The Depression Recovery Program
Let’s talk about depression. I meet people in my clinical practice who are not satisfied with their current therapeutic regime, be it counselling, psychotherapy, drug prescription, or no help at all. They want to explore alternatives to what they are doing or have explored in the past. So my experience is biased toward helping people who have tried to overcome their issues, but have yet to find the ideal solution of their unique situation. Sometimes your “successes” and “fails” in the past are the very things that ensure your future success and sometimes it’s all in the timing and choice of therapy or therapist. My clinical experience and education in science, psychology, hypnosis, psychotherapy, herbal medicine and nutrition provides me with the necessary background to let you know what I can and can’t offer.
I am dedicated to a holistic approach when I meet with you. I want to know your story, your personal background, your story and what you think you need going forward. And where do you want to go to? And what is currently helping you move in that direction and what is currently getting in the way. Why do you consider yourself “depressed”? Who diagnosed you, what have you tried, what worked, what didn’t work? Its’s a lot, but it will take us to the beginning of a new chapter in your life story. I’ll let you know where I know I can help, which methods I will use and then you decide what route you take from there. It is important that you have a real sense of being in control of your future.
The Holistic Approach
Evaluate your personal situation, based on your medical history, age, gender, weight, dietary habits, sleep and exercise habits, essentially evaluating your current situation with no judgement.
Discuss your current therapeutic strategy, including health professionals you consult, strategies or medications or supplements that you use. I want to know what you are doing now, why you are doing it, what’s working, what’s not working and what you need in terms of skills, resources or support to move forward in you life.
In consultation with you, provide herbs to manage your physiological and psychological signs and symptoms of depression [whether you are taking medication or not]. If you are taking medication, the herbs will support your progress and you may be able to reduce your drugs over time, possibly eliminate them [with your prescribing doctor’s support].
Adjust your diet and nutritional strategy if necessary, ensuring a proper intake of good fats, proteins and macronutrients, to support your nervous and endocrinal systems.
Suggest medicinal foods that will support your health.
Suggest supplements if necessary to support your changing situation.
Ensure that you are getting enough sleep and appropriate exercise and if necessary suggest strategies or provide herbs or supplements to improve your sleep quality and exercise recovery.
Assist you in providing strategies and techniques to minimise or reduce stresses in your life.
Teach self-hypnosis to provide psychological support and build resilience, so you can make the changes necessary. Provide holistic hypnotherapy if you wish to explore the use of hypnosis to adjust physiological parameters, overcome perceived blocks and build resilience.
Why Clients Seek an Alternative
My skill set includes the use of herbal medicine and hypnotherapy as a first line of support and healing. I met and studied with Michael Yapko1 on his first visit to Australia in the 1980s as he began the development of his strategies for the use of hypnosis in the treatment of depression. Coupled with my background as a biologist and herbalist, I have been able to offer support, treatment and guidance for clients moving forward in their life.
I work with each person as an individual, facing their own set of issues. I provide a holistic perspective which is inclusive of the latest research, incorporating remedies and treatments that have been used in traditionally for hundreds if not thousands of years. I am not attached to any “one size fits all” program or therapeutic franchise, I am here for you, for your situation, to help you move forward into your desired future.
I live in Australia, where 1 in 7 Australians, that’s over 3.5 million people were prescribed antidepressants in 2021-22, more than double what it was in 2000, making Australia one of the world leaders in antidepressant prescription2. This comes at a time when, from the scientific perspective, depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance3. Despite the increase in prescription over the last 20 years, when analysed correctly, there has been no change in the rate of depression4.
It makes sense that some people, who feel their treatment isn’t working as well as they want, would seek an alternative. About half the people who are prescribed antidepressants stop taking them within 6 months, without necessarily telling their doctors5. People who want to change their situation are empowered, motivated and willing to do what it takes to build a new life.
In Summary
I use a holistic multi-disciplinary approach, based on my clinical experience and background in biological science, traditional herbal medicine and clinical hypnotherapy, counselling and psychotherapy. I want to work with you in a way that gets you maximum benefit and results in a timely manner. Managing your life situation that has been characterised as depression, can improve your health and wellbeing now and protect you against future complications.
As your program may run over a several months after your first consultation, I typically schedule follow up sessions 2, 4 or 6 weeks apart, as we adjust the program to suit your unique situation. Herbs and supplements are charged separately.
All the best for your healthy future,
Michael Z Schubert
Book a package of 3 General Consultations (and receive $100 AU discount). During our first session I will discuss what I consider to be the best strategy for your particular situation. All consultations and treatment strategies are suited to your current situation and the transformation that you want. Working holistically with you means you will be supported as you make the changes in your health and lifestyle.
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- https://yapko.com/ ↩︎
- https://theconversation.com/why-are-so-many-australians-taking-antidepressants-221857
↩︎ - https://theconversation.com/depression-is-probably-not-caused-by-a-chemical-imbalance-in-the-brain-new-study-186672 ↩︎
- https://theconversation.com/more-australians-are-diagnosed-with-depression-and-anxiety-but-it-doesnt-mean-mental-illness-is-rising-120824 ↩︎
- https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-244X-9-38#:%7E:text=Medication%20possession%20rates&text=Although%20the%20mean%20MPR%20of,group%20difference%20(Table%203). ↩︎