Counselling and Therapy
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Does Your Child Have..
Does your child have any of the following:
Gets fearful or worried about leaving the home, e.g. school or activities?
Require a lot of reassurance to calm down?
Fears that are so extreme, that it gets in the way of life?
Introduction
Dylan is afraid of the dark. Tricia hates to eat in front of other people. Eric becomes sick to his stomach and throws up if he has to speak aloud in class.
Life is stressful. It is normal to have fears and worries. Being worried about things can help us prepare for potential dangers. E.g. being worried about failing a test ...
Introduction
Do you have problems with anxiety, depression or sleep problems? Interested in trying a musical intervention?
If so, then consider bilateral music.
Music and the Brain
Music exists in all human cultures. Modern research confirms that music has powerful effects on the nervous system.
Listening to music is a popular pastime for many people. Many people also find music helpful as a coping strategy. In music therapy, a therapist uses music to help people with various issues.
Music stimulates many areas in the brain, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens and the mesolimbic dopamine system. Studies show that in people ...
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
All of us have changes and swings in our mood which are normal. There are times when our mood is up, and we have more energy and excitement about things. There are other times when our moods are down, and we have less energy.
However, people with bipolar disorder have periods of extreme mood change that cause serious problems in their lives.
In the classic form of bipolar, people have episodes of depression and of mania, when their mood, energy, thinking and behaviour gets stuck for a period of time at a very low or a very high level. Hence the term, "bipolar", ...
Introduction
All humans are social, and one of our deepest needs is to attach, or feel connected to others. In fact, we can’t survive without others. When we’re young, our most important attachments are to parents and adult caregivers. As we get older, our attachments change to include friends and peers. In adulthood, it changes to focus on romantic partners.
Because one of our deepest needs is to attach, it is natural then, that one of our deepest fears is lack of attachment, or rejection, or abandonment.
Positives of being sensitive
Being sensitive may mean they can be very thoughtful and conscientious of other's feelings, which ...
J’s Story
J has had a tough life. Her parents fought constantly, and her father left when she was young. Growing up, she was bullied in school. She tried talking about her problems, but despite seeing many therapists, it never seemed to help. Now in her 30’s, she had another crisis with a breakup of a relationship, and saw another counsellor. Instead of talk therapy however, this counsellor is suggesting she try “brainspotting.”
J. isn’t sure if she should try it or not…
Quote
“Where you look affects how you feel…” -- David Grand
What is Brainspotting Therapy?
Brainspotting Therapy (BSP) is a brain-body based therapy ...
What is Bullying?
Bullying is a form of aggression in which one individual is exposed to deliberately harmful actions by a more aggressive person. Bullying can be physical (e.g., hitting, pushing, tripping), verbal (e.g., name-calling, insults, put-downs), social (e.g., social isolation, rumours) or cyber (e.g., threats or insults spread through the internet or cell phone).
It is also possible for the same child to be both a bully and a victim. There are also "provocative victims" (a term coined by Olweus, 2001) who display negative behaviours that annoy bullies and lead them to take action.
School bullies ...
What is Depression?
Everyone has times when they feel the ‘blues' or when they get sad from time to time. Depression, on the other hand, is a sadness so severe that it can cause:
Difficulties functioning at home, work or school
Changes in sleep, energy, appetite and concentration,
Feelings such as sadness, anxiety, irritability or anger,
Low self-esteem or feelings of hopelessness. When extremely severe, people who are depressed may have thoughts of hurting themselves.
How Common is Depression?
Depression is a common condition that can affect anyone at any age. In any given year, it is estimated that it ...
What is Depression?
It is normal for children and youth to feel sad from time to time. But this sadness doesn’t stop them from going on with their everyday activities. And it goes away on its own. Depression, on the other hand, is a sadness so severe that it interferes with everyday life.
Typical symptoms of depression (aka clinical depression, or major depressive disorder) are:
Feeling sad, worried, irritable or angry.
Lack of enjoyment in life, or troubles enjoying anything
Feeling hopeless and worthless, Troubles coping with everyday activities at home, school, or work
Problems ...
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy developed to help people regulate their emotions. It was first developed for those with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, but it turns out that DBT is helpful for a wide range of conditions.
In DBT, people how to handle intense emotions through various skills such as:
Mindfulness; Interpersonal effectiveness; Distress tolerance; Emotional regulation.
Key DBT Skills
Mindfulness
People can become “stuck” in their intense and distressing emotions, “I feel terrible; I’m such a bad person for feeling this way.”
