THERAPY APPROACHES
None of these approaches will be used in isolation. I will tailor therapy to your unique needs by taking elements from each approach that will best suit your therapy goals and personal style.
EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy originally developed for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), however successful outcomes are well-documented in the literature for EMDR treatment of other psychiatric disorders, mental health problems, somatic symptoms and it can typicaly can be used to help client’s process through anything they have experienced as a truama that continues to effect their lives. EMDR is based on Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), which explains that much of our current distress occurs because past traumas are triggered and the brain has held on to these past traumas and encoded them in a way where they are stuck and have not been fully processed.
EMDR therapy strives to give space to facilitate full processing of past events or beliefs that are negatively affecting an individual’s current functioning, through stimulating the brain with bilateral eye movement, paired with a protcol of questions to guide this.
This treatment approach targets past experience, current triggers, and future potential challenges, with the goal of alleviating presenting symptoms, a decreasing distress from the disturbing memories or beliefs creating an improved view of the self, relief from bodily disturbance, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY (CBT)
A short-term, evidence based, goal-oriented treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. Its goal is to change patterns of thinking or behavior that are behind people’s difficulties, resulting in a shift in the way they feel. It is used to help treat a wide range of issues in a person’s life, from sleeping difficulties or relationship problems, to drug and alcohol abuse or anxiety and depression. CBT works by changing people’s attitudes and their behavior by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that are held (a person’s cognitive processes) and how these processes relate to the way a person behaves, as a way of dealing with emotional problems.
MINDFULNESS
We often live in the orientations of our past or future and spend little time in the present moment. Mindfullness is a state of active, open attention on the present that allows us to work with our difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them or forcing them to change. We often work against the engergy or state that our mind and body are in and this leads to stress, anxiety, depression and number of other unpleasant effects.
In therapy strategies can be learned to help you learn to spend some time in the present in a way that works for you.
The goal is to create a more rested and clear mind and bring more focus and overall enjoyment to today.
EMOTION FOCUSED THERAPY (EFT)
All of us have needs to feel like we have a secure place to belong in the world. When we feel a sense of security it becomes our foundation to see the world from and gives us an inner sense of peace when difficult times in our lives arise.
EFT, which is primarily rooted in attachment theroy is an appoach that can be used with individuals, couples and within parent/child relationships. Its derived from the idea that our emotions are based on our needs. Because of this, our emotions need to be activated and worked through in order to allow them to reach their natural adaptive potential. In otherwords, we need to get to a place where we can trust our emotions and let them take care of us instead of being scared of our emotions and trying to control them.
The goal is to help client’s identify needs and work through emtotions attached to these so that problematic emotional states can shift and result in less distress and create positive effects on interpersonal relationshps.
ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)
The objective of ACT is to move us towards our valued behaviours. If we can become aware of our most important values and use them as a compass to guide our actions we can feel more secure about our beliefs and decisions.
When we feel distress or unpleasant emotions we often find we have stepped outside our value system. ACT therapy does not strive to take away unpleasant feelings, but helps us learn how to cope in a way that is meaningful to us as an individual.
In therapy it is about finding how to take steps towards what gives value and meaning to your life. This helps us feel more fulfilled and purposeful.
BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUSED THERAPY
This is a goal directed therapy approach that focuses more on the present and future. The therapist often uses direct observations of the client’s responses to a series of questions to help identify client goals and next steps.
The hope is to help client amplify current strengths and use those strengths as a foundation to build upon developing more coping skills to get them to the future that they see as possible for them.