The most important factor in therapy

Often when we think of seeking help from a Psychologist, we think of finding someone qualified, knowledgeable and recommended. These factors are essential because having the right training increases the Psychologist's level of expertise and makes it more likely that they will know how to address your problem in an ethical and competent manner. However, there's another factor that is just as important, which is called the "therapuetic alliance" or the relationship between the therapist and client. This intangible quality is one of the most important factors in predicting whether the therapy will be beneficial for the client. A good therapuetic alliance enhances the trust between both parties. This trust is essential because the client often comes to therapy during a particularly vulnerable and often times painful time in their lives and therapy involves talking about painful experiences and having the courage to make changes.

Client's seeking psychological services sometimes ask how they will know if a Psychologist is the right fit for them. I think the best way to establish this is to meet the Psychologist and see if you feel that they are someone you can trust. If you don't feel comfortable, don't pursue it much longer, try someone else who might be more suited. Seeing a Psychologist should feel right and you should feel heard, understood and see your therapist as empathetic.

As a clinician, I always hold the "therapeutic alliance" at the forefront of my mind when I give clients feedback, challenge their thinking, or make recommendations for changes I think will benefit their mental health. I also seek regular feedback from clients on "how we are going" to address any possible ruptures in the relationship and ensure the treatment plan is on target. I see working with clients in therapy as two people working as a team to bring about better well being for the client. In my role of Psychologist I am often a coach, a mentor, a change advocate, and an empathetic being. Having a good therapeutic alliance facilitates these roles and allows the work of therapy to have the desired effect.

Article written by Tena Davies, Psychologist. The aim of this article is to give you ideas on well being. Please note this article is not intended to replace therapy.

Tena Davies is Psychologist based in inner city Melbourne. Tena has expertise in psychological counselling with adolescents and adults. She also works as a cyber expert providing cyber safety education to schools and professionals. As a Psychologist, Tena believes in helping clients to gain insight into their difficulties and teaching them new skills to grow and thrive. Please see www.tenadavies.com for more information.

The stigma of depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety are common

The lifetime incidence of depression in Australia is 45%. This means that nearly one out of two of us may experience a period of depression within our lifetime. In any given year, up to 1 million Australians will experience depression and two million will experience anxiety, according to Beyond Blue Australia. Despite this, the stigma of mental illness remains real for many. This stigma can lead to those suffering distressing symptoms to remain silent and in doing so increase their sense of isolation. This sense of being alone with one's pain can perpetuate the distress. 

The value of diagnosis 

Years ago, when I was in the early days of studying psychology I asked a professor what the merit was of giving someone a label of depression. Wouldn't branding them with something make them feel worse about themselves? The answer was that a diagnosis informs the treatment path. If you know a diagnosis, it informs what you do about it. A diagnosis is merely a cluster of symptoms and not a label for life. 

As a clinician, understanding if a client qualifies for a diagnosis of depression or anxiety certainly does inform my treatment plan. However, I am aware that giving a diagnosis can increase a sense of feeling less than and can be disempowering. 

This is why, I always explain that a diagnosis is temporary, that we have pinpointed the problem and I communicate my plan to address the issue. I am hopeful that giving a name to the symptoms helps the individual make sense of it, and that having a plan to address it makes the individual feel empowered. 

Hope with effective treatment 

We are in living in an exciting for the treatment of common conditions such as depression and anxiety because treatments including CBT, ACT and behavioural activation can be highly effective. Additionally, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication can further assist. 

 It is my great privilege as a Psychologist to support people through vulnerable times and to empower them with the right tools to improve their wellbeing. Often times, after a course of treatment and the implementation of changes on a client's behalf the diagnosis is no longer 'active' or is reduced in severity. 

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression rest assured that with the right intervention from a qualified and empathetic professional that the diagnosis may be ameliorated or at least better managed. Know that there is hope with effective treatment. Most of all know that you are not your diagnosis and that it doesn't define you-even if it feels that way at times. 

If you'd like to read more about depression and anxiety visit beyond blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts

Article written by Tena Davies, Psychologist. The aim of this article is to give you ideas on well being. Please note this article is not intended to replace therapy.

Tena Davies is Psychologist based in inner city Melbourne. Tena has expertise in psychological counselling with adolescents and adults. She also works as a cyber expert providing cyber safety education to schools and professionals. As a Psychologist, Tena believes in helping clients to gain insight into their difficulties and teaching them new skills to grow and thrive. Please see www.tenadavies.com for more information.

Exercise and sleep

The ability to sleep and feel rested is what I call a super-factor because it has a very significant impact on our mental health. Sleep is a factor that both underpins and exacerbates mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for your mental health is to take steps to improve your sleep. Exercise is also highly beneficial for your mental health and the combination of the two can have a powerful effect. Best of all, it's something clients can do in their own time and supports the work of therapy.

A  study published in December of 2016 with a large sample size (N=2,600) found "that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week, which is the national guideline, provided a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality. People also said they felt less sleepy during the day, compared to those with less physical activity." 

While 150 minutes of exercise may be more than some are willing to do, any increase in exercise may assist with both mood and sleep and in turn mental health.

