Individual Therapy

With individual therapy, you can learn to feel more confident about your feelings, your relationships, and your future

Typically when people make an initial appointment to see me, they have already been trying to make changes on their own. Although it can be discouraging to ask someone else for help, you and I can look at these initial attempts to see what works, what doesn’t, and what may just need some fine-tuning. It’s important for me to build on the strengths you already have. I believe individual therapy should feel like a challenge, but a manageable one. I will work with you to make sure we proceed at an optimal pace for you. I start with a focus on current coping and symptoms that may interfere with daily activities (e.g., poor sleep, difficulty concentrating). When you are beginning to feel more settled, we will look at possible causes of the difficulties and what can be done to address them.

Getting the most from therapy

Read PDF Article – Getting the most from therapy

Individual therapy can help you with . . .

depression (including grief, loss)
anxiety (including panic attacks, worry, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD)
interpersonal difficulties (e.g., over-reacting, difficulty trusting, avoidance of conflict, overly blunt, overwhelmed by others’ needs)
life transitions (e.g., promotion, new parenthood)
feeling stuck
low self-esteem
chronic or persistent pain

adjustment to chronic health conditions
prior trauma
prior sexual abuse
ongoing effects of childhood experiences
burnout
vicarious trauma
work-life balance
self as clinician/therapist (e.g., personal issues impacting on professional work)

Different proven individual therapy methods tailored for your situation

I use different approaches depending on what’s needed:

Interpersonal/psychodynamic

We all have needs for intimacy and to protect ourselves in relationships. Sometimes people are better at one or the other and may have difficulty getting their needs met in relationships. Often symptoms of anxiety and/or depression originate or are maintained in the context of relationships. Understanding how you approach relationships from your past experiences can provide options for responding differently.

Cognitive-behavioural

We can understand and manage our feelings (e.g., depression, anxiety, pain) by changing the associated cognitions or thoughts that can make these feelings seem uncontrollable or intense. By becoming more aware of how your thoughts and behaviours make your feelings increase, you can learn to disengage from potential triggers to intense emotions.

Client-centred

Sometimes it’s helpful to have an objective, neutral person reflect on what you’ve said from a different perspective to allow you to make a decision, provide emotional support, and/or gain increased understanding.

Fees

My fees are $225 per 50-minute session. You may have access to extended health care benefits for registered psychologists, or be able to claim these expenses on your income tax.

It’s easy to get started

Take a look at the information on my website to get a feel for how I work.
Contact me via phone or email to set up a time to talk for about 15-20 minutes to answer your questions and to see if I may be a good fit for you. If the answer is yes, we’ll proceed; if not, I’ll recommend other resources.
We’ll set an initial appointment and I’ll email you more information and the intake forms for this appointment.

Are you ready to make a change that counts? Take the first step to get started. Contact me for a short phone consultation at no charge.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TO GET STARTED