What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is an approach to emotional and mental health through deep exploration of presenting concerns, goal-setting, acceptance and meaning-making. Your therapist acts as a catalyst and partners with you on this empowering journey towards optimal wellness.
Healthy functioning involves your mental, emotional, physical and nervous system states working together harmoniously.
We believe in the importance of developing a functional understanding of how the domains of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health interact. Imbalances in any of these areas can impact functioning in all others.
Developing a comprehensive understanding of how you are experiencing life in these crucial domains can guide the therapeutic process & influence successful outcomes.
Research has demonstrated the reciprocal impact of mental health and emotional health on physical health. This area of focus is an essential component of our holistic approach to psychotherapy.
What happens in a session?
Therapy begins with an informal intake assessment that can take 1-5 sessions to complete. This helps the therapist become familiar with your presenting concerns and develop a comprehensive understanding of your unique life experience.
Establishing rapport and trust is an essential component of effective therapy. Development of a safe, secure professional bond is motivating and enhances successful outcomes. We will work collaboratively with you to establish meaningful goals and tailor therapy to maximize effectiveness and goal attainment.
We pull from a variety of effective approaches, including: Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Positive Psychology, Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Somatic Therapy, Feminist, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFiT), Bowenian & Compassionate Inquiry.
We have therapists offering in-person (west end of Toronto – Bloor West Village, High Park, Junction & Roncesvalles area) and online across Ontario.
Sessions are booked for 60 mins (50 mins therapy & 10 mins administration).
We also offer Walk Therapy sessions. In Walk Therapy, we meet in the High Park area of Toronto’s west end. Connecting in nature is a very grounding experience and, combined with the physical benefits of walking, enhances production and release of happy hormones. This counts as both therapy and self-care and can be a very healthy and meaningful way to enhance therapy, nurture the mind-body connection, create energy and feel more grounded. Walk Therapy sessions are held in the Spring, Summer & Fall and are weather-permitted.
We do not prescribe the number of sessions to be attended – that depends on each unique person’s presenting concerns. We do require consistent engagement in participation at regularly scheduled appointments, either weekly or bi-weekly to start. Cadence will increase or decrease based on symptom escalation or reduction and progress towards goal attainment.
Appointments are scheduled especially for you and our Cancellation Policy requires a minimum of 48 hours notice. Late cancellations and no shows impact the therapeutic process, as well as the therapist’s schedule. When this happens, it will be charged, as it creates a hole in the schedule that may not be able to be filled. If it happens repeatedly, it can impact the therapeutic relationship. It is important to make psychotherapy a priority to maximize the effectiveness of the process.
Our office is conveniently located at 2333 Dundas St. West, in the west end of Toronto (steps from Dundas West station on Line 2).
Benefits of Therapy
Emotional & mental health challenges are often treated with prescription medication.
Medication management treats symptoms on a short-term basis and can result in relapse when further challenges arise in one’s life, or the end of the prescription is reached.
Psychotherapy helps clients work through challenges, find meaning and learn healthy, effective ways to cope with future challenges. The process of talk therapy has been proven to result in positive, lasting change, improved coping skills and has a significantly lower relapse rate than medication management.
Clients can experience a reduction of anxiety and depression, higher levels of happiness, improved self-esteem and self-confidence, overall well-being and a deeper sense of meaning and purpose.
Areas of Focus
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress Management
- Overwhelm & Burnout
- Emotional Regulation
- Individual Counselling
- Pre-Marital Counselling
- Couples Counselling
- Family Counselling
- Trauma
- Self-Esteem, Self-Worth & Self-Confidence
- Body Image & Eating Disorders
- Mindfulness
- Chronic Illness & Pain Management
- Lifestyle Transitions
- Relaxation Techniques
- Spirituality
- Career Counselling
- Anger Management