Therapy Modalities
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a therapeutic approach that blends acceptance and mindfulness techniques with commitment and behaviour change strategies. It focuses on helping people embrace their thoughts, feelings, and emotions rather than suppressing, avoiding, or controlling them. Rather than focusing on what is outside of your control, you’ll instead focus on what you can personally control. ACT is beneficial for a variety of mental health conditions, including trauma, chronic pain, eating disorders, OCD, anxiety, depression, and stress. It’s also a fundamental tool to improve overall well-being. With the help of therapy, you’ll gain confidence in your ability to handle thoughts and feelings without needing to control them.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that is focused on helping individuals identify and manage the underlying causes of their mental and emotional struggles. CBT is a highly effective treatment method used to reduce symptoms associated with a range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, eating disorders, and substance abuse. By examining the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, CBT can help individuals gain insight into how their thoughts create their feelings and behaviours, thereby empowering them to make lasting changes in their lives.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a type of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy commonly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other trauma. CPT works by focusing on changing thoughts and beliefs related to the distressing traumatic experience or event. When working with a therapist, you’ll identify and challenge negative thought patterns and work to replace them with more balanced thoughts. Oftentimes, you’ll write about the event so that you can process and make sense of the traumatic experience. As a result of CPT, you may experience improved emotional regulation, increase self-esteem, and greater control over your emotions.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
DBT, or Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, is a type of therapy that has been scientifically proven to help individuals struggling with a variety of mental health issues. It works by teaching people mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. DBT is most often used to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, as well as anxiety disorders, depression, and eating disorders. With the help of a qualified therapist, clients can learn to become more skilled at managing their emotions and developing healthier relationships. DBT can be an incredibly powerful tool for those who are looking to gain control over their mental health and live a more fulfilling life.
Emotion-Focused Therapy
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is a powerful, evidence-based approach to counselling, focused on helping individuals recognize and process their emotions. By exploring underlying patterns of emotion, clients gain insight into their behaviour and the connections between their thoughts, feelings, and actions. EFT is especially beneficial for those struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues. Through this therapy, clients can learn to express and manage their emotions in a healthy way, resulting in improved mental health and overall wellbeing.
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy is a type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intended to help overcome fears and anxieties. To do this, you are gradually exposed to the feared object or situation in a safe and controlled environment. Together with the therapist, you will determine a gradual hierarchy of the feared situations or objects that you work through over time. It is commonly used for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and PTSD. However, it may be used in other situations. Exposure therapy can help reduce the intensity of anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and ultimately lead to greater self-esteem.
Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is based on the idea that the mind is made up of multiple sub-personalities or “parts”. Each of these parts has its own viewpoints, emotions, and characteristics.
In IFS therapy, the therapist will help the client identify and understand each of the parts that make them whole. By deepening the relationship with each part, there is an opportunity to gain insight into the patterns and beliefs causing distress.
IFS is used for a variety of concerns, including trauma, depression, anxiety, and interpersonal relationships. It can also be used for personal growth, self-understanding, and self-development.
Start feeling more whole by understanding the “parts” that make you you!
Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal therapy is used to improve relationships and social functioning. It uncovers how our social interactions impact our mental health. Interpersonal therapy is used for individuals going through life transitions or experiencing other concerns such as depression, grief, anxiety, or interpersonal difficulties.
With IPT, a therapist guides the client through their current relationships and social roles to uncover any subconscious problematic interpersonal patterns contributing to distress. The focus is on improving communication skills, learning to express emotions in a positive and effective way, and addressing issues within current relationships.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness-based therapy is a therapeutic approach that integrates mindfulness and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It aims to help individuals cultivate awareness and acceptance of their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. The goal of mindfulness-based therapy is to reduce the distress caused by thoughts, emotions, and experiences to improve overall well-being. The exact approach will depend on your needs and your therapist. However, you will be encouraged to engage in meditation and/or mindfulness practices. This may include breathing exercises, mindful movement, and body scans. As part of mindfulness-based therapy, you may be asked to work towards identifying and challenging negative thought patterns so you can develop positive coping skills. This modality is used for a variety of mental health concerns, including anxiety, stress, depression, and chronic pain. By creating an increased sense of connection to the self and others, you can experience a greater sense of purpose in life.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on how unconscious thoughts influence behaviours. During a session, individuals will explore past experiences, emotions, and dreams. The therapist will guide them towards gaining insight into the difficulties that brought them to therapy.
Psychodynamic therapy can benefit individuals dealing with a broad range of mental health issues, including anxiety, personality disorders, depression, relationship challenges, self-esteem issues, and personal growth challenges.
With increased awareness, the focus shifts to changing behaviours and improving the ability to manage emotions.
Are you facing a change in your life that is creating feelings of overwhelm, stress, or uncertainty?
Navigating life transitions can be a turbulent and complex experience. Whether it is dealing with the pain of a divorce, a move, a career change, going back to school (i.e., graduate work, etc.), marriage, the birth of a child, a loss, or retirement, the emotional rollercoaster of these transitions can be overwhelming. With support, these experiences can be navigated with more ease and understanding.
Therapy can help you process the emotions you are experiencing, manage your stress levels, and cope with the challenges associated with shifting roles. We can help you feel more confident in your ability to handle and navigate future life transitions with less overwhelm and provide greater clarity about the emotions you’re facing.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a collaborative approach to therapy that focuses on identifying and achieving goals in the present while keeping the future in mind. SFBT is widely used to help people with a range of psychological and emotional conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, relationship issues, and more. It is based on the belief that clients are experts in their own lives and have the capacity to resolve their own issues. By focusing on what’s working and what can be changed, SFBT offers a positive outlook and a sense of empowerment that can help clients achieve their desired outcomes quickly and efficiently.
