Anxiety, Depression and Obsession

People are very complex - psychologically and emotionally. When a person presents with anxiety, depression or obsession it is usually at a time when there are other issues causing distress in his or her live. People not only need strategies to manage these symptoms they also need strategies to deal with the other issues in their lives that contributed to the issue.

Anxiety, depression and obsession can be devastating in a person’s life. At the milder end of the scale they can stop people enjoying life to the full extent. At the more extreme end, they can be totally debilitating, effecting relationships, employment, family and all aspects of life. They also colour how we experience life and affect ~ in a very negative way ~ how we think. Left untreated, anxiety, depression or obsessional behaviours tend to get worse and create other problems in our lives.

Anxiety, depression and obsession often cluster together – with common causes or roots. Some people are more genetically predisposed to these feelings and behaviours, while others may get them as a reaction to some trauma or loss. Sometime the symptoms are clear, and sometimes they may be not so straightforward. For example, a person may present to counselling with a number of problems or issues and may not be aware that they are depressed or anxious.

Fergus has developed programs for managing anxiety, depression and obsessional behaviours based on his own experience in eighteen years of clinical practice. Fergus uses a combination of clinical approaches that he has found very effective over time. This includes elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Psycho-educational approaches within a systemic perspective. The emphasis is to assist the client to regain control of his or her own lives as soon as possible and become a more functioning person.

Fergus works in a very ‘concrete way’ focussing on techniques to take control of any situation that may cause problems, and at the same time works on systemic plan to manage wider elements that contribute to the problem. Anxiety, obsession and depression rarely occur in isolation. They are always linked to other elements in a persons’ life that may be problematic.

Fergus recommends the work of the late Dr Claire Weekes (Author of the book series “Complete Self Help for your Nerves”).