If you’re experiencing a mental health issue—whether depression, anxiety, stress or relationship problems, addiction issues, or anything else—the sooner you seek help, the sooner you can feel better.

The Canadian Mental Health Association reports that one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or issue each year. Approximately 8% of Canadians will experience major depression in their lifetime. They report that 5% of the population suffers mild to severe impairment as a result of anxiety disorders—and that 49% of those who feel that they are affected by depression or anxiety have never sought help from a doctor.

Statistics Canada reported that 2.8 million Canadians aged 15 and older—more than 10% of the population—reported symptoms consistent with one or more of the following disorders—major depressive episode, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and abuse of or dependence on alcohol, cannabis or other drugs.

Therapy can facilitate the acquisition of skills and insight that will allow you, the expert on your own life, to mitigate symptoms and their repercussions. At The Story Isn’t Over, we work to recognize and bolster your own inner strengths and resources; we become a supportive partner in your journey, equipping you with the tools to continue to improve, even once therapy sessions have come to an end.

So when should you start psychotherapy? Is it for me? Therapy can benefit everyone, but the reasons for seeking help can be multifaceted and highly subjective. The Story Isn’t Over serves a diverse range of clients, using approaches uniquely tailored to you, but we understand that taking that first step can be difficult. The American Psychological Association (APA) simplifies the matter somewhat by stating that you should seek therapy if the problem is distressing and is interfering with some aspect of your life. They also pose these follow-up questions:

Do you spend a portion of every day thinking about the problem?

Has this problem reduced the quality of your life?

Do you want to hide this problem from others?

Has the problem limited your work or education?

Are you rearranging your lifestyle around the problem?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, now might be the time to consider talking to a counselor, particularly if nothing else seems to have worked, the problem is affecting your relationships with others or you may be trying to escape the problem with substances or other addictions. We offer free 30-minute consultations to help determine if therapy is right for you and a multitude of modalities to serve unique client needs, learning styles and origins of the problem. Even Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) agrees – “Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger than to relatives or friends.” Our group of client-centered therapists are eager to become careful, empathetic, and supportive “strangers” on your journey to wellness and becoming whole again.