks. We’ll celebrate small wins (answering one email, taking a five-minute walk, saying “no” without apologizing) because those bricks build the sturdier days you’re after: clearer thinking, steadier mood, and a little more room to breathe.
If mornings are heavy or hope feels far away, you don’t have to shoulder it alone. Book a free 20-minute consultation to see if this feels like the right fit—we’ll take the next step together, at your pace.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Depression Treatment Calgary Can Trust
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions or Concerns about
Depression Therapy
I’m worried therapy might stir things up and make me feel worse?
That fear makes sense. We don’t throw you into the deep end. Early sessions focus on safety, steadiness, and clarity—gentle pacing, informed consent, and grounding skills come first so you feel more regulated as we work, not overwhelmed. We check in often, adjust the pace together, and keep one foot in the present while we explore what’s been heavy. That way, relief can start to show up even as you begin to unpack the hard stuff.
If I’m already on medication, can therapy still make a difference?
Yes. Many clients combine medication (managed by their physician) with therapy to address patterns, skills, and support that medicine alone can’t provide. We’ll collaborate around your goals and tailor sessions so the work complements the care you already have. And because many Canadian plans reimburse counselling, you can often integrate therapy into your overall treatment plan without carrying all of the cost yourself.
What if I’m ‘too depressed’ for therapy to work?
You don’t have to arrive energized or motivated—showing up as you are is enough. When depression is heavy, we start small: short, doable practices that rebuild momentum (sleep routines, gentle structure, compassionate self-talk) and sessions paced to your current capacity. The space is intentionally calm and human so you can settle, speak honestly, and begin again—one brick at a time. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or the Distress Centre Calgary (403-266-HELP) for 24/7 support; we’ll be here to continue when you’re safe.
Are you a depression therapist near me?
Possibly! We’re in Southwest Calgary at 5940 Macleod Trail SW, Suite 500 (Macleod Place II), serving adults across the city at a central location accessible by transit routes. Depression is one of our core focus areas, and sessions are $150 for 60 minutes with limited sliding-scale spots; many Canadian insurance plans reimburse counselling with a CCC/CT provider. You can book a free 20-minute consult to see if we are a good fit!
I’m afraid I’ll spend the whole time crying...
Crying isn’t a failure; it’s a nervous system doing its job. We’ll make the room safe enough for emotions and structured enough for progress. Sessions include anchors—breath, grounding, and gentle pacing—so you can feel, then re-stabilize, and still leave with one or two concrete next steps. Your tears are welcome here, and so is your desire for practical change.
On days when getting out of bed is hard, how can I manage sessions?
We plan for “low-spoons” days. That might mean gentler goals, shorter check-ins within a session, or a skills-first focus (grounding, emotion regulation, problem-solving) so you leave feeling steadier, not drained. We also keep expectations realistic: small steps count, and consistency beats intensity. If getting to the office is the hard part, tell us—together we’ll design a workable plan and use the free consult to map what support looks like on tough mornings.
START WHERE YOU ARE
Ready for a Therapist Specializing in Depression?
If depression has been dimming your days, you don’t have to shoulder it alone. At Compassionate Central, we bring heart and proven strategies to your healing—helping you feel safer in your own skin, clearer in your mind, and more connected to what makes life worth living. Start with a free 20-minute consultation to see if this feels like the right fit.
DEPRESSION HELP
Mental Health Resources
Therapist Insights on Depression Counselling & Support
DEPRESSION
CBT is a skills-based therapy that helps you notice the loops your mind runs, test them with gentle, structured experiments, and practice new habits until they become more natural.
Compassionate Central ● August 17, 2025
DEPRESSION
What if you didn’t have to fight the fog to move through it? What if you had a set of skills that help you both accept the weather and change how you navigate inside it?
Compassionate Central ● August 17, 2025
DEPRESSION
Suppressing emotions is like clamping a lid on a pot—the steam doesn’t stop; pressure builds. Meta-analytic work suggests that suppressing feelings often increases stress physiology
Compassionate Central ● August 17, 2025
ADDITIONAL READING
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Major Depressive Disorder vs. “Normal Sadness”: How Clinicians Tell Clinical Depression Apart (and Why It Matters) — how clinicians tell the difference & what to do.
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Why Bad News Hooks Your Brain: Doomscrolling and Depression in a Hyperconnected World — why bad news sticks and how to reset your feed.
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Breaking the Loop: Anxiety and Depression Treatment — small, evidence-based steps (breathing, activation, sleep, connection).
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Silent Signs of High Functioning Depression at Work (and Evidence-Based Depression Treatment) — quiet signs at work & evidence-based help.
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Do I Have Treatment Resistant Depression? Signs, Therapy Options & Next Steps — signs, options, and next steps in Calgary.
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Symptoms of Depression: 10 Signs and Evidence-Based Treatments — clear signs with proven treatment paths (Calgary guide).
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Trauma Depression Therapy: Phased, Trauma-Informed Care to Stabilize & Rebuild — stabilize first, process safely, rebuild.
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CBT for Depression: How Therapy Helps You Break the Cycle — behavioral activation & cognitive restructuring explained.
5940 Macleod Trail SW Suite 500, Calgary, AB T2H 2G4
Located at
Macleod Place II
Come find me on the 5th floor!
Just minutes from Chinook Centre, and directly off Macleod Trail, it’s easy to reach whether you’re coming from downtown, the inner city, or the southern suburbs.
Free 1 hr parking is available on-site, and the building is also well-served by public transit, including nearby LRT stations and major bus routes.