Mindfulness meditation can help a ...
Mary's Story
Mary is 30-years old. She lives on her own, and does not have any contact with her family. She has no memory of her childhood at all. She is a gentle person, and works in an office. Sometimes she meets people who say that they know her, however she has no recollection of having met them. What is going on with Mary?
Could I have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
Do you notice any of the following?
A feeling that your sense of self has two or more distinct parts, and that each of those parts has its own behaviours, moods, thoughts, memories, and way of understanding the world
That sometimes you don’t ...
Introduction
Interestingly, most (if not all) human societies have societal practices such as drumming, singing or dancing to a beat.
In indigenous society, drums are sacred, representing the heartbeat of people, animals and Mother Earth herself.
Many of us may still be able to remember how we sang, dance or clapped in preschool or kindergarten.
Modern understanding of neuroscience is now confirming what many people intuitively know. That there are brain benefits from many of these traditional activities.
Singing, dancing and clapping in synchrony with others is not simply fun. Such rhythmic movement activities in preschool can support the ...
Introduction
Your child was not born knowing how to control feelings or calm down and needs to learn this from you. You are your child’s first and most important teacher. A loving relationship with your child is the best way you can help them learn to deal with difficult feelings.
Unpleasant Feelings that Your Child May Have
Anger
Anger is a common feeling, and temper tantrums are normal in young children. They are your child’s way of letting you know that they feel angry, upset or frustrated. Try to find out what is bothering your child and respond differently depending on what is wrong.
If your child is ...
J's Story
J. is a twenty-something who struggles with a fear of vomiting. She remembers the day it started in Gr. 9. She had been sick with the flu and ended up throwing up in class. Since then, her fears of vomiting have been getting gradually worse. She is able to go to her work but other than that, she is not able to leave home. She wishes so badly that she could just go out like others…
What is the Fear of Vomiting (Emetophobia)?
It is normal to dislike the thought of vomiting and in fact, having just enough fear of vomiting can be helpful.
It encourages one to 1) stay away from people who may be sick, and 2) take measures to avoid ...
Introduction
At some point, we all face the loss or death of a loved one. This is a difficult experience for a person of any age, but is particularly hard for young people. Adults may be uncertain on how to respond to the needs of children during this time. They might be overwhelmed with their own grief or have questions about how to explain such a difficult concept in ways that children can understand. Even when adults respond the best that they can, a child may still be overwhelmed by grief issues.
This article describes how children are affected by grief and bereavement, and what family and friends can do to support a ...
D’s Story
D. is a young adult having problems with stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, she lives in a rural area, and there is no easy access to a mental health professional. She does an internet search on online help, but is overwhelmed by the number of websites that pop up. She decides to see her family physician to asks what apps she might recommend...
Apps
There is a growing number of apps for mental health but it can be challenging to know which ones are reputable, safe and effective. Only a tiny percentage are associated with credible healthcare organizations. On one hand, there are good apps that may be helpful. On the other hand, ...
What is Mental Health?
Mental health (like our physical health) is a resource for living. It allows us to learn, work, play and find enjoyment in life. It helps us through tough times.
From a child or teen’s point of view, mental health means things such as…
I feel like I have things to live forI feel hopeful and good about the futureI like myselfI’m satisfied, content or happy with lifeI feel that people care about meI feel in control of my life
What is Mental Illness?
People have mental health problems or mental illnesses when problems with thoughts, feelings or behaviours get in the way of functioning at home, school or ...
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness means paying attention to what’s happening right now. When you practice mindfulness, you turn your attention to your thoughts, emotions and body sensations in the present moment. While doing this, you do your best to accept what you’re experiencing without labelling it as ‘good,’ ‘bad,’ or anything else. This can help you feel calmer and cope better with stress and frustration.
Mindfulness includes ‘formal mindfulness’ such as doing meditation or yoga. Mindfulness also includes anything we do where we are focused on the present, such as going for a walk, cleaning, or having a meal. ...
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness means paying attention to what’s happening right now. When you practice mindfulness, you turn your attention to your thoughts, emotions, body sensations and experience in the present moment. While doing this, you do your best to accept what happens, without labelling it as ‘good’, ‘bad’, or anything else. This can help you feel calmer and respond in more helpful ways.
How can I be a more mindful parent?
It’s not always easy to keep our minds in the present moment. Our attention often gets pulled away by many things. So we end up not giving our full attention to what ...
