So let’s talk about emotions this week. Emotions get a bad rap for being useless, illogical, overwhelming, unwanted, and making us feel weak or out of control. Emotions are, in fact, very misunderstood; even the word is used interchangeably with feelings or mood, but these three things are not interchangeable and are quite different. Let’s...Read More

Mindfulness is something that is talked about regularly and often with disdain in the public sector. This is because mindfulness has become synonymous with meditation, yoga, and many other activities. These activities are some methods by which people learn to cultivate the mental skill of mindfulness, but none of these activities are actually mindfulness. In...Read More

Have you ever been told that when you use the word “but” in a sentence it cancels out everything you said before it? That’s actually a true fact. When our brain hears the word “but” it focuses on what comes next and almost forgets about the first part of the sentence. Let’s look at a...Read More

This week we want to focus on the power of “yet”. This small word has a powerful impact larger than its three letters would lead you to believe. “Yet” has become linked with instilling hope and building a growth mindset which are very popular concepts in the psychology world and many other aspects of our...Read More

There is an interesting trend that has been growing more and more common all around us: the phrase, “I feel like…” to describe any number of things. For instance, “I feel like a burger”, “I feel like things are going downhill”, “I feel like Jane doesn’t like me”, and “I feel like we should go...Read More

We use language every day in all aspects of our life, but rarely do we stop to think if the words we use and how we use them has any power over us. The truth is words matter. They have incredible power over how we feel and how we experience the world. For instance, have...Read More

Today we are highlighting Solution Focused Therapy (SFT). SFT is a type of therapy that is very goal oriented, short term and focused in the present. This means that if you’re participating in SFT you will not be getting into events and memories from your childhood, or even getting caught up in the details of...Read More

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a growing area in psychotherapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) gets its name from one of its core messages: accept what is out of your personal control, and commit to action that improves and enriches your life (www.actmindfully.com). ACT uses a variety of skills, metaphors and exercises to aid in...Read More

Today, we are highlighting Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR is a trauma treatment option offered by three clinician’s in our office, Julie Sharpe, Natalie Gillis, Kim Medford, and Lee Ann Calabrese. When speaking about trauma treatment options, it’s important to define trauma; the CAMH defines trauma as “the lasting emotional response that often...Read More

There are so many therapeutic modalities available, it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. Over the next few weeks, we will take the time to highlight some to help you better understand which type of therapy/therapist you might be best suited to. This week we will highlight Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This is the most...Read More