Depression & Low Mood
Compassionate support for depression and low mood, available in person in Saint John and Woodstock and virtually across New Brunswick.
Depression Doesn't Always Look Like Sadness
Thoughts
✓ Restlessness, irritability or feeling constantly on alert
✓ Sudden waves of fear or panic
✓ Fear of making mistakes
Feelings
✓ Sadness, emptiness or emotional numbness
✓ Irritability or feeling easily overwhelmed
✓ Losing interest or pleasure in things you usually enjoy
Body
✓ Low energy or feeling physically slowed down
✓ Changes in sleep or appetite
✓ Unexplained aches, heaviness or physical discomfort
Everyday Life
✓ Withdrawing from friends, family or activities
✓ Struggling to begin or complete everyday tasks
✓ Keeping up appearances while feeling depleted inside
You may recognize several of these experiences or only one or two. Depression looks different for everyone, and you don’t have to wait until daily life feels unmanageable to seek support.
What Depression Can Feel Like
Depression affects everyone differently. It can influence your thoughts and emotions, but it may also appear in your body, relationships, habits and everyday decisions.
- Moving through the day with a heaviness others may not see
- Finding that ordinary tasks require much more effort
- Losing interest in things that once felt enjoyable or meaningful
- Feeling sad, numb, irritable, exhausted, or disconnected
- Withdrawing from people, even when part of you wants connection
- Appearing to manage on the outside while feeling depleted inside
- Wondering why you can’t simply “snap out of it”
Depression is not a personal failure. It is a real and treatable mental health concern, and support can help, even if you aren’t sure how serious it is or how to explain what you’re feeling.
When Depression Starts Getting in the Way
Low mood is a normal response to disappointment, stress or difficult circumstances. But when sadness, numbness or exhaustion begins affecting your daily life, relationships, work or ability to enjoy things, additional support may help.
- You’ve lost interest in activities or relationships that usually matter to you.
- Everyday responsibilities feel exhausting or difficult to begin.
- You’re withdrawing from others or spending more time alone.
- Your sleep, appetite, concentration or energy have noticeably changed.
- You feel hopeless, worthless, emotionally numb or unlike yourself.
- You’re managing on the outside but struggling privately.
You don’t need to wait until depression becomes overwhelming. Therapy can also help when you notice your mood changing, feel increasingly disconnected, or simply want support finding your way back to yourself.
How Therapy Can Help With Depression
Therapy can help you understand what may be contributing to your depression, identify patterns that keep you feeling stuck, and begin taking manageable steps toward feeling more connected and engaged in your life. The goal isn’t to force positive thinking, but to help you develop support and strategies that fit what you’re experiencing.
Depending on your needs, therapy may help you:
✓ Understand patterns that affect your mood
✓ Respond differently to self-criticism and hopeless thoughts
✓ Gradually reconnect with people and activities that matter to you
✓ Develop manageable routines that support sleep, energy and well-being
✓ Work through grief, trauma, stress or relationship difficulties
✓ Build coping strategies for difficult days
Your therapist will work with you to choose an approach that reflects your experiences, needs, preferences and goals.
What Depression Therapy Might Look Like
1. We Start With Understanding
Your therapist will take time to understand how depression or low mood is affecting you, what may be contributing to it, and what you would like to change. You don’t need to know exactly where to begin to get started.
2. We Identify What May Help
Together, we might explore difficult thoughts and emotions, understand past experiences, rebuild supportive routines, or take small steps toward building activities and relationships that matter to you.
3. We Work at a Manageable Pace
Some sessions may focus on practical strategies, while others may offer space to process grief, stress, trauma, relationship difficulties, or disconnection. Therapy can begin wherever you are and move at a pace that feels realistic.
You don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what to talk about or which approach will work best. Your therapist can help you make sense of your experience and decide where to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Low mood is a normal response to stress, loss, disappointment or change. Depression may be more likely when sadness, numbness, irritability, exhaustion or loss of interest persists and begins affecting your relationships, responsibilities or daily life. You don’t need to determine this on your own, a therapist can help you understand what you’re experiencing.
No. You don’t need a diagnosis or referral to seek therapy. You can reach out whenever low mood, disconnection, hopelessness or a lack of motivation is making life more difficult, even if you aren’t sure whether it is depression.
Yes. Depression doesn’t always have one obvious cause. Therapy can help you explore possible contributing factors, including stress, relationships, grief, trauma, health changes and patterns in how you think or respond to difficult experiences. It can also focus on helping you feel better without requiring a complete explanation for why the depression began.
You don’t need to feel motivated or arrive with a clear plan. Your therapist will meet you where you are and help make the process manageable. Early steps may be small and focused on understanding what you need, reducing pressure and finding realistic ways to support you.
There is no single timeline. Some people benefit from shorter-term support focused on a specific concern, while others choose longer-term therapy to address recurring depression, trauma, grief or long-standing patterns. You and your therapist can regularly review what is helping and whether your needs or goals have changed.
Yes. Depression therapy can be offered through secure virtual appointments as well as in person. Rising Tides offers in-person therapy in Saint John and Woodstock and virtual therapy throughout New Brunswick. Your therapist can help you decide which option feels most comfortable and accessible.
Meet Some of Our Therapists Who Support Clients With Depression & Low Mood
Jean Sloan, LCT-C
Counselling Therapist
Jean offers calm, trauma-informed support for adults and seniors experiencing depression, loneliness or difficult life transitions. Drawing primarily on IFS, mindfulness & body-awareness practices, she helps clients understand their inner experiences, reconnect with their strengths and develop greater confidence in themselves.
Ashley Saab, MSW
Registered Social Worker
Ashley offers gentle, compassionate support for adults aged 16 and older experiencing depression, anxiety or trauma. Drawing on EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, IFS and Narrative Therapy, she creates a calm, collaborative space where clients can build self-compassion, regulate difficult emotions and work toward meaningful change.
Melanie Barber, MSW
Registered Social Worker
Melanie offers confidential, caring support for people experiencing depression, trauma or other challenging life circumstances. Using trauma-informed approaches such as CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, ART and EMDR, she helps clients process their experiences, recognize strengths and restore greater balance to everyday life.