Individual Counselling
Our human journey is a life-long process of learning, development and self-discovery. It is a journey we navigate between ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’, between our sense of ourselves and our experience of the world around us. Our lives are often complex, and sometimes contradictory, so it is not surprising that we can get to a place where we wonder:
In the counselling process, I work with my clients to help them:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
EMDR is an adjunct to “talk therapy” which can be used to help clients deal with traumatic memories and deeply held negative beliefs about themselves, their value and their abilities. It can also be used to re-inforce and support new, positive beliefs which can enable clients to move toward their goals.
How was EMDR developed?
In 1987, psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro made the chance observation that eye movements can reduce the intensity of disturbing thought under certain conditions. Dr. Shapiro studied this effect scientifically and, in 1989, she reported success using EMDR to treat victims of trauma in the Journal of Traumatic Stress. Since then, EMDR has developed and evolved through the contributions of therapists and researches all over the world.
How does EMDR work?
No one knows exactly how EMDR works. However, we do know that when a person is very upset, their brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily. One moment becomes “frozen in time;” remembering a trauma may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells and feelings haven’t changed. Such memories have a lasting negative effect on the way a person sees the world and relates to other people that can interfere with his or her life.
EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain functions. Normal information processing is resumed, so that, following a successful EMDR session, the images, sounds and feelings no longer are relived when the event is brought to mind. What happened is still remembered, but it is less upsetting. Many types of therapy have similar goals. However, EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Therefore, EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.
What is the actual EMDR session like?
During EMDR, I work with the client to identify a specific problem to be the focus of the treatment session. The client calls to mind the disturbing issue or event: what was seen, felt, heard, thought, etc., and what thoughts and beliefs currently are held about that event. I then facilitate bilateral stimulation of the brain* while the client focuses on the disturbing material, and the client just notices whatever comes to mind without making any effort to control direction or content. Each person will process information uniquely, based on personal experiences and values. It is important to understand that there is no way for the client to do EMDR incorrectly! Sets of stimulation are continued until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with positive thought and beliefs about one’s self; for example, “I did the best I could.” During EMDR the client may experience intense emotions, but by the end of the session, most people report a great reduction in the level of disturbance.
*I usually use hand held stimulators that vibrate gently in the client’s hands, alternating between left and right.
How long does EMDR take?
One or more sessions are required to ensure a sense of trust between you, the client, and me, the therapist, for me to understand the nature of the problem, and for us to decide together whether or not EMDR is an appropriate treatment.
A typical EMDR session lasts about 90 minutes. The type of problem, life circumstances, and the amount of previous trauma will determine how many treatment sessions are necessary. A single session of EMDR is sufficient in some cases; however, a typical course of treatment is 3 to 10 sessions, performed weekly, or every other week. Most often, I find that weaving EMDR into the overall course of therapy is most effective.
How to Get the Most out of Counselling
Identify your goals: How do you want counseling to help you? How do your want your life to be different? This will help you know the direction in which to head, and recognize when you get there!
Pay attention: The most important work takes place in the ‘lab’ of your day-to-day life. It will be important to notice what is going on when you get caught in old patterns of behaviour, or when you succeed with new ones. How are you feeling? What are you thinking? How are you acting? Are you tired, pre-occupied, over-whelmed? Learning to catch yourself before you react in the same old way, and choosing to respond in a new way is the first big step toward changing your life.
Be realistic: Though many of us may aspire to ‘happily ever after,’ we live in an imperfect world, and we are all imperfect – even when we are doing the best we can!
Take care of yourself: Counselling is not an easy process: you may be challenged, hurt, frightened; you may experience a lot of uncertainty. Make sure you are getting adequate support, taking care of your health and maintaining those things in your life that bring you comfort and calm.
Take responsibility: Be willing to acknowledge the contribution you are making to the current problem. Be conscious of the choices you are making and their consequences for others and for yourself
Be patient: Problems take a long while to develop and be identified; they seldom disappear overnight.
Counselling works best when it is a combination of your intention and effort, and my expertise and experience
Our human journey is a life-long process of learning, development and self-discovery. It is a journey we navigate between ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’, between our sense of ourselves and our experience of the world around us. Our lives are often complex, and sometimes contradictory, so it is not surprising that we can get to a place where we wonder:
- Who am I?
