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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Are there any additional therapies or services I can try alongside speaking to a psychologist to improve my mood?

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  • 3

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    Founded in 1996, Anna E Crichton & Partners Clinical Psychology provides psychological assessments and counselling with individual adults as well as psychological reports. With offices … View Profile

    I am a firm believer in teamwork. I believe that there are alternative therapies that are very, very useful in helping the client to enhance their life. That could be, depending on the client's wishes of course.
    One of the most useful additions to counseling by a psychologist is regular massage.
    Visiting a dietitian to advise on healthy eating. Also possibly some sort of a coach to help work out healthy exercise within the client's limits. Finally the doctor should also be part of that equation.

  • 1

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    Walk and Talk is just what you need to begin living a life that you love. I'm Karen Amos and at Walk and Talk Australia … View Profile

    It's great to see you interested in involving other ways of bringing yourself back to feeling good.  
    I am a huge advocate for a simple walk in the great outdoors.  When I see clients of mine trying to improve their mental health through counselling and/or anti-depressants, I will always prescribe a daily 30 minute walk.  It is a great way to self medicate and it will definitely assist in lifting your mood level.  
    Best things about it?  You can bring a friend - people friend or furry friend, you can do it for free, in your own time and our spaces are full of places that make a good wander possible.  If you would prefer to walk with a group, the Heart Foundation has Walking Groups - http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/active-living/walking/Pages/welcome.aspx
    that are free and very enjoyable.  In fact I am a walk organiser and we love our walking and talking.  And not once has anyone ever come back after a walk and said “wish I hadn't come”. 
    Our walking groups is not for theraputic purposes, but it does have theraputic outcomes.  
    Kindly, Kaz

  • I am a Melbourne Relationship Counsellor and Family Lawyer who is skilful in helping people get out of the pain of relationship distress and create … View Profile

    Although not strictly serviices or therapies I would suggest that you find something that brings you joy.

    Do something to nurture yourself each day. Eat plenty of protein and a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly.

    If you can find a way to nurture your spirit it is likely to have an impact on your mood.

    It does not have to be expensive or complicated and can be as simple as taking time to enjoy a sunset or the trees in nature.

    Meditation and mindfulness are also valuable to many people as a way of feeling a sense of well-being and enhanced mood. There are many courses available and you can even do this practice at home from tapes or CDs. Jon Kabaat Zin is the guru in this area and a pioneer in the way mindfulness helps our sense of well-being.

    Good luck.

  • Often enough, we do not know our own mind. In the process of dialogue with another person, we are able to clarify what we think … View Profile

    I agree with some of the other answers provided to your question above. Thanks for asking it.

    First, my view is that you don't necessarily need to have a psychologist to talk to - counselling can be provided by many other health professions who are also usually eligible for Medicare - clinical social workers, nurses,  some psychotherapists - psychologists are really only one of a range of professional listeners.
    Linked to this view is that what shows up to be helpful for mood improvement is the relationship you develop with the health professional - one that is supportive and nurturing of you - rather than the actual type of professional qualification the person you chose to see has.

    Second, its a great question because there is lots you can do for yourself to help - including exercise,  yoga and meditation and other wellbeing type activities - many of which you can learn through Community College programs which aren't too expensive.

    There's also evidence for a link between food and mood with fish oils being star performers - and a good nutritionist or naturopath could probably help with that.

    Acupuncture too has been studied to good effect in the treatment of depression.

    Lastly, writing in a journal can be of some help to us  in tracking moods and exploring them further - and including a gratitude practice as part of the journalling. Just listing three things every day that we're grateful for -  not as a way of trying to change mood  - but just to give our overall view some balance.

    Good luck

  • 1

    Thanks

    Kristen Ross is a qualified Kinesiologist, Counsellor and Sports Therapist.Affinity Wellness is her holistic wellness practice offering a holistic wellness experience by focusing on all … View Profile

    There are numerous therapies available to you to help you with mood enhancement. 

    I suggest that you have a chat to your therapist about the strategies they are employing in their work with you and decide what feels like the right fit for you. I would encourage you to research different counselling and psychology techniques such as Gestalt, CBT, Future focused therapy etc. find out what feels right for you. 

