APPROACH
THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
Kate’s general approach to therapy draws from three approaches:
Client-Centered therapy,
Cognitive-Behavioural therapy, and
Solution Focused therapy.
She also has specialized training for seeing children, couples, and individuals who have experienced trauma.
Above all, Kate works collaboratively with clients to find the best approach that works for you.
COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL
“As you think, so you become.....Our busy minds are forever jumping to conclusions, manufacturing and interpreting signs that aren't there.” (Epictetus)
-
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most evidence-based model of therapy with lots of research to support its effectiveness for a wide range of presenting concerns. CBT has cognitive and behavioural components. The cognitive component looks at how self-talk and thoughts affect feelings. The behavioural component looks at ways of directly modifying unhealthy, maladaptive behaviours.
-
I will help you recognize patterns and traps in your thinking and unhelpful behaviours. I will also help you recognize how these patterns developed over time so that you can make different choices in the future.
CLIENT-CENTERED
"When I look at the world I'm pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic."
“The good life is a process, not a state of being.” (Carl Rogers)
-
Client-centered therapy stresses the importance of therapist empathy and acceptance of the client as a person. Under these conditions, clients are able to self-actualize and reach their potentials.
-
I believe that a safe, caring environment is needed to help clients explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and strive to meet their potentials. Underneath all of the techniques and ideas, a strong, accepting, and safe therapeutic relationship is the key for change.
SOLUTION FOCUSED
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” (Vincent Van Gogh)
Solution-focused therapy recognizes the strengths and resources that clients bring to the session.
I adopt this positive, strength-based focus by considering:
- What has worked? What hasn’t? How have you coped so far? What are your strengths? What are your goals and hopes?
- The client is the expert on his/her self, the therapist is the expert on counselling, psychology technique
- Counseling is a collaborative process
- The more clearly we identify our goals, the more likely we are to reach them; we can also build on our strengths and past successes
SPECIALTY TRAINING
PLAY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN
Play therapy is the systematic use of play to help children and families alleviate distress and improve functioning. A variety of mediums are used depending on the age and interest of the child (e.g., art, sandplay, dress-up, music).
Children do not have the verbal and cognitive skills for “talk therapy.” Whereas adults are able to talk directly at length about their problems and goals, children communicate through play. Play is the language of the child.
EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR) FOR TRAUMA
EMDR is a holistic approach to addressing past trauma. Past trauma may be big “T” Trauma (such as being in a car accident or some other threat to one’s wellbeing) or little “t” trauma (such as an embarrassing moment during childhood). Regardless of the magnitude of the trauma, all trauma molds and shapes who we are. Sometimes, we naturally resolve and work through these issues. Other times, these past experiences get “locked” in the nervous system in a way that leaves us continuing to feel distressed (e.g., flashbacks of the event, lingering feelings of reduced self-esteem).
EMDR systematically helps you reprocess these experiences so that they no longer impair your functioning. You simultaneously reprocess selected past events while the therapist adds bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movements, tapping). The bilateral stimulation helps the nervous system naturally reprocess and work through the experience, much like eye movements during REM sleep.