Specializations

Edmonton Psychology Clinic

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy | CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychological treatment that has been shown to be effective for various issues, such as depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, relationship problems, and severe mental illnesses. Research indicates that CBT can significantly enhance functioning and quality of life. In many cases, CBT has been found to be as effective as, or even more effective than, other forms of therapy or medication.

CBT’s effectiveness is supported by both scientific research and clinical practice, making it a well-validated therapeutic approach. It stands out from many other psychological treatments due to its strong evidence base showing that its methods lead to real change.

It also involves efforts to change behavior patterns, which might include:

Identifying and reevaluating distorted thinking.
Understanding the behaviours and motivations of others.
Developing problem-solving skills for handling challenging situations.
Building self-confidence in one’s abilities.

It also involves efforts to change behavior patterns, which might include:

Facing fears rather than avoiding them.
Using role-playing to prepare for challenging social interactions.
Learning relaxation techniques to calm the mind and body.

CBT is founded on several core principles:

Psychological issues partly arise from faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking.
Psychological issues are also influenced by learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
People can learn healthier ways of coping with their psychological issues, which can alleviate symptoms and improve life effectiveness.

Not all CBT interventions use every strategy; rather, the therapist and client work together to understand the specific problem and tailor a treatment plan. CBT emphasizes empowering individuals by teaching them skills to change their own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This is often supported through exercises during sessions and homework assignments.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy | DBT

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a structured therapeutic approach designed to help individuals manage intense emotions and improve their relationships. It blends strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with additional techniques focused on Acceptance and Mindfulness.

In DBT, the “D” stands for “dialectical,” which means finding a balance between opposing ideas. This approach helps the individual avoid extreme viewpoints and work towards a more stable, effective therapy process. By combining acceptance of the individual’s current situation with a focus on making positive changes, DBT aims to achieve a balanced and holistic approach to therapy.

The “B” in DBT stands for “behavioral,” indicating a focus on specific behaviors that affect a client’s goals and well-being. DBT assesses these behaviors and targets them to help clients solve problems and make meaningful changes in their lives.

Core Skills in DBT

DBT teaches four essential skills to help clients handle difficult situations and emotions more effectively:

Mindfulness: The practice of being fully aware and present in the moment.
Distress Tolerance: Learning to endure and cope with pain without trying to change it.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communicating in a way that meets your needs while maintaining respect for yourself and your relationships.
Emotion Regulation: Managing and changing emotions that are overwhelming or disruptive.

DBT is evidence-based, meaning it is supported by scientific research and has been shown to be effective in helping people improve their lives.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing | EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy approach designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories and other distressing life experiences. EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for a wide range of psychological issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and phobias. The therapy aims to help individuals process and integrate these distressing experiences, reducing their emotional impact and improving overall mental health.

The core of EMDR therapy involves the use of bilateral stimulation, which often includes guided eye movements, but can also involve other forms of rhythmic stimulation such as tapping or auditory tones. This process helps the brain to reprocess traumatic memories, allowing the individual to see them in a less distressing way and integrate them more adaptively.

EMDR therapy is based on several key principles:

Distressing experiences can become “frozen” in the brain, preventing natural healing processes.
These unprocessed memories and associated stimuli can trigger distressing emotions and reactions in the present.
EMDR facilitates the reprocessing of these memories, helping to alleviate their negative emotional charge and impact.

EMDR therapy is based on several key principles:

Distressing experiences can become “frozen” in the brain, preventing natural healing processes.
These unprocessed memories and associated stimuli can trigger distressing emotions and reactions in the present.
EMDR facilitates the reprocessing of these memories, helping to alleviate their negative emotional charge and impact.

A typical EMDR session involves several phases

1. History and Treatment Planning

The therapist gathers detailed information about the client’s history and current issues to develop a treatment plan.

2. Preparation

The therapist explains the EMDR process and helps the client develop resources for managing emotional distress, such as relaxation techniques.

3. Assessment

The client identifies a specific distressing memory to work on and describes the associated visual image, negative beliefs, and physical sensations.

4. Desensitization

The therapist guides the client through sets of bilateral stimulation while they focus on the distressing memory. This helps the memory become less emotionally charged.

5. Installation

The therapist helps the client replace negative beliefs associated with the memory with positive beliefs.

6. Body Scan

The therapist checks if any physical discomfort remains related to the memory and addresses it if necessary.

7. Closure

The therapist ensures the client feels stable and safe at the end of the session.

8. Reevaluation

The therapist reviews the client’s progress in subsequent sessions and determines if further processing is needed.

EMDR

EMDR is distinctive because it does not require clients to talk in detail about their trauma or do homework between sessions. The therapy focuses on rapidly processing and resolving the disturbing memories that are still influencing the client. This method is supported by extensive research and is considered a best practice for treating trauma-related disorders by numerous mental health organizations worldwide.

EMDR empowers individuals by helping them heal from their past experiences and move forward with a healthier, more adaptive perspective.

Self-Compassion

“Being cut off from our own natural self-compassion is one of the greatest impairments we can suffer. Along with our ability to feel our own pain go our best hopes for healing, dignity and love. What seems nonadapative and self-harming in the present was, at some point in our lives, an adaptation to help us endure what we then had to go through. If people are addicted to self-soothing behaviours, it’s only because in their formative years they did not receive the soothing they needed. Such understanding helps delete toxic self-judgment on the past and supports responsibility for the now. Hence the need for compassionate self-inquiry.” – Gabor Mate

Embrace Self-Compassion

In today’s fast-paced world, we often overlook the importance of treating ourselves with the same care and understanding that we offer to others. As Gabor Maté emphasizes, self-compassion is crucial for healing and personal growth, and it involves recognizing our own needs and vulnerabilities without judgment. By embracing this approach, we can better manage stress, build emotional resilience, and foster a more compassionate relationship with ourselves.

When individuals see the therapeutic relationship as a safe and supportive space, compassion and curiosity enable them to confront and explore past traumas, uncover internalized beliefs, and process suppressed emotions. This approach is essential to the healing journey.

Through Compassionate Inquiry, individuals can uncover their underlying consciousness, mental patterns, hidden assumptions, implicit memories, and bodily states that shape and sometimes obscure their true messages. As we release these old narratives, a new way of being emerges, leading to spontaneity, choice, and freedom.

Somatic Experiencing

"I believe not only that trauma is curable, but that the healing process can be a catalyst for profound awakening." - Peter Levine.

Evolution has equipped humans with natural mechanisms to handle trauma as it occurs, but societal conditioning often suppresses these instinctual responses. Consequently, trauma energy is stored in the body, manifesting as unexplained physical ailments, emotional challenges, and psychological barriers. The effects of emotional neglect can leave deep-seated impacts on the body. Utilizing body-focused therapies, such as Somatic Experiencing, facilitates deep healing by releasing stored trauma and creating space for new experiences of safety and connection. By identifying where unresolved distress is stored, becoming more aware of the body’s physiological responses to danger, and practicing specific techniques to release trauma, individuals can address unexplained symptoms at their root. This process helps restore the body’s innate wisdom, fosters a sense of strength, and reconnects individuals to their inherent vitality.

Edmonton Psychology Clinic