- What is my life about?
- How did I get where I am?
- How do I cope?
- How do I get where I want to go?
In the counselling process, I work with my clients to help them:
- Deepen their understanding of themselves, appreciate their own strengths and challenges, and find resources to grow in the direction they choose
- Become more aware of the complex dynamics of their relationships and how they can act differently to change them
- Confront problem behaviours such as substance abuse or violence
- Work to create a life they find satisfying and fulfilling in a world full of pressures, demands and choices
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
EMDR is an adjunct to “talk therapy” which can be used to help clients deal with traumatic memories and deeply held negative beliefs about themselves, their value and their abilities. It can also be used to re-inforce and support new, positive beliefs which can enable clients to move toward their goals.
How was EMDR developed?
In 1987, psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro made the chance observation that eye movements can reduce the intensity of disturbing thought under certain conditions. Dr. Shapiro studied this effect scientifically and, in 1989, she reported success using EMDR to treat victims of trauma in the Journal of Traumatic Stress. Since then, EMDR has developed and evolved through the contributions of therapists and researches all over the world.
How does EMDR work?
No one knows exactly how EMDR works. However, we do know that when a person is very upset, their brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily. One moment becomes “frozen in time;” remembering a trauma may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells and feelings haven’t changed. Such memories have a lasting negative effect on the way a person sees the world and relates to other people that can interfere with his or her life.
EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain functions. Normal information processing is resumed, so that, following a successful EMDR session, the images, sounds and feelings no longer are relived when the event is brought to mind. What happened is still remembered, but it is less upsetting. Many types of therapy have similar goals. However, EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Therefore, EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.
What is the actual EMDR session like?
During EMDR, I work with the client to identify a specific problem to be the focus of the treatment session. The client calls to mind the disturbing issue or event: what was seen, felt, heard, thought, etc., and what thoughts and beliefs currently are held about that event. I then facilitate bilateral stimulation of the brain* while the client focuses on the disturbing material, and the client just notices whatever comes to mind without making any effort to control direction or content. Each person will process information uniquely, based on personal experiences and values. It is important to understand that there is no way for the client to do EMDR incorrectly! Sets of stimulation are continued until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with positive thought and beliefs about one’s self; for example, “I did the best I could.” During EMDR the client may experience intense emotions, but by the end of the session, most people report a great reduction in the level of disturbance.
*I usually use hand held stimulators that vibrate gently in the client’s hands, alternating between left and right.
How long does EMDR take?
One or more sessions are required to ensure a sense of trust between you, the client, and me, the therapist, for me to understand the nature of the problem, and for us to decide together whether or not EMDR is an appropriate treatment.
A typical EMDR session lasts about 90 minutes. The type of problem, life circumstances, and the amount of previous trauma will determine how many treatment sessions are necessary. A single session of EMDR is sufficient in some cases; however, a typical course of treatment is 3 to 10 sessions, performed weekly, or every other week. Most often, I find that weaving EMDR into the overall course of therapy is most effective.
How to Get the Most out of Counselling
Identify your goals: How do you want counseling to help you? How do your want your life to be different? This will help you know the direction in which to head, and recognize when you get there!
Pay attention: The most important work takes place in the ‘lab’ of your day-to-day life. It will be important to notice what is going on when you get caught in old patterns of behaviour, or when you succeed with new ones. How are you feeling? What are you thinking? How are you acting? Are you tired, pre-occupied, over-whelmed? Learning to catch yourself before you react in the same old way, and choosing to respond in a new way is the first big step toward changing your life.
Be realistic: Though many of us may aspire to ‘happily ever after,’ we live in an imperfect world, and we are all imperfect – even when we are doing the best we can!
Take care of yourself: Counselling is not an easy process: you may be challenged, hurt, frightened; you may experience a lot of uncertainty. Make sure you are getting adequate support, taking care of your health and maintaining those things in your life that bring you comfort and calm.
Take responsibility: Be willing to acknowledge the contribution you are making to the current problem. Be conscious of the choices you are making and their consequences for others and for yourself
Be patient: Problems take a long while to develop and be identified; they seldom disappear overnight.
Counselling works best when it is a combination of your intention and effort, and my expertise and experience