As a clinician, I conduct sleep assessments to understand if sleep is a factor that perpetuates mental health concerns.  Sleep disturbance is also a very common symptom for those with anxiety and depressive symptoms. While increasing exercise does not represent a total solution to sleep problems, it may be an important piece of the puzzle in improving sleep. Where clients report sleep difficulties, I assess and treat these alongside other mental health concerns in line with their tailored treatment plan. 

Article written by Tena Davies, Psychologist. The aim of this article is to give you ideas on well being. Please note this article is not intended to replace therapy.

Tena Davies is Psychologist based in inner city Melbourne. Tena has expertise in psychological counselling with adolescents and adults. She also works as a cyber expert providing cyber safety education to schools and professionals. As a Psychologist, Tena believes in helping clients to gain insight into their difficulties and teaching them new skills to grow and thrive. Please see www.tenadavies.com for more information.

Behavioural Activation for Depression

Behavioral activation which involves increasing pleasant and meaningful activities such as meeting up with friends, exercising or working is a well established treatment for depression and helpful for other mood disorders as well. The benefit of this type of intervention is that it is often low in cost and easy to do on your own.

As a clinician, I make it part of my client assessment to understand if behavioural activation would beneficial for them. I have started to do this because Individuals who are depressed and may have withdrawn from their usual meaningful activities such as seeing friends, being creative, exercising etc. While, behavioural activation is only part of the treatment for depression, it is important and an easy step clients can take on their own. It also helps to support the other types of therapies that I use such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. 

Here's an article with some ideas on using behavioural activation to improve your mood. Please note that this type of therapy has limitations and that it is best used alongside a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan from a Psychologist.

Article written by Tena Davies, Psychologist. The aim of this article is to give you ideas on well being. Please note this article is not intended to replace therapy.

Tena Davies is Psychologist based in inner city Melbourne. Tena has expertise in psychological counselling with adolescents and adults. She also works as a cyber expert providing cyber safety education to schools and professionals. As a Psychologist, Tena believes in helping clients to gain insight into their difficulties and teaching them new skills to grow and thrive. Please see www.tenadavies.com for more information.

Exercise and mental health

Depression and anxiety can be debilitating conditions. Depression is very common. Fortunately, there are good treatments for depression including therapy from a Psychologist as well as anti-depressant medication. However,   the role of exercise can play an important part in a person's recovery.

Though we don’t know exactly how any antidepressant works, we think exercise combats depression by enhancing endorphins: natural chemicals that act like morphine and other painkillers. There’s also a theory that aerobic activity boosts norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in mood. And like antidepressants, exercise helps the brain grow new neurons.

My experience as a clinician is that patients experiencing mental illness tend to withdraw from healthy habits including reducing their exercise. This often leads to a follow on effect of reducing other health behaviours such as healthy eating and increasing behaviours such as drinking.

So the question becomes, if you aren't feeling motivated to exercise how do you do it for your mental health's sake? I think the best way is to break things down into very small achievable steps such as walking home from work once a week or focussing on getting your gym clothes on, then getting to the gym, then following through on exercise.

Article written by Tena Davies, Psychologist. The aim of this article is to give you ideas on well being. Please note this article is not intended to replace therapy

Tena Davies is Psychologist based in inner city Melbourne. Tena has expertise in psychological counselling with adolescents and adults. She also works as a cyber expert providing cyber safety education to schools and professionals. As a Psychologist, Tena believes in helping clients to gain insight into their difficulties and teaching them new skills to grow and thrive. Please see www.tenadavies.com for more information.

Mediterranean diet and reduced depression

Our diet can have a very significant impact on both our physical and mental health. A recent study, conducted at Deakin University, explored the effects of the Mediterranean diet on mental health.
Participants of the 12 week trial ate:

Daily: 6 servings of vegetables, 5 servings of wholegrains, 3 servings of fruit, two servings of unsweetended dairy, one serving of raw unsalted nuts, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Weekly: 3 servings of lean read meat, 2 of servings of chicken, up to 6 eggs, and at least 2 servings of fish

Limited: no more than 2 glasses of red wine a day, no more than three servings of sweets a week, and limited soft drink.


The study found that participants in the study reported significant improvement in mood and depressive symptoms (i.e. feeling everything is an effort). The study's chief investigator, Dr Felice Jacka, cautioned believing that a diet could reverse depression. However, Professor Jacka said people suffering from depression should not replace therapy and drug treatments with the Mediterranean diet. . " Most people in the study were receving psychotherapy or pharmacology treatment. The mediterreanean diet is something that supports any other intervention designed to help depression.

The take away message:
Improving your eating habits is an important part of the puzzle to improve your wellbeing. Click here for the full article.

If you have questions about your diet see an accredited dietitian. Or see the knowledgeable accredited dietitians at nutted out nutrition http://www.nuttedoutnutrition.com.au/
Please note that I do not receive any type gain or incentive if you chose to use this nutrition service.

Article written by Tena Davies, Psychologist. The aim of this article is to give you ideas on well being. Please note this article is not intended to replace therapy.

Tena Davies is Psychologist based in inner city Melbourne. Tena has expertise in psychological counselling with adolescents and adults. She also works as a cyber expert providing cyber safety education to schools and professionals. As a Psychologist, Tena believes in helping clients to gain insight into their difficulties and teaching them new skills to grow and thrive. Please see www.tenadavies.com for more information.