Is Therapy Right For Me?

The reasons for seeking therapeutic services are highly individual and vary greatly. Often, emotional distress, crisis, or unexpected life events will bring someone to therapy. Others, seek out support because they notice patterns of behaviour and thinking that are causing problems in their lives. While some, are interested in personal growth and developing a greater understanding of themselves. The common factor in each case is a desire for something different in one's life. Psychotherapy and counselling can be that vehicle for change.

Counselling Services

Counselling traditionally utilizes a more directive approach, in which client and counsellor are working on specific areas of change. The session is focused on the present, and blends psychoeducation with more traditional therapy approaches. Counselling can be particularly beneficial if you are trying to change a specific problem or want to learn coping strategies. Overall, the length of counselling tends to be shorter and more focused on one area of change.

Psychotherapy Services

Psychotherapy describes a unique, healing relationship between a client and therapist, where both parties are working towards a common goal: helping the client to improve their life. Though focused on specific goals, psychotherapy aims at understanding the bigger picture and resolving the underlying issues that are causing current difficulties. As your therapist, I will be working with you to understand overall patterns, chronic issues, and recurring feelings. A greater emphasis is put on exploring the past to understand its impact on the present. Current difficulties are understood as symptoms of underlying issues. The treatment involves talking through these issues to reach the core problems and change recurring patterns. 

Choosing between Counselling and Psychotherapy 

A thorough assessment will be completed during the first session to establish the type of treatment that will best suit your needs. All work is done collaboratively, taking into account financial, time, and other personal constraints. Clinical research continues to demonstrate that in, both, psychotherapy and counselling, the therapeutic relationship is a primary factor for predicting change. I offer telephone consultations at no cost to review concerns, answer questions, and ensure that I am a good fit for your needs.