Therapy Backed By Research

Our counsellors are trained to use a variety of different approaches based on your unique needs. Your counsellor will work with you to find an approach, or combination of approaches, that works for you. To keep their skills and knowledge up to date, our counsellors regularly participate in ongoing education and training.

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Some of the approaches that our therapists are trained to use include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of counselling that can be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety, disordered eating, perfectionism and self-criticism, and more. CBT helps you become aware of unhelpful thinking patterns. Looking at the relationship between your thoughts, feelings and behaviours helps you view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often the preferred type of psychotherapy because it can quickly help you learn about and cope with specific challenges. CBT generally includes fewer sessions than other types of therapy and is done in a structured way. CBT may involve practical exercises and homework as a way to practice your skills.

Source: American Psychology Association (https://www.apa.org), Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org)

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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages you to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories by using bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements or tapping). EMDR therapy can be a helpful treatment for trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, and other distressing life experiences.

Source: EMDR International Association (https://www.emdria.org)

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Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (TF-CBT)

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (TF-CBT) is a type of CBT that is designed to help children and youth who have experienced trauma, as well as their caregivers. Although TF-CBT is highly effective at improving youth post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, a PTSD diagnosis is not required in order to receive this treatment. TF-CBT also effectively addresses many other trauma impacts, including depression, anxiety, cognitive and behavioral problems, as well as improving the participating parent’s or caregiver’s personal distress about the child’s traumatic experience, effective parenting skills, and supportive interactions with the child.

Source: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy National Therapist Certification Program (https://tfcbt.org/)

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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on teaching people skills to manage intense emotions, cope with challenging situations, and improve their relationships. It has been shown to be effective in treating borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, anger management, and substance use disorders. DBT focuses on developing four main skills: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Mindfulness teaches you to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings.
Emotion regulation involves recognizing, accepting, and managing intense emotions.
Distress tolerance is the ability to manage emotional distress in the moment.

Interpersonal effectiveness focuses on improving communication with other people to strengthen relationships and improve your self-esteem.

Source: Harvard Health (https://www.health.harvard.edu/)