PROFESSIONAL APPROACH
A LOOK AHEAD TO YOUR COUNSELLING SESSION
I engage in counselling sessions from a Client Centred perspective. This method was developed by Carl Rogers, and is also known as Person Centred counselling.
My role in a counselling session is to hear your story and gain insight into your point of view. I work toward seeing the world as you see it, understanding your values and discovering what changes you would like to make. Whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, dealing with a loss or facing any other personal struggle, I seek to view the world through your personal lens.
This is done without judgement, as YOU are the expert on YOUR life. You know your areas of comfort and discomfort, along with all of the subtleties that make you who your are. Deep down, you know which pieces fit, and which ones don’t. While I will encourage and support change, I won’t push you in any way. You determine both the pace and direction of any changes that you make.
For those who are new to the counselling experience, these may be your first steps on the road to self-discovery. For the moment, you may choose to stay as you are. This too will be received without judgement.
Acceptance is also a key philosophical concept that guides my counselling practice. While our first instinct (usually) is to move away from an uncomfortable or painful circumstance, acceptance of where we are, at any given moment, can be a valuable first step in our healing process. Being aware that we are surviving our pain helps us to get our “feet back on the ground” and we no longer feel totally lost. In this way, acceptance has a calming effect that prepares us to make the changes we desire.
HOW DO I ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT CHANGE?
While I work primarily from the Client Centred perspective, I utilize tools from a number of therapeutic disciplines.
I highly value the teachings of Alfred Adler. Among his many contributions, his concept of “Family Constellations” provides great insight into how we each developed our particular view of the world. Adler described how one’s role in our family (usually determined by birth order) develops how each of us interacts with others, and ultimately what behaviours and roles we will choose in the world at large.
Adler also recognized the impact society has on our personal development, and viewed our emotional issues as the product of both blatant and subtle discouragement that we are exposed to in our families and by society as a whole. Therefore, it is my opinion that while Alfred Adler trained as a physician and psychiatrist, he was perhaps the world’s first Social Worker.
In addition to the Client Centred and Adlerian perspectives, where appropriate, I utilize techniques from other disciplines, including Gestalt Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
WHO DO I WORK WITH?
I work primarily with male clients who are 45 years of age and older who are suffering from anxiety and depression. While we sometimes hear in the media the extreme consequences of anxiety and depression in teenagers, males in the 45 to 65 year age range are 25% more likely to take extreme measures in their struggle with these conditions.
Sadly, we live in a world where men are expected be “strong” and fully self-sufficient. It can therefore be challenging for men to reach out to others when our struggles overwhelm us. Through the co-operative and collaborative approach of Client Centred Counselling, I offer a path to the insight needed to see one’s struggles in a new light, and examine options that will lead to a new experience of life. Contentment, happiness and even joy can be found when one is open to exploring alternatives.
I also offer my services to adult men and women who are not in the age range noted above. While my focus remains on working with those suffering from anxiety and depression, I do not turn away those who have other struggles. There is often an overlap of emotions that make it difficult to identify the true nature of what appears on the surface. For example, one who’s overriding emotion is anger may also have an underlying issue of depression or anxiety.
Therefore, if you explore my website (or perhaps read my blogs) and find something that resonates with you, I encourage you to book a free 30 minute Initial Consultation where we can discuss the general nature of your concerns and determine whether or not we would like to work together. If I do not believe I would be the best fit to meet your needs, I will happily refer you to another counsellor from my network whom I feel would be better suited to serve you. I also offer referrals for those who are under the age of 19.
If you are seeking a Beacon of Light to guide you through the storm
please click the “Contact” button, below.
I look forward to working with you!
I am a member in Good Standing with the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA). As a registered practitioner (#3664) I follow the Code of Ethics and guidelines that govern all members. Additional information can be found at the CPCA website: https://www.cpca-rpc.ca/