What is Psychotherapy?

By Candice Chiu, M.Ed Counselling and Psychotherapy, RP {Qualifying} | September 26th

Psychotherapy is a form of mental health treatment typically conducted by talking with a professional about emotional or cognitive distress. These conversations can be in a group setting or one-on-one. While most types of psychotherapy involve talking, other modes of communication include art therapy and expressive arts therapy. No matter the mode, the goal of psychotherapy is to help relieve the mental suffering of the individual seeking it.

Most therapy sessions last between one to two hours. During that time, you might discuss important life updates, how you’ve been since the last appointment, your progress towards your goals so far, painful emotions, thoughts, and situations and how to cope with these experiences. This list is not exhaustive, but a brief snapshot of some common topics one may discuss with their therapist.

What to expect from your first therapy or counselling session

Initial psychotherapy sessions typically involve a lot of information gathering so that the therapist can have a solid understanding of who they are working with and how to best help them.

In your first therapy session, you can expect your therapist to ask questions about you, your mental health history, your relationships, any past trauma you’ve experienced, and more.

If providing this amount of information to someone you just met seems daunting, you’re not alone! Most therapists will be empathic and understanding if you share that you’re nervous about opening up. In fact, it’s helpful if you share your feelings about being nervous, so that your therapist can adjust the way they ask questions and slow the pace of your session if needed. Some therapists may even have tools or techniques to offer you right away in your first session.

You’ll gain the most from therapy if these 3 things line up

What do you think are the most important things to look for in a therapist?

You may be thinking of years of experience, credentials, and certain types of therapy techniques. These professional qualifications are important considerations, but research has shown that the most common predictor of treatment effectiveness is the “therapeutic alliance”.

The therapeutic alliance is comprised of three pieces: goals, tasks, and bond.

Goals are what you hope to gain from therapy. Some goals may be broad, such as being happier or having better relationships. Other goals may be more specific like coping with a phobia of spiders. Whether broad or specific, if you and your therapist agree on what goals you’re working towards, this helps to strengthen the therapeutic alliance.
Tasks are what you and your therapist do in your sessions to work towards your goals. Some examples of tasks include processing emotions, understanding the links between your feelings, thoughts and behaviours, or practicing mindfulness skills. It’s important that you and your therapist both agree on how you spend your time during your session as this contributes to the therapeutic alliance.
Bond refers to the emotional feeling of trust between you and your therapist. If you feel that your therapist understands your distress, empathizes with your pain, and is non-judgmental, then you likely have a strong therapeutic bond and this contributes positively to the therapeutic alliance.

Do you have any other questions about what psychotherapy sessions are like? Give us a call or send us an email, we would love to talk more.

Understanding the Cycle of Anxiety

June 19th

Understanding the Cycle of Anxiety

By Stephanie Kolaski (Bowen), RP, PMH-C

Anxiety is a common mental health issue that affects millions of people worldwide. It often manifests as a cycle of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that can feel overwhelming and difficult to break.

One key component of this cycle is rumination, a pattern of repetitive, unhelpful thinking that can increase anxiety symptoms.

In this blog post, we'll explore the cognitive and behavioural cycle of anxiety, with a specific focus on the role of rumination.

What is Trauma?

November 29th

What is Trauma?

By Candice Chiu, M.Ed Counselling and Psychotherapy, RP {Qualifying}

What pops into your mind when you hear the word trauma?

Perhaps you see a violent battlefield during wartime. Or you may be visualizing a major plane crash. Maybe it’s a weapon being pointed directly at you.

If you saw one of the above or anything similar, you’re not alone. Most people think of trauma as a life-threatening experience. These dangerous situations can definitely be traumatic for many. However, if you ask most mental health professionals, they will define trauma differently. Dr. Gabor Maté, a leading specialist in the field of trauma and addiction, says that trauma is, “not what happened to you; it is what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you”. In other words, trauma is not a situation, but an internal experience.

Six Ways to Regulate

August 16th

Six Ways to Regulate

By Kat Giles BSW, MSW, RSW

In this series, Who Are You Emotions, we have looked at externalizing emotions and understanding what they are communicating to us. Throughout this series you have seen me refer to The Three Rs – Recognize, Regulate, Respond. Let’s look a little closer at the last of the Rs – Regulate.

Who Are You Guilt?

April 18th

Who Are You Guilt?

By Kat Giles BSW, MSW, RSW

I remember a time when I lied to my mom.

It was years ago, and I don’t remember exactly what I lied about, but I do remember lying in my bed with the feeling of guilt overwhelming me, keeping me awake. Unable to sleep, I slowly walked downstairs to confess what I had done.

A lot of us have an experience of guilt overwhelming us. Like my story above, we often don’t recall the exact events, but we clearly remember the emotions and feelings we experienced around the event. Like our other blogs in this series, let’s look at ways to recognize, regulate and respond to this emotion when we do experience it.