Mood Issues

Help with…

Understanding difficulties related to mood

We all feel low in mood, a natural change we all experience throughout life, but sometimes this can become life affecting, leading to a consideration reduction in quality of life.

Although mood changes are natural responses to life’s pressures, clinical depression and significant mood issues are different from typical mood changes that are a natural part of everyday life. At Clear Sky Therapies, we aim to help you to better understand when your mood becomes a problem and what may have led up to this.

Different mood disorders

There are a number of different mood-related conditions, including:

Major Depressive Disorder - Persistent, long-term, significantly low mood
Persistent Depressive Disorder - Long-term lower-level depression
Bipolar Affective Disorder - Depression in addition to hypermania
Cyclothymia - Chronic mood fluctuations
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - Mood changes linked to seasons
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) - Severe mood swings and irritability related to menstruation
Low mood - General sadness
Emotional lability - Rapid mood changes

Common symptoms of mood difficulties

Depressive episodes, sadness and emptiness
Loss of pleasure and zest for life
Impact on sleep, appetite and motivation
Rapidly changing mood states
Irritability and mood swings
Fatigue and exhaustion

Taking control of mood difficulties

Helping you to understand how mood issues have developed and been maintained. To gain greater understanding of you in relation low mood and through psychological therapy and workable strategies, we aim to work together in helping you to make sense of your challenges with anxiety and to develop more effective ways to manage.

Support for mood difficulties

Offering a variety of therapeutic approaches
Developing wellbeing strategies
Behavioural activation
Help to be more mindfully aware of your thoughts and feelings
Dropping the struggle and focusing on what’s important
Strengthening emotional regulation
Rebuilding a positive life structure

Benefits of Therapy for Mood Issues

Change starts with understanding and acceptance

It is important to first understand the nature of your difficulties and to accept current strategies may not be working. To strive to drop this struggle, and to focus on what is most important. To find a more positive life direction, and consider your life values, and the person you most want to be.

Therapy is a collaborative and explorative process

This involves a period of assessment and various steps:

Initial contact discussion to identify areas of difficulty and if these may be appropriate for therapy through CST
To consider whether CST would be the best fit for you and what you are currently struggling with. The therapeutic relationship is a key factor in positive and helpful therapy
Assessment phase to evaluate your history and understand specific symptoms and their impact on your life

Once therapy has started, sessions will include:

To collaboratively set goals and consider a plan for therapy
To meet for regular sessions and where appropriate, include exercises to do outside of therapy sessions to build skills and strategies
To regularly check-in and maintain a fully collaborative, safe, supportive and confidential therapeutic alliance throughout the process
To think about a positive ending to sessions, and work towards a helpful conclusion, though the door is never fully ‘closed,’ and at times follow-up appointments, therapeutic breaks and recommencement of therapy may be indicated