Does Any of the Following Apply:
Does the person have any of the following:
An interest in music?Difficulties with Emotions and self-regulation? Communication, social, cognitive, and physical skills? Troubles with stress, anxiety and depression?
If so, then read on to learn more about music therapy.
Introduction
Music is an essential part of all societies.
Most people enjoy making and/or listening to music.
Research confirms that making or listening to music has many positive benefits for health.
Studies have shown that piano training for 1-hr a week for 11-weeks can show measurable improvements in depression, anxiety and stress, as ...
What is Neurofeedback?
Our brains consist of billions of neurons that use electricity to communicate with each other. When our synapses are firing, they create electrical activity that can be measured as “brain waves”.
In many conditions, our brain waves are disrupted and not functioning properly. Thus we can have too many of some types of brain waves or not enough of others.
Neurofeedback is a type of therapy that can help individuals to better control their brain waves, which may thus be helpful for various brain conditions.
What is the Evidence for Neurofeedback?
Evidence suggests that ...
Penny’s Story, Part 1
Penny has always been a bit of a worrier, but now she’s started having periods “out of the blue” where she feels suddenly anxious, along with shortness of breath, feeling sweaty. The periods are so severe, that it feels like she’s having a heart attack. Worried that she might be having a heart attack, she goes to the Emergency Department at her local hospital. Good news, she finds out it's not a panic attack. But the bad news is that she keeps on having these attacks, and just doesn’t know what to do. What advice would you give Penny?
What are Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear ...
D’s Story
D. is a 50-year paramedic. After years of exposure to difficult, traumatic situations, he developed PTSD. He has tried various treatments, but none appear helpful. One of his colleagues suggests he try using magic mushrooms.
Introduction
Psychedelics (also known as hallucinogens) are a class of psychoactive substances that produce changes in sensory perception, sense of time, emotions and thinking.
Typical effects include
Euphoria, and a sense of relaxation and wellbeing;Hallucinations such as seeing and hearing things that others cannot.
Some people experience these as pleasant and, as a result, will use psychedelics on a ...
Introduction
When a person has trouble with their feelings, behaviours, learning or function, it may be helpful to see a psychologist for an assessment. Psychologists can do different types of assessments, such a psychological assessment, psychoeducational assessment, and neuropsychological assessment.
Psychological Assessment
When might this be helpful?
Are there troubles with feelings (e.g. depression, anxiety, anger)?
Are there troubles with behaviours (e.g. making unhealthy choices)?
Are there troubles coping with stresses?
What is it?
A psychological assessment is where one meets with a ...
Introduction
In our lives, we have many relationships, and all of these make a difference to our mental health. When our relationships go well, it helps our mental health. When we have problems with our relationships, it can cause stress and problems for our mental health.
Perhaps the most important relationship in our lives is our romantic relationship, i.e. the one that we have with our spouse, partner, husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend...
The following advice about our primary romantic relationship comes from the Gottman Institute, which is dedicated to the study of marital relationships -- what makes them, ...
What is Seasonal Depression?
"I used to really hate the winters. I'd get sad and start crying for no reason. I'd just hibernate - stop going out, sleep all the time, and couldn't stop eating carbs, and I'd gain ten pounds every winter. And then I realized that really what I had was winter depression."
Seasonal affective disorder (aka SAD, season depression or winter depression in North America) is a type of depression that occurs in the fall/winter months. It usually begins in late fall or early winter and goes away by summer, and is felt to be due to the seasonal lack of sunlight.
But doesn't everyone get a little ...
“She won't speak to anyone…”
Fatima is a 7 year old girl who plays soccer with her brothers and talks excitedly about her favorite World Cup team. Yet, at recess time, she stands alone watching the other kids play soccer and doesn’t speak when her classmates ask her if she wants to play. And despite the school year being half over, she has not spoken a single word in her classroom.
Fatima's parents have tried everything to get her to talk. They've tried talking to her about her feelings, and asking if she's been bullied. They've tried positive consequences such as rewards for being able to speak. They've tried punishing her for not ...
Mary's Story
Mary is a 14-yo teenager who has always been somewhat quiet and shy, so her mother was surprised when she found out that Mary started dating a boy this school year. But lately, Mary's been a lot moodier than usual. And just the other day, Mary's mother caught a glimpse of Mary's forearms and saw that they had scratches and cuts all over them. Like most parents would feel in such a situation, Mary's mother felt suddenly scared and confused, and thought to herself "This is terrible! I've no idea how to deal with this! What am I supposed to do!"