    It also sounds as though you might like to incorporate a complementary therapy into your recovery and I would suggest that you look at taking a holistic approach and seek out a therapist who work with mind and body, who can advise you on which nutritional approaches may need to be taken, balance your energetic system and who can prescribe you exercise to help boost your mood. Kinesiology is one such therapy which takes the whole person into account, mind, body and spirit. 

  • Bruni Brewin is President Emeritus of The Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association (AHA), the oldest and largest National Registration Body for hypnotherapists in Australia founded in 1949, … View Profile

    First make sure your mood does not come from some medical condition or medication - get that checked out by your health practitioner.  All being well in that area…

    Get a piece of paper and draw a line about 1/10th of the way down.

    Above the line is your rational, analytical mind and willpower ability.
    —————————————————————————————————–
    Below the line are all your feelings and emotions and memories -
    your belief systems, ethics, your experiences, fears, shame, embarrasements, guilt, helplessness, thoughts about everything reside here.

    Often, the therapies that we have undergone let our conscious mind know why we feel the way we feel, but hasn't released the feelings below the line to do with the originating event that put it there.

    Hypnotherapy deals with the subconscious mind and with the right skills may be able to remove the reason - having worked in trauma and pain management, I tend to go for ‘cause’ and release the feelings and emotions from that.  But other hypnotherapists do not feel that needs to happen and will use other techniques.  Remember that hypnotherapy is really - therapy in the hypnosis trance state (subconscious mind).  And simplistically that means hypnotherapists are taught techniques which they use in that state to affect change.

    You may prefer to join a Yoga class… or a meditation class… which is more to stop your mind and focus on the instructions by the facilitator. 

    It all depends how intense your mood is and for what reason.

  • Hi
    A poor mood can also be related to other hormonal fluctuations and other physical issues such as food choices. A Naturopath will consider your issue from a holistice point of view and considering all factors will recommend a range of therapies individualised to your needs. There may also be natural supplements ie nutritional, herbal or homeopathic that may help.

  • My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    Joining a mood disorders therapy group is an option which is worth considering (your GP or psychologist should be able to help you find one).

    I spent a day a week in a mood disorders therapy group, run by a clinical psychologist, for about 18 months.

    Being able to receive and offer constructive feedback from/to other group members as well as getting helpful (though at times challenging) input from the clinical psychologist played a major role in my recovery from Major Depressive Disorder.

  • Darren Stops

    Counsellor, Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Psychologist, Psychotherapist

    For assistance with issues including: anxiety & depression, stress, coping & adjustment, personality & relationships sleep & health issues, separation, loss and trauma, post traumatic … View Profile

    Look for the evidence.  There is some good advice above. Your Psychologist should be addressing the things mentioned above using evidence-based therapies.  They will also be looking at other lifestyle factors (this should be the first port of call).  Sleep, exercise and diet have all been shown to be extremely important for mood management.  

    In one study, clinically depressed patients treated for Sleep Disorder (not treated for depression) were "cured" of their depression.  Regular exercise has been shown to be more effective for depression than medication.  

    I would also look at the things suggesed above - basic CBT also looks at daily activities and pleasant activity scheduling.  Seeking out activities, places and people that give you purpose, meaning and joy.  All these are beneficial to mood.

    Depending on your own personality and experience, structured physical exercise that connects you to others, and gives gradual measured improvement can be of great benefit. This might be a martial art, or other organised sport.

  • When life doesn’t go well, support is needed - a patient listener, understanding ear, and help to find solutions. Conditions include addiction, anxiety, depression, grief, … View Profile

    Improving your mood means working on yourself outside of your psychology sessions. A lot will depend on what the cause is of your poor mood, and what your mood is like. Is it there all the time, or just when certain things happen? You will help yourself a lot by observing what is going on for you when your mood is 'low' or not what you want it to be.

    One of the things that can affect mood (as well as the good suggestions above re nutrition, exercise etc) is ruminating on negative events. How we think decisively affects how we feel. Filling your head with negative thoughts will inevitably lead to poor mood (gigo). Reframe this as: gratitude in, gratitude out. Embrace and focus on the positive side of your life. Keep practicing this and your mood will change. Meditation, especially Mindfulness, will give you 'emotional control', which in turn, gives you the skills to moniter and improve your mood.

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