How to Cope with Seasonal Depression and Anxiety in Saskatchewan and Across Canada — Counselling Strategies for the Fall and Winter Months
The Changing Seasons, and the Shift Within
As the days shorten and sunlight fades, many people across Saskatchewan and Canada begin to feel an emotional heaviness. The colder months can trigger more than just cabin fever — for some, it brings on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression tied to reduced daylight. For others, it amplifies anxiety, irritability, or a quiet sense of disconnection from themselves.
If you’ve noticed your motivation slipping, your sleep patterns changing, or your mood dipping as the leaves fall, you’re not alone — and it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your body and mind are reacting to real environmental shifts.
Why Seasonal Depression Happens
Seasonal depression isn’t “just in your head.” It’s linked to changes in sunlight exposure, which affect your circadian rhythm and serotonin levels — two major players in mood regulation. Less daylight means your body produces more melatonin (which makes you sleepy) and less serotonin (which lifts your mood).
This imbalance can lead to symptoms like:
Low mood or energy
Trouble focusing or getting out of bed
Emotional eating or craving carbs
Withdrawal from social connection
Heightened anxiety or hopelessness
These symptoms can overlap with general depression and anxiety, but the seasonal pattern makes them predictable — and treatable.
How Counselling Can Help You Rebalance
Counselling offers practical tools and emotional grounding during the darker months. At Pierre Begrand Counselling, I help clients understand what’s happening in their nervous system — not just in their mind. Together, we explore ways to restore balance through:
Mind-Body Awareness: Learning to notice when your body signals “I’m shutting down,” and using regulation tools to reconnect.
Routine Reset: Building consistent habits around sleep, exercise, and light exposure to stabilize mood.
Cognitive Reframing: Challenging unhelpful winter beliefs like “I always feel miserable this time of year” or “I just have to wait it out.”
Connection & Accountability: Processing isolation and building small, meaningful connections that bring warmth and belonging.
Lifestyle Shifts That Support Mental Wellness
Even small shifts in daily rhythm can help you feel more like yourself again. Try these evidence-based supports:
Light therapy: A light box that mimics natural sunlight can reset your circadian rhythm.
Morning movement: Exercise releases endorphins that combat low mood and anxiety.
Vitamin D: A supplement (with your doctor’s approval) can support mood during long winters.
Grounding activities: Journalling, yoga, or mindfulness help release tension and reconnect to the present.
Social rhythm: Schedule connection — even a weekly coffee or walk with a friend.
You Don’t Have to Wait for Spring to Feel Better
Many people silently endure the winter blues year after year, believing it’s “just part of life in Canada.” But counselling can help you shift from enduring to empowering — learning to meet your emotions with understanding instead of avoidance.
If you’re ready to get ahead of your seasonal anxiety or depression, counselling can help you regain your energy, focus, and peace of mind.
Book a Session
I offer both in-person counselling in downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and virtual counselling sessions across Canada. You can also book a free 20-minute discovery call to see if we’re the right fit.
