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 the mental, emotional, physical and nervous system states of the unique individual 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 each individual is experiencing life in these critical domains can guide the therapeutic process and influence successful outcomes.
Research has demonstrated the reciprocal impact of mental health and emotional health on physical health. This is an area of focus that is an essential component of holistic treatment.
What happens in a session?
Therapy begins with an informal intake assessment that can take 1-3 sessions to complete. This process allows the therapist to 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 motivates clients 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, Feminist, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Bowenian & Compassionate Inquiry.
We have therapists offering both in-person and online appointments.
Sessions are booked for 60 mins (50 mins therapy & 10 mins administration).
We also offer Walk Therapy sessions. With Walk Therapy, we meet in the High Park area of the west end of Toronto. 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, create energy and increase happiness. Walk Therapy sessions are held in the Spring, Summer & Fall and are weather-permitted.
We do not prescribe a number of sessions that must be attended – that depends on each unique person’s presenting concerns. What we do require is a engagment in participation in regularly scheduled appointments, either weekly or bi-weekly to start. Cadence will decrease based on symptom 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 repeatedly, it will be charged and addressed, as it creates a hole in the schedule that may not be able to be filled. It is important to make psychotherapy a priority in order to maximize the effectiveness of the process.
Our office is conveniently located at 2333 Dundas St. West, Toronto (steps from Dundas West station on Line 2).
Benefits of Therapy
Emotional and 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