Psychotherapy is the treatment of mental health problems through a collaborative relationship between an individual and their psychologist. Through psychotherapy, an individual learns about their thoughts, behaviors, feelings, moods and overall condition by talking to a psychologist about them. At Valiant Recovery, our psychotherapy methods are aimed at discovering the underlying issues that spawn addiction and substance abuse, such as grief, trauma and mental illness. All of our therapists have masters degrees in social work or counseling, as well as extensive experience treating addiction and substance abuse disorders.

I use a variety of models in my psychotherapy. Most importantly I believe a warm respectful, non-judgmental environment provides the safety a client needs to address very personal and painful issues in a therapy session. Helping a client see their own uniqueness and inner beauty and to develop confidence in those aspects of themselves allows a client to move forward quickly. I have huge respect for the courage it takes for a client to begin work with a therapist. Depending on the needs of a client I use Experiential or Relational or Psycho-dynamic or Emotionally Focused or other Attachment based therapy, I specialize in working on Healing Shame with some clients and EMDR for Trauma.

I am eclectic, psychoeducationally based therapist. While borrowing on the classic of Cognitive behavior therapy, I also have a strong influence from Attachment theory, and Emotions Focussed Therapy. Therapy with myself for whatever interpersonal problem, personal problem, or state of mood will find you, the client experiencing a friendly discussion about the issues, in a non judgement and non contemptuous fashion. Therapy is always goal directed, there are NO secrets and I share my thoughts. Integrating these models in an educative fashion allows me to explore without being boxed in the clients history and realize goals for personal change, situational change or structural change.

The approach I like to use in psychotherapy is to begin with ensuring a close bond or alliance can be quickly established where there is active listening, an opportunity for establishing trust and allowing empathy to flourish. Only then can we then challenge any distortions in thinking, help with the managing of emotions that may be overwhelming and distressful to a client. Also, assisting with searching for solutions and really serving to change the narrative either in part or altogether so there can develop a more hopeful and optimistic attitude. Examining and naming attachment wounds from childhood that may interfere with couple/family relationship dynamic in the present.

Counsellors at Elim are highly trained psychotherapists who hold professional membership with the Canadian Counselling and psychotherapy Association. As such we are not only qualified to offer psychological services, but also abide by the high ethical standards of this governing body. In addition our practice is supervised by a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience. An additional benefit of having such supervision is that clients may be eligible to have all or part of their fees reimbursed by their insurance company if they have benefits that cover counselling.

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.

Psychotherapy is most successful when the individual enters therapy on their own and has a strong desire to change. If you don’t want to change, change will be slow in coming. Change means altering those aspects of your life that aren’t working for you any longer, or are contributing to your problems or ongoing issues. It is also best to keep an open mind while in psychotherapy, and be willing to try out new things that ordinarily you may not do. Psychotherapy is often about challenging one’s existing set of beliefs and often, one’s very self. It is most successful when a person is able and willing to try to do this in a safe and supportive environment.

The most effective psychotherapy, the most immediately “real” experience of this interaction, is that of an emerging authentic self from within each client. Each of us is comprised of an authentic self and a false self. The false self is made up of the various masks, roles, defense structures, and the like, that we adopted as children in order to “fit in” and navigate the family system we were each parachuted into at birth. One’s authentic self is thus, necessarily, hidden from view. The more unhealthy the family system, the more defenses are required, thus the more the authentic self is compromised, hidden. Indeed, our authentic self may feel threatening, to all that we have “known”.

Do you need someone to listen to you? Are you feeling depressed or constantly angry? Therapy helps you manage your symptoms, overcome challenges and difficult life situations, change unhealthy patterns and behaviours. Your therapy will depend on the issues you want to work on. Psychotherapy is effective in helping teens, couples, families, step families, or individuals. Therapy can help you if you suffer from body image issues, work related issues, personal issues, anger, anxiety or depression, relationship difficulties, affairs, step families or childhood difficulties. Family-Therapy offers services in English, French or Farsi. Call us at 613 287 3799 and book your session.

I specialize in utilizing cognitive behavioral, motivational interviewing, solution focused, holistic and narrative therapeutic techniques with clients struggling with a variety of issues including substance abuse, high risk behaviors, disordered eating, trauma and abuse and mental health difficulties such as depression and anxiety.

As a counselling psychologist, my main focus is providing psychotherapy services to clients. This means that we talk together, as equals. Using different strategies we figure out what already works well for you as the client, what could work better, what feels "broken" and needs compassionate attention, and explore how to best support your healing process. I work from a strength-based approach, and strongly believe we are all capable of significant personal growth and loving relationships with ourselves and those in our lives.

Through individual therapy, I can help one to address personal, educational, and professional challenges by way of identifying the issues, and exploring solutions. My goal is to see the individual discover their own skills and strengths and to combine this with learned strategies in order to transfer problem-resolution abilities from therapy over into their daily living activities. I an help you with: Depression, Anxiety Relationship challenges Anger & stress management Unresolved childhood issues Trauma/Abuse Unhealthy strategies Grief & Loss Parenting challenges

I welcome you to consider psychotherapy with its in-depth approach to counselling. Together we build a trusted relationship that supports you in considering perspectives and changes. In therapy people often want to become more aware of their beliefs, feelings, thoughts, relationships, or choices in their lives. My integrative approach enables me to modify therapy to specific goals and needs of each person or family, and to meet new concerns. Starting with our first meeting I invite working together and with your feedback as I draw on knowledge and experience to support you using cognitive, behavioural, creative, emotion-focused, narrative, pastoral, and systems approaches. Ottawa & area.