INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY

Cognitive behavioural - Teaches how to identify, question, and alter unhelpful thoughts, assumptions, and beliefs to more effectively manage emotions, and guide behaviour.

Somatic-oriented - Typically integrated with another intervention listed here; uses exercises (e.g., awareness of physical sensation evoked in certain contexts combined with breath work, and/or gentle postural change), to help release pent-up tension that affects well-being.

Contemplative and mindfulness-informed - Fosters one-pointed, concentration and the ability to pay attention to what is arising in the moment, with an attitude of acceptance and allowing.

Acceptance and commitment-based - Emphasizes developing a new way of interacting with certain cognitions, feelings, and sensations that facilitates committed action to be taken in the direction of meaningful values identified.

Compassion-focused - Nurtures the development of self-soothing and supportive practices and balanced, internal states through the cultivation of warmth, kindness, empathy, and bravery.

Prolonged exposure - Aids people in gradually confronting disturbing memories, thoughts, feelings, sensations, and cues that have been avoided as a result of one or more distressing experiences.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing - Allows patients to bring upsetting stimuli and cues, to mind, while simultaneously taking part in bilateral stimulation (typically, eye movements, gentle, rhythmic tapping of the arms/thighs, or listening to an auditory sound) with the ultimate goal of reducing the intensity of hurtful mental information that continues to intrude as a result of harmful/hurtful past events.

NOTE: A) Each of the above are attuned to contextual factors (e.g., societal, circumstantial, racial, and ethnic disparities, etc.) that can underlie or exacerbate suffering as well as to complementary healing modalities that speak to you and/or are an inherent part of your culture (e.g., creative arts). B) Each can be Yoga-posture-enhanced if working with Dr. Pilgrim or any other professional working at the practice who has the appropriate quality and years of additional training in this area, and only when empirically-validated by the scientific literature. C) All work is decided upon in conjunction with your specific therapist and can be adjusted as the sessions proceed, according to changing requirements and/or preferences. Communication about process is ongoing, open, and caring, and we strive to be receptive to client feedback at all times.

SPECIFIC AREAS WE CAN HELP WITH USING ONE OR MORE OF THE ABOVE APPROACHES

Anxiety (i.e., generalized, illness-focused, social, panic) - Associated with varying intensities of uneasiness, from apprehension to terror.

Posttraumatic-Stress - Includes intrusive memories, hypervigilance for threat, avoidance, and heightened physiological reactivity following exposure to a major traumatic event.

Complex-Posttraumatic-Stress - Similar to above but develops following exposure to multiple traumatic situations often in childhood.

Depression - Characterized by a persistent feeling of deep sadness as well as a reduction in interest and motivation to do activities once enjoyed, and/or to experience pleasure.

Obsessive compulsive concerns - Associated with a series of unwanted, intrusive thoughts, and often, accompanied by repetitive behaviours acted out in an attempt to manage.

Burn-out - Manifests as a state of physical and/or emotional fatigue, along with a diminished sense of purpose and/or accomplishment and often, a loss of individual identity.

Low self-esteem - Involves having a negative overall opinion of one’s physical appearance, personality, character, and/or abilities.

Interpersonal/relational concerns - Including feelings of discomfort, and/or difficulties navigating and coping with conflict or deviating viewpoints, in partnerships.

Life transitions - Relating to distress arising from experiences such as, divorce and separation, dealing with infidelity, starting University or a novel career path, ending of a friendship, relocating, adjusting to unfamiliar societal customs, etc.

Grief - Manifests as a pervasive emotional pain stemming from the mourning of a loss.

NOTE: The descriptors next to the conditions we aim to treat, are shortened and simplified here to provide some brief clarity about each.

ASSESSMENT

Evaluations - Including, clinical interviewing and psychometric testing, for the purposes of aiding an individual who is seeking a formal diagnosis for conditions including, mood and anxiety concerns, and/or personality-related disturbances.

NOTE: We do not offer formal evaluations for attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) or other comprehensive, neuropsychological testing at this time.

CONSULTATION

Appointments with mental health professionals - Are offered following the guidelines of the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO), to provide guidance and feedback on how to implement empirically-validated psychotherapeutic interventions and/or work within specific populations. It involves the provision of information, within a relationship between people of similar to equal status, generally based upon a limited amount of information that offers a point of view that is unbinding with respect to the subsequent professional behaviour of the individual receiving the feedback.

NOTE: This activity does not include the signing of official documents including, but not necessarily limited to, reports or case notes.

SUPERVISION

Sessions with University students and others in training - Who are working within this practice to become members of the profession of psychology. The objective is to help these persons develop the knowledge and skills necessary via, teaching, modelling, aid with problem solving, and evaluation, to meet the criteria, put forward by their own regulatory bodies, for licensure. NOTE: This will be offered around mid-2023.

GROUP INTERVENTIONS

Yoga-reinforced-cognitive-behavioural-therapy-for-generalized-anxiety - A 10-week program created by Dr. Pilgrim, incorporates the wisdom of contemplative, interoceptive, reflective, and somatic awareness practices such as, gentle postural movement, along with the gold-standard treatment which incorporates cognitive restructuring and behavioural experiments.

NOTE: This will be running January 11, 2024. For further information or to be placed on a contact list, click here!