TAKING THE FIRST STEP…

For many people, managing stress and anxiety and understanding their emotions can be challenging. It often feels very overwhelming on a day-to-day basis, yet the idea of therapy can be intimidating, and many people feel as if “it’s not bad enough”. It’s okay to reach out for help no matter the “size” of your problem. Many people think their struggles might be too small or not significant enough to seek help. Therapy though, really is for everyone and I believe therapy is about creating a space in your life to build your emotional wellness, capacity, and awareness. I believe we need to disintegrate the idea that you only deserve help when things get “bad enough”. It’s okay to get support long before a problem gets to be a 10/10 and I hope that with my services, I can make therapy easily accessible for you!

I understand that it can be very difficult to reach out for support when you’re struggling, especially if it is your first time seeking any therapy. There are a few things to know that often help ease some of the unknowns…

PRIVACY

First and foremost, it is important to know that what you share with me stays with me, all information is kept strictly confidential. It is essential that you feel safe to talk about and explore what is going on for you and why you are struggling.

FINDING THE RIGHT FIT

Secondly, I completely get that sharing parts of yourself that you want to work on, with someone you have just met can be really strange. You want somebody that you can trust and who has the knowledge to support you but it can feel weird to start opening up to someone you don't know. I understand this challenge and address it by trying to connect with you on a genuine level and by truly trying to learn about who you are, what is hard for you, what you're great at, and what makes you happy. We can take some time to get to know each other over an initial phone call first, and that way you can see if you think I'd be a good fit to support you.  

Therapy or Counselling?

Although the terms counselling and therapy (or psychotherapy) are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between psychotherapy and counselling. I am qualified to provide both of these types of supports.

Counselling is usually more short-term than therapy and is more focused on problem-solving with an educational approach and deals mainly with conscious issues. It can assist with developing a different understanding of a problem and can provide new insights, strategies and information to help you manage the challenge. 

Therapy tends to be more long-term than counselling and focuses on a broader range of issues, using evidence-based therapeutic interventions and techniques. Psychotherapy is provided when you have been diagnosed with a mental health condition.

I’m happy to discuss the differences with you and figure out which service will be the most helpful to you. If you’d like to gain a better understanding in the meantime, you can learn more from the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association here.