Helping You Live Your Best Life

EMDR Therapy is a highly effective, multifaceted approach which has proven to be particularly effective at helping clients process and release traumatic experiences. It was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late eighties in the United States and was first used to treat combat veterans experiencing PTSD. EMDR is now the most widely, scientifically researched trauma technique in use. EMDR is also commonly used to resolve complicated grief, anxieties and phobias, depression, over-reactive anger, worrying, disturbed sleep, chronic pain, smoking cessation and performance enhancement.

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, although it does not solely refer to eye movements. The therapy uses bilateral stimulation e.g. the use of alternating sound or pulsers in your hand to stimulate the brain in reprocessing memories. Bilateral stimulation is used to assist traumatic memories from becoming "unstuck" and reprocessing the memories so that the emotions and physical sensations that accompany the distressing experience dissipate.

EMDR therapy focuses on the past, the present and the future. When you have completed EMDR therapy you will not only have resolved past traumatic memories, you will also be comfortable with any present-day triggers that developed, and confident about any challenging issues that could arise in the future.

The exact mechanisms of how EMDR works are still being researched however, research has shown that EMDR has the potential to mimic the way in which the brain functions during the dream stage of sleep (REM sleep). EMDR can be thought of as a conscious version of REM sleep. It has been extensively studied and validated by regulating and governmental bodies internationally.

Attachment based psychotherapy is an approach to therapy that focuses on helping a client overcome their negative early childhood experiences. This approach to therapy examines how early childhood experiences drives the patterns and behaviours that form our present day interpersonal relationships and experiences. The focus of this modality is to create and strengthen strong, trusting, loving and deep relationships.

Polyvagal Theory is a unique way to understand how our autonomic nervous system relates to the ability to connect to and communicate with others. It gives us a better understanding of how we connect and disconnect in our interpersonal relationships as well as how our autonomic nervous system responds to cues of danger and safety. It also offers a way of conceptualizing and understanding the internal mechanisms of fear or trauma-based reactions and symptoms.

Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) aims to access the core of the traumatic experience in a way which tracks the original physiological sequence in the brainstem, the part of the brain which is rapidly online in situations of danger or attachment disruption. The focus of a DBR session is on the face and neck tension arising from turning attention to the memory of the traumatic event, or to whatever has been the present-day trigger, gives an anchor in the part of the memory sequence that occurred before the shock or emotional overwhelm that is leading to the continuing symptoms. Deepening awareness into this orienting tension provides an anchor for grounding in the present so that the mind is neither swept away by the high intensity emotions, nor diverted into a compartment holding a self-state frozen in time in which contact with the present is lost.

Neurofeedback training utilizes innovative technology to assist the brain and central nervous system in changing itself to function in the most efficient way. In doing so, it is known to improve an array of symptoms that include emotional regulation, mood, ADHD, anxiety, trauma, learning abilities, seizures, head injuries, addiction, autism spectrum, migraines and other issues. Neurofeedback is also used by athletes and businesses for it's peak performance benefits.

Neurofeedback has also been known as EEG biofeedback. Sensors are gently placed on the head while the therapist reads and analyzes the information that the brain provides. The therapist will then design a customized program presented through a video game which the client simply views. This process provides feedback to the brain to create more or less of certain brainwaves. For example, in the case of someone wanting to reduce their anxiety, the game would encourage the person's brain to operate more slowly. The sensors on the scalp are simply reading the brain waves and providing feedback/information to the therapist in the same way a stethoscope would provide feedback to a doctor.

Given that the brain is the centre of control for the body, when it is functioning at the desirable level, many disruptive symptoms begin to dissipate. Once the brain is given the opportunity (through repetition) to practice and learn to change it's way of functioning, positive long lasting changes tend to occur.

For optimal effectiveness, neurofeedback training is done 1-2 times a week. Sessions are typically 30-50 minutes in length.

Read More…

IFS (internal family systems therapy) is an approach to therapy that assumes we all have inner parts to ourselves that make up our core self and helps us heal and become more connected to ourselves and those around us. This type of therapy is typically used in treating complex trauma, childhood trauma, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety and depression. The Therapy Team uses this modality to help you feel more self aware and connected to your experiences and reactions by delving deeper into these inner parts that we all carry within us.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy combines the use of talk therapy and the body into emotionally and cognitively processing trauma. It is specifically used to treat the effects of traumatic experiences or when someone has experienced a difficult childhood leading to “attachment disruptions”. The body is used as an important vessel for information in accessing and processing traumatic and developmental experiences. Sensory motor psychotherapy helps you discover and change habitual physical and psychological patterns that impede optimal functioning and well-being.

DBT is a modified type of therapy where the main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others. It is a therapy that focuses on making behavioural changes coupled with learning to accept aspects of life that cannot be changed. DBT was initially designed to treat people with suicidal behavior and borderline personality disorder. Since it’s inception, DBT has been adapted for other mental health problems that threaten a person's safety, relationships, work, and emotional well-being. At the Therapy Team our clinicians work to help you build a life worth living utilizing the skills that DBT teaches.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a structured type of therapy that addresses how your thoughts impact emotions and behaviour. CBT helps clients identify negative thought patterns and seeks to change them to improve one’s emotions and behaviours. Typically CBT provides you with “homework” to practise the skills provided by your therapist. CBT is commonly used for issues that include depression, anxiety and OCD.

Mindfulness based therapy is an approach to therapy that helps change and rewire how your brain responds to events and circumstances. This modality focuses on having you attend to present day moments to learn to self regulate by learning to accept difficult or uncomfortable emotions without judging those emotions. This modality focuses on being able to maintain a level of presence in one’s life and experiences while coming to accept the ebs and flows of emotions that surface in these experiences. This modality is often used to reduce stress, anxiety and depression as well as for mindful parenting.

ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy) is a type of mindful psychotherapy that helps you stay focused on the present moment and accept thoughts and feelings without judgment. It aims to help you move forward through difficult emotions so you can put your energy into healing instead of dwelling on the negative conditions such as anxiety, depression, OCD, addictions, and substance abuse.

ACT develops psychological flexibility and is a form of behavioral therapy that combines mindfulness skills with the practice of self-acceptance.

Narrative therapy is a style of therapy that empowers you to use your own skills and expertise to make changes in your own life. It helps you process your personal experiences while finding your individual story, allowing you to have different perspectives of your problems and make sense of them.

Solution focused therapy is a short term goal focused therapeutic approach which helps you construct solutions rather than focusing on problems. The focus is placed on your present and future circumstances rather than past experiences.

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) takes the therapeutic approach of exploring and understanding the role of emotion in making meaningful changes. EFT is founded on a close and careful analysis of the meanings and contributions of emotion to human experience and change in psychotherapy.

Brainspotting was created by David Grande who combined the strengths of brain-based and talk therapies into a powerful technique he calls “Brainspotting”. Brainspotting is a theraputic tool used to ease human suffering. This modality works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation and a variety of other challenging symptoms. This modality allows you to process locate, focus, process, and release experiences and symptoms that are typically out of reach of the conscious mind. It allows you to develop a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist. The Therapy Team strives to create space where your stressful experiences will be processed in a safe and trusting relationship. You will feel heard, accepted, and understood.

Brainspotting works with the deep brain and the body through its direct access to the autonomic and limbic systems. Brainspotting is accordingly a physiological tool/treatment which has profound psychological, emotional, and physical benefits.

IPT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on relieving symptoms by improving interpersonal functioning. It is a time limited type of therapy where it addresses current problems and relationships rather than childhood or developmental issues. Therapists are active, non-neutral, supportive and hopeful, and they offer options for change.