Find a Therapist in West Point Grey, British Columbia.

Life and relationships become painful, sometimes paralyzing when our emotions overwhelm us. Emotions are actually intended for good - they are intended to give us motivation and information; specifically they inform us of how to act in the way that is in keeping with who we are. I help people to face their emotions, take from them the lessons that they offer and move forward positively in their lives. You do not have to be stuck, paralyzed and fearful, you can be peaceful, productive and motivated.

My professional credential is Registered Therapeutic Counsellor not psychotherapist. However I have extensive experience with the tools of psychotherapy including: attachment healing, somatic attunement, object relations, ego state therapy, and depth psychology. I integrate the Diamond Approach, a system for spiritual and psychological maturation, into my work with clients. A core tenet I experience daily is: we each have an individual soul with unlimited potential to free ourselves from limiting aspects of personality, inherited trauma and old beliefs. I've been a student of the Diamond Approach since 1989 and am grateful to the teachers, teachings, and our community of lovers of truth.

A holistic approach is used, integrating empathetic listening, evidence-based techniques, and collaborative goal-setting. Clients are encouraged to explore the interaction between our thoughts, feelings (emotions and physical sensations) and actions. Cognitive-behavioural strategies can be used to address patterns, while psychodynamic insights delve into underlying issues. Mindfulness practices may be used to enhance self-awareness and increase our capacity to sit with our feelings and notice our thoughts. The therapeutic relationship, with well defined boundaries, is pivotal in the work we do together.

Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods to help a person change behavior and overcome problems in a positive manner. Its aim is to help people understand the thoughts behind feeling anxious or depressed and addressing these thinking patterns. Psychotherapy will help you change behaviors and habits that are limiting you, to experiencing your fullest potential.

Our thoughts have a huge impact on how we view and act in the world. I will work with you to explore how your thoughts have been influenced by your experiences growing up, as well as by significant life events, loss and/or trauma. I use approaches from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and Mindfulness to help you calm your mind and invite you to consider the possibilty of expanding your perceptions of life experiences as a way of creating changes in yourself and in relationships.

For 20 years I have worked as a psychotherapist, helping people learn new communication skills, deal with difficult relationships, resolve issues from childhood, find ways to cope with anxiety and stress. In the past psychotherapy was done face to face but this is not always possible due to remote location, high cost and simply finding the time in a busy schedule (young children, work etc.). Counseling by telephone or video is convenient and at a more reasonable cost. Studies have shown also that it can be very effective in helping people through difficult times.

Socrates used a question and answer method of teaching --MAIEUTIC TEACHING to help his students find truths within themselves. Psychotherapy, similarly, seeks to help individuals find certain "truths" about themselves. I gently push individuals to explore the various ways they have of knowing and understanding themselves. I will discuss past experiences and explore how the "truths" we have of these experiences influence our present circumstances (work, study, relationships, goals, etc.). Once an individual starts to become aware of how and why they are making the choices they make, they become free to make new, more positive, choices about their future.

Psychotherapy with me will offer you a secure non-judgmental relationship to grow in your goals. Together we will explore what is bringing you into therapy and with compassion and curiousity notice what comes up for you when you seek to make change. As we explore what comes up, we will use tools to get to the roots of those blocks and discover deeper part of you that can provide you with that felt sense of relief and new found energy.

Feelings need to be felt. Stories need to be told. Sometimes, a therapist takes the role of a highly trained audience. I know how to listen, with the curiosity and earnestness of someone newly in love. Listening is not the entire treatment, but it is definitely a necessary part of it. I'll quote Lou Reed here: "I'll be your mirror, reflect what you are, in case you don't know."

My approach to Psychotherapy incorporates mind, body, spirit and emotions. It goes much deeper than talk therapy alone. While talk therapy is an essential component, a somatic approach to Psychotherapy allows for the possibility of deeper healing and more permanent change, as the body holds the information we need to heal. Therefore I take a body centred approach to healing while drawing on an extensive range of other psychotherapeutic approaches. Each session is tailored to where the client is at in the moment and from the belief that somewhere in all of us, no matter how deeply we have been wounded, we have the resources we need to heal.

Psychotherapy is commonly used for both short-term and long-term therapy to help clients come to a harmonious state of being. Using many different types of psychotherapy techniques, as a therapist, we can target a clients thoughts, emotions and behaviours that are causing them problems. A focus of psychotherapy is to create positive change and a better quality of life for clients. This includes improved relationships, creating self-awareness and understanding of oneself, and overall better functioning in day-to-day life.

For every client that I see, I always offer an individualized and tailored approach by draw from a variety of therapeutic approaches in order to enable your mental health healing and functional recovery. Using a collaborative and client centered approach, I will walk alongside you and together, we will explore solutions to overcome life's obstacles.

James Hillman once said, "We've had a hundred years of psychotherapy and the world is getting worse." While there are many occasions where the validation and listening endemic to psychotherapy makes sense, there are times where we over assume that "feeling better" and "changing behavior" are the same. Grey Matters International, Inc. goes after the forgotten brain laws to behavior change that therapists miss when processing hours and hours of dialogues with people. Utilizing a cutting edge technology to facilitate the emotional process of change, we can make the therapy process way more effective, faster, and with less money spent. Contact kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

Many clients come to me with only having had talk therapy. They tell me that with their previous counsellor they just discussed their challenges and never really got anywhere. I personally believe that the difference lies in the distinction between the terms "counselling" and "therapy." In my opinion, counselling involves talking and gently exploring issues, whereas therapy involves teaching new concepts, applying specific tools and approaches, and making tailored plans. Clients brainstorm with me, apply new ideas at home, challenge themselves, and develop new insights and skills. This is how I work and what I offer, and my clients notice the difference in their daily lives.