What is Self-Harm?
Self-harm is the deliberate attempt to harm oneself and in most ...
What is the Secret to Happiness and Mental Wellness?
Everyone wants to be happy, i.e. have mental wellness, the state of well-being where we feel contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure or joy. Throughout history, people have struggled to find the secret to happiness.
Mental wellness can be defined as the “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, and is able to make a contribution to her or his own community” (Health Canada, 2014).
But simply living a life of pleasure is not enough to lead to a life of happiness. A ...
Introduction
It's the adult who has never dated because he's too shy to talk to members of the opposite sex. It's the quiet employee who is under-appreciated by his co-workers and underpaid by his company. It's that great, funny person that you know, but who suffers from loneliness because s/he is too shy unless around close friends and relatives...
Do I have Social Anxiety Disorder?
Do you have any of the following?
Significant and persistent fears of social or performance situations in which embarrassment, rejection, or scrutiny are possible.You either avoid such situations, or endure them with distress (e.g. having symptoms of anxiety)The ...
Introduction
It's the student who struggles at school because she's too afraid to ask questions in class. It's the teenager who suffers from loneliness from not having any friends because he's too shy to talk to anyone in school. It's shyness so severe that it gets in the way of life...
Shyness runs along a spectrum. It is normal for everyone to be shy at certain times. It is appropriate to be more shy in some situations than in others. Some cultures value shyness more than others, especially for children. Social anxiety disorder is more than just normal shyness - it is shyness so severe that it gets in the way of enjoying ...
(Original title "Learn About... Stress", from the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division)
Introduction
You have a major deadline coming up tomorrow and you still have a ton of work to do. Your child’s principal called; your child is being disruptive…again. You have 12 people coming over for dinner this weekend and you still have no idea what you’re going to make. On top of everything else, your mother isn’t feeling well but refuses to go to the doctor. Your muscles are feeling tense, you find yourself nervously tapping your feet as you sit at your desk. Your thoughts keep racing around in your ...
Introduction
If someone you love is sick, it can be scary. When they are sick with a mental health issue it can be especially scary. It can be hard to see someone you love in pain and it’s confusing when someone you know well is not acting like themselves. You know how you would take care of them if they had a cold or flu; but what do you do when their illness is a mental one? Just like if someone you love develops diabetes, someone with a mental illness needs extra love and support. You may not be able to see the illness, but it doesn’t mean that you’re powerless to help.
How do I know when to help?
Some signs that a ...
Introduction
Separation and divorce happens.
In North America, close to 40% of relationships eventually end up in separation or divorce within 15-years (Kreider et al., 2002; Department of Justice, 1997).
On one hand, separation and divorce can be extremely stressful for children and youth:
Lack of control: Their family, as they know it, is changing profoundly in so many ways, and they have no control over the situation.Blame, guilt and shame: In order to gain a sense of being in control, some children may blame themselves. Overwhelmed parents may also wrongly blame children when upset. Any of this is a massive burden for a child to take ...
What is TMS?
TMS is a treatment that directs magnetic energy pulses at specific parts of the brain that are involved in brain conditions such as depression.It is felt that in conditions such as depression, there is an imbalance in brain activity.Magnetic pulses pass painlessly through the skull, and stimulate brain cells, helping with ‘neuromodulation’, i.e. rebalancing healthy patterns of activity.TMS is a relatively new treatment compared to other treatments and requires special equipment. TMS is usually used when other usual treatments have been tried without success (e.g. talking therapy, medication or other ...
1. Keep in Touch With Your Mental Health Service Provider
Ask to be put on a cancellation list (if your provider has one). This gives you the possibility of being seen more quickly. If another family cancels an appointment, your service provider calls you to see if your child or teen can make the appointment time. If not, you can wait for the next availabale appointment. Make sure your provider has up to date contact information for you, including a number where you can be reached during the day.
Let your mental health service provider (or family doctor) know if your child or teen is getting worse. Your child’s place ...
What is a Working Animal?
Working animals help people in their day-to-day lives.
There are different types of working animals:
1. Service animal: A service animal, which is usually a dog, is an animal that has been trained to help a person with a physical disability, brain condition, and/or mental health challenge. Service dogs can be trained to help their handler with specific tasks so that their handler can be more independent in their day-to-day lives. Service dogs carry special protections in the law, e.g. they can have access to places that other animals are not allowed to access. Most service animals are dogs:Guide dogs: trained to ...