Mental/Emotional Health Counselling
Toronto Mental Health Counsellor
We use mental and emotional counselling in combination with other naturopathic therapies to enhance their effectiveness and to create a lasting difference in your well-being.
Research shows that expressing your emotions is better for your health than repressing them. In fact, 60-90% of the problems that bring people to doctors are stress-related. Mental and emotional issues can be obstacles to achieving optimal health, and therefore it is important to address these concerns as part of a holistic treatment. Because we know that the mind and body simply cannot be separated when treating illness, we use talk therapy to aid you in self-discovery and personal growth. We also teach stress management tools to assist you in attaining true well-being. Mental and emotional counselling is important in treating anxiety, chronic illness, cardiovascular disease, poor immune functioning and digestive concerns.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy & Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is designed to help people who suffer from stress, anxiety, depression and chronic unhappiness. It combines cognitive therapy with meditative practices and attitudes based on the cultivation of mindfulness.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life, a way of taking charge of your life, a way of doing something for yourself that no one else can do for you. It is being aware or being conscious of what is going on in your life. Restoring your well-being requires increased awareness of all aspects of self, including body and mind, heart and soul.
Who Can Benefit from Mindfulness-Based Therapies?
People with any of the following concerns:
- Stress — related to work, school, family, finances, illness, grief, uncertainty about the future, feeling “out of control”
- Medical Conditions — Any health condition that is made worse by stress:
- Chronic illness
- Chronic pain
- High blood pressure & Heart disease
- Digestive disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Cancer
- Asthma
- Headaches
- Skin disorders
- Chronic illness
- Psychological distress — including anxiety, panic, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbances
- Prevention and Wellness — taking good care of yourself and feeling a greater sense of balance
“In this very moment, no matter what your condition or situation, you have within you all the resources you need for growing, healing, and working with stress, pain, illness, and the everyday challenges you are facing. A growing body of scientific evidence supports the reality of a profound mind-body connection and now recognizes that learning and practicing mindfulness can positively affect your sense of health and wellbeing physically, mentally, and emotionally, while simultaneously offering you a means of discovering a deeper sense of ease and peace of mind.” - Dr. Saki Santorelli, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), founded by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, is a highly respected therapy within the medical community.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was developed by Dr. Zindel Segal, Dr. Mark Williams and Dr. John Teasdale, combining Cognitive Therapy with the MBSR program for treating depression and anxiety.