Methods for Psychotherapy/Counselling

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy --CBT: Learning to change how you feel by being aware of and changing your automatic reactions, thoughts, and assumptions about yourself, others, and your world.  

Acceptance Commitment Therapy--ACT: (typically pronounced as a word, not as separate initials) - is a cognitive–behavioral model of psychotherapy—meaning the focus is on thoughts and behaviour.  Evidence based strategies are designed to increase flexibility in managing thoughts, beliefs and feelings and decrease the power of feelings from past events on present way of being.  (more info)

Relaxation training-- Learning and practicing a relaxation technique by one of many methods, processes, procedures, or activities that create a state of increasing calmness with the goal of having the client control that process and decrease anxiety, stress or anger.   In addition the physical effects of deep muscle relaxation and mind clearing can, over time and with regular practice, decrease muscle tension, lower blood pressure, slow down heart rate and breathing rates.  Done in concert with the strategies outlined above Relaxation Training can have a significant impact on transforming responses to difficult situations and people.

The Therapeutic Relationship--joining strengths to create a working relationship that is more than the sum of its parts.  Creating a safe place where unworkable and painful ways of being can be unfolded, examined, accepted and supplemented with behaviours that are aligned with deep personal values and life purpose.