Clinical Conditions

Depression and depressive disorders

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest and pleasure. The condition affects how one feels, thinks and behaves, potentially leading to a number of emotional and physical problems. It may entail having trouble carrying out normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes it may feel as if life is not worth living. Other related conditions may include mood swings or situation-specific forms of depression (e.g., seasonal, prenatal or post-partum, bipolar disorder).

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions that cause fear, dread and other symptoms that are considered out of proportion with regard to the situation feared. The condition can significantly impact a person’s daily life and relationships. There are several sub-types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, specific phobias and social anxiety.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent, recurring, unwanted thoughts and urges (“obsessions”), and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (“compulsions”) that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. Depending on the severity of the condition, the impact on day-to-day activities and relationships can be significant.

Addictions

Addiction is a chronic condition that involves the compulsive seeking and use of a substance, or activity, despite negative or harmful consequences. Addiction can heavily impact a person’s health, relationships and overall quality of life.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder, are group of conditions that impact both physical and mental health. These conditions include problems in how one thinks about food, eating, weight and shape, and in eating behaviors (e.g., overeating or undereating). Symptoms can significantly affect the ability to function in important areas of life.

Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are a group of mental health conditions that involve long-lasting, disruptive patterns of thinking, behavior, mood and relating to others. Individuals suffering from personality disorder often do not realize their thoughts and behaviors are problematic, although the patterns cause significant distress and/or impairment in the ability to function. Personality disorders include, among others, borderline, narcissistic, dependent or avoidant.

Psychotic Disorders

Psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia) are a group of severe mental illnesses that show signs of psychosis. Psychosis is a cluster of symptoms that may be described as “losing touch with reality”. This may manifest as the person having disruptions in or bizarre thoughts (“delusions”), hallucinations, or other symptoms that entail a difficulty in recognizing what is real and what is not. Sometimes stressful life events can trigger a psychotic episode, which can cause significant distress but then subside, whereas a chronic condition may lead to psychotic disorder.

Trauma

Trauma refers to a major stressor experienced either directly or indirectly, resulting in significant and severe subjective distress, and potential impairment in daily life and relationships. In fact, trauma is not defined only by the event, but by its psychological impact on the person: two people can experience the same event, but only one may experience it as traumatic depending on factors such as the developmental stage (childhood, adolescence or adult life), personal history, support systems and psychological resilience. Trauma can be distinguished between acute or chronic, and it may configure as post-traumatic disorder or adjustment disorder.

Life situations and challenges

Grief and Loss

Grief is the natural response to loss, encompassing a range of emotions such as sadness, anger, confusion, guilt, and even relief. It can affect thoughts, behaviours, relationships, and physical health. While “loss” is most commonly associated with the death of a loved one, grief can also follow divorce or relationship breakups, the loss of a job or financial security, miscarriage or infertility, loss of health (self or loved one), loss of identity, routine, or a way of life.

Family/Relationship Issues

These refer to the emotional, relational, or communication difficulties that arise within romantic partnerships or family systems. These issues can affect the well-being of individuals and the dynamics of the group as a whole. Difficulties within the couple may include: communication breakdown, conflict or frequent arguments, infidelity or trust issues, intimacy or sexual difficulties, life transitions (e.g., parenting, illness, retirement), or differing values or goals. Within the family, issues may include: parent-child conflict, sibling rivalry, behavioural issues in children or teens, coping with divorce, illness, or loss, generational or cultural clashes.

Parenting

Parenting refers to the support, guidance, and psychoeducation provided to individuals or couples to help them navigate the challenges of raising children. This includes addressing both practical concerns and emotional dynamics involved in the parent-child relationship. Parenting issues may include: managing behavioural problems (e.g., tantrums, defiance), setting boundaries and discipline strategies, coping with parental stress, guilt, or burnout, navigating developmental stages (toddlerhood, adolescence, etc.), addressing co-parenting conflicts (e.g., after separation or in blended families), supporting children with mental health needs or special educational needs.

Relocation and Life Changes

Individuals may face emotional and psychological challenges when going through major transitions in life — particularly those that disrupt routines, identity, or social support systems. Specifically, relocation may involve: moving to a new city or country, thus potentially having to adjust to a new culture (e.g., culture shock, expat challenges), loss of community, family proximity, or social connections, stress from housing, financial, or immigration issues.

Career Transitions/Work-Related Stress

These refer to the emotional, psychological, and practical challenges individuals face in relation to their jobs or changes in their professional lives. Career transitions may involve: changing careers or industries, starting a new job or leadership role, being laid off, fired, or retiring, returning to work after a break (e.g., parental leave, illness), feeling “stuck” or unfulfilled in one’s career. These transitions often bring uncertainty, self-doubt, or a crisis of identity, especially when work is closely tied to a person’s sense of purpose or self-worth. Regardless of transitions, work-related stress relates to: high workload or burnout, poor work-life balance, conflict with colleagues or management, job insecurity, lack of recognition or motivation, ethical conflicts or value misalignment.

Burnout

Burnout refers to a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress — most commonly related to work, caregiving, or high-responsibility roles. Burnout may present as emotional exhaustion (e.g. feeling drained, overwhelmed, and unable to recover energy), cynicism and a sense of detachment from work or people or a sense of numbness or indifference, reduced personal accomplishment (e.g. feeling ineffective, unmotivated, or that your work is meaningless), irritability or mood swings, sleep disruption, increased anxiety or depressive symptoms, and/or physical symptoms (headache, muscle tension, digestive issues). The triggers of burnout typically involve a lack of control or support in the workplace, poor boundaries between work and personal life, values conflict or ethical stress, long-term caregiving without relief.

Loneliness

Loneliness is a distressing emotional experience that arises from feeling socially isolated, disconnected, or lacking meaningful relationships — even when others are physically present. In fact, loneliness is not just about being alone, it is about feeling alone. People can feel lonely in a crowd, in a relationship, within a work group or within a family. Loneliness often includes feelings of emptiness, invisibility, or not being understood.

LGBTQ+ Issues

These refer to the unique emotional, relational, developmental, and social challenges experienced by individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or as part of the broader LGBTQ+ spectrum. These issues often intersect with identity, stigma, safety, and belonging, and are shaped by both individual experiences and sociocultural factors. Common issues include: coming out (e.g. navigating the process of disclosing one’s identity to self and others, fear of rejection or loss of relationships), identity development (e.g. exploring sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, internal conflicts or confusion, especially in unsupportive environments), discrimination and stigma (e.g. experiencing homophobia, transphobia, microaggressions, or systemic bias, coping with minority stress and its impact on mental health), family and relationship conflict (rejection by family or strained family dynamics, navigating same-sex or non-traditional relationships), mental health concerns (e.g. higher risk for depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicidal ideation, trauma from bullying, violence, or social exclusion), gender dysphoria (e.g. emotional distress related to a mismatch between one’s gender identity and assigned sex at birth).