Working Together

Overview of Our counselling approach

“What does the therapy process look like?”

“What should I expect in the first session?”

“I’m feeling anxious about starting therapy .”

The above are common concerns and questions we hear at the start of the counselling process with new clients. We want to validate the anxious and worried feelings around starting therapy. Taking that first step to gain control of your life emotionally and mentally can be difficult and anxiety ridden. Booking an appointment and the start of that first session is often the hardest part. However, after about 20 minutes most clients feel at ease and more relaxed. 

The goal in our first session is to get to know you. We will start by reviewing housekeeping items such as my contact information, the booking system, insurance details, consent, confidentiality, and any questions or concerns. The remainder of our time will be on what brings you to therapy, current life circumstances, history, relationships, and finally goal setting.

After the initial session, the therapy process really begins. The goals you identified in the first session will help guide your journey of healing. The role we take is to ask thought-provoking questions, provide tools and resources for individual growth, and walk alongside you from an empathetic, objective, and compassionate stance.

We believe a strong client-therapist relationship is a key factor in the therapy process and is essential for you to receive the best help possible. We look forward to hearing your life story and providing the support you need. 

 

“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”

– Brene Brown

Relationship/Couples Counselling

Starting couples counselling doesn’t necessarily mean your relationship is in crisis. There are many reasons why couples come to us for help including improving communication, developing strategies to cope with changing life events, and creating a deeper connection with your partner. Couples counselling is set up slightly different than other therapy sessions. The relationship counselling approach we take is based on Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Here’s how it works:

  • The first session will meet with the couple together. During this time, your relationship will be assessed and discussed, focusing on current issues and concerns, the narrative of the relationship, relationship ups and downs, and hopes for therapy.
  • The second and third sessions, will be individual sessions that explore individual narrative, family history, hopes and expectations, and personal goals. You will also both have a choice to complete an online assessment through the Gottman Institute. This assessment involves questionnaires that look at every area of the relationship and individual. Each partner completes the questionnaires individually and the results are provided in the fourth session.
  • In the fourth session, we will come back together to discuss the assessment results and begin the couples therapy process.

Counselling for anxiety, depression, and more…

You are not alone. Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health concerns that we see in therapy. People from every walk of life can experience anxiety and depression and the debilitating impact it can have on your life. Together we will identify the causes of your mental health concerns and tailor a therapy approach specific to your needs. This includes exploring the underlying reasons and triggers for your anxiety and/or depression, working through coping skills to help reduce symptoms, providing you with education and resources, and supporting you on your journey.

Trauma Therapy

Trauma is debilitating, overwhelming, and life changing. Trauma changes a person internally and leaves them feeling shattered, helpless, and hopeless. But you don’t have to carry the intensity of that trauma with you for the rest of your life. As part of the treatment approach, we use successful and evidence-based therapies for trauma including Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), that can help and relieve your pain and suffering. ART helps individuals process through traumatic experiences using eye movement and visualization to reprogram the way in which distressing memories are stored. This helps to relieve the strong emotional symptoms and sensations associated with the traumatic memories. This form of therapy achieves rapid benefits and has been successful in treating not only trauma but many other mental health concerns.

Parent Coaching and Consultation 

Parenting can be hard, trust us we know! Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed and need help creating the type of relationship you want with your children. Parent coaching and consultation is a form of therapy that helps to guide you through the trials and tribulations of parenting. Our coaching approach is done through an attachment/development-based perspective and Emotion-Focused Family Therapy Model. Our sessions will be focus on strengthening your relationship with your child, providing different parenting strategies, helping change the family dynamic in your home environment, and creating harmony, consistency, and partnership. These sessions can occur with parents only or as a family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, private health plans usually have some coverage for a qualified registered psychologist. Please check with your benefit provider to determine your coverage. Every plan is different and each one covers different amounts.

Emmaus Psychology Inc. offers an online booking system that allows you to see my availability and book in your session dates and times. Through this feature clients can book in sessions, make changes as needed, and process their payments for the sessions.

Every individual comes into therapy for different reasons and with different needs. Each case is unique so there is no set time period for therapy. Depending on the concerns and what each client is seeking and needing will depend on how long the therapy process will take. This can be discussed in the first session and throughout the therapeutic process.

Again, depending on what you need and want you determine how often you schedule sessions. Usually at the beginning of therapy it can be beneficial to attend weekly or biweekly sessions. However, this is completely up to each client and what he/she is seeking and needing.

Yes, I offer free 15-minute phone call conversations that you can schedule through the online booking system.

The first session starts by reviewing consent, confidentiality, and logistics. This session then focuses on getting to know you, what brings you to therapy, your history, and goals that you want to achieve within the therapeutic process.

It is completely up to you whether you prefer a 60-minute or a 90-minute session. Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is the only form of therapy that needs a 90-minute session booking.

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