Finding the right therapist in Vaughan and York region cities such as Concord, Maple, Woodbridge, Kleinberg, Markham, New Market, Richmond Hill can be hard, but we can help! For Individual, children family and couples counselling! We value finding good matches for a client and giving clients knowledge about mental health, which is why we post weekly blogs about mental health.
Read MoreEmotion reactivity refers to long and intense emotions after certain situations. One with high emotional reactivity is not managing their emotions well – they are unable to recognize and understand if their emotional response is appropriate for the situation. There is emotional dysregulation, as their unable to maintain their emotions (Shapero, Abramson, & Alloy, 2016).
Read MoreBody Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) typically develops during adolescence. BDD is when one cannot help but think about this believed flaw in their physical appearance, this can be any part of the body but is commonly a facial feature, skin, or hair (Singh, & Veale, 2019), or an overall feeling of being unattractive (Philips, 2004). BDD occurs around the world and similarly affects people however, the beauty standard the person is trying to reflect differs between cultures.
Read MoreMindfulness is bringing awareness to oneself and the moment (Davis, & Hayes, 2011). There are different types of Mindfulness-Based Therapy; Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction involves exercises such as yoga and meditation where clients focus on their body and breathing. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy is like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) because it focuses on thoughts but instead of changing the thoughts, it is accepted, similar to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), as ACT is also about acknowledging thoughts and emotions and finding peace with it (Pratikta, 2020). Mindfulness, CBT, and ACT are all modalities’ therapists at Vaughan Counselling and Psychotherapy Inc. are familiar with.
Read MoreSocial anxiety is the fear of situation where other people are present (Jefferson, 2001). There is general social anxiety, all social situations cause anxiety and non-general social anxiety, a specific type of social situation causes anxiety to a person (“Social Anxiety/Phobia,” 2019). The fear comes from the idea that others are judging and that they may embarrass themselves (Jefferson, 2001). The reason for social anxiety can be said to be evolutionary, to not misbehave in a way that will get you kicked out of the group (Jefferies, & Ungar, 2020), brain activity, family history of anxiety, or an experience such as being bullied for the way one had socialized (“Social Anxiety/Phobia,” 2019).
Read MoreA cognitive distortion is an automatic thought, which is fast and does not give one time to consider logic, causing inaccuracies (Rosenfield, 2004). There are different types of cognitive dissociations.
Read MoreIn this video, Gauri, a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) from Vaughan Counselling and Psychotherapy Inc. gives quick tips on grounding oneself during a panic attack. We will look into panic disorder, a type of anxiety disorder, and how therapy can help long term.
Read MoreGratitude is the appreciation for experiences, relationships, deeds, and so forth. People have felt thankful before, but the idea we will be exploring is practicing gratitude where one consciously decides to be grateful (Ackerman, 2021). There are many ways to practice being grateful, sitting in a quiet place and thinking about what you are thankful for, writing thank you notes (whether you send it or not), or journaling, but in this post, the focus will be on journaling (“Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier,” 2021).
Read MoreSelf-esteem is not static, there are high and low moments for everyone, but the average is what we will be referring to in this discussion. Self-esteem is how one thinks about themselves and if they think of themselves as valuable, and worth respect from themselves and others. The therapists at Vaughan Counselling and Psychotherapy, promote the idea that everybody is valuable and deserve respect, no one person is better than the other (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2020).
Read MoreCommunication is vital in relationships. Communication allows parties to express themselves and show vulnerability which builds trust and understanding of one another.
Many forms of communication can hurt a relationship such as responding passively, using sarcasm, insults disguised as jokes, putting blame, creating a sense of power dynamic, being loud, or being silent and avoiding conversation. Instead, one should take a minute, to calm down, collect their thoughts, go over the compromise they are willing to make and what limit they will not pass.
Read MoreEmotions drive our actions and thoughts (“Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT),” n.d.), as a result that affect our experiences and relationship. The reaction to emotions is learned from others, based on a previous memory, or based on the lack of identification and acceptance of emotions. Some behaviours based on emotions can be helpful or harmful (“Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT),” n.d.). EFT comes into play, EFT attempt to retrain negative reaction patterns (“What is Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT),” n.d.).
Read MoreRichard Schwartz came up with the concept of the Internal Family System (IFS). Through multiple sessions with clients, Schwartz recognized that clients had subparts to them. These subparts have characteristics and relationships with other subparts, creating an internal family system.
Read MoreLife coach is a trained wellness professional who assists people to identify their goals, recognize barriers holding them back, and then come up with strategies to help overcome those barriers. Grant & Greene, (2001) describes life coaching as a collaborative relationship – which is formed between the client and the coach for the purpose of achieving personal development outcomes. The description of personal goals is set to the extent of an individual’s current capacities. Life coaching is dialogue-based but action-oriented. That is, it involves both talking and doing. – the coach plays the role of the facilitator and helps the client develop and implement solutions to the ongoing challenges faced during goal striving. The life coach works with the client by developing solutions to the issues and promoting optimal functioning.
Read MoreNaturopathic emphasizes no-drug based treatments that include self-care, preventive behaviors, dietary nutrition, and physical activity. It is a primary health care profession, prioritizing prevention, treatment, and optimal health. The doctors use methods that encourage clients in the self-healing process by incorporating counseling, biofeedback, and other mind-body techniques. Naturopathic treatment for mental health helps individuals with long-term relief from their mental health issues. It is an alternative to traditional treatment that allows for lasting success where the client works with the doctor and is given a fully personalized treatment plan.
Read MoreIndividuals are often surrounded by various messages and feedback from different sources like the workplace, family, and friends that impact the way they feel about their physical appearance. For some, poor body image is a sign of a serious problem: an eating disorder, defined as disorders in which there is excessive concern with the control of body weight and shape, accompanied by inadequate, irregular, or chaotic food intake.
Read MoreMental health and well-being are the key to the quality of life for every individual. More so, in today’s world, with these unprecedented times, the pandemic has disrupted the lifestyle of individuals and has left a lot of them struggling mentally, socially, physically, emotionally, and intellectually.
Read MoreBorderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition that influences the manner in which one thinks and feels about oneself and others, leading to problems in the functioning of day to day life. It includes self-image issues, difficulty in managing emotions and behaviour, and a pattern of unstable relationships.
Read MoreA method that focuses on the tissue, fluid, membranes and central nervous system to help in enhancing the health of the whole body is known as Craniosacral therapy.
It is a gentle yet powerful approach to health care. The illness in the body is identified due to the weakness of the rhythmic impulses brought on by the cerebrospinal fluid in the cranium and sacrum. Health and balance of the body can be restored by soft and tender touches and a little manipulation of the cranium and sacrum.
Read MoreGrief can be defined as the normal process of reacting to a loss. The loss may be physical such as a death, or social such as divorce, or occupational, such as a job. Emotional reactions of grief can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness, and despair. Losing someone can leave a void nothing can fill.
Read MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a term we have heard many times. Ever wondered, what goes on in the mind of the people who have it? Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to compulsive behaviours. OCD revolves around ideas like the fear of germs or to do things and arrange items in a particular way.
Read More
