Therapy Modalities
Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy (EMDR)
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapy that supports healing from distressing or overwhelming experiences. It can be especially helpful when past events continue to shape your emotions, reactions, or the way you see yourself today.
Rather than focusing only on talking through what happened, EMDR follows a structured approach that helps the brain process memories differently so they feel less intense and easier to hold. This often includes guided eye movements, though other gentle, rhythmic forms of stimulation such as tapping or sound can be just as effective.
Why choose EMDR?
EMDR can help lower anxiety, reduce emotional triggers, and loosen the grip of negative beliefs so you feel more steady and in control.
You do not need to share every detail of your experience, and eye movements are not required for progress. The emphasis is on supporting your brain’s natural ability to heal in a way that feels safe and contained.
Emotionally-focused Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy, or EFT, is an evidence based approach that helps individuals and couples strengthen emotional bonds and create more secure, supportive relationships. Developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, EFT is rooted in attachment theory and the understanding that emotions play a central role in how we connect, respond, and feel safe with others.
EFT focuses on identifying and reshaping emotional patterns that can lead to disconnection, conflict, or distress. Rather than concentrating only on communication skills or surface behaviours, this approach helps you understand the deeper emotional needs and attachment longings that drive your reactions. As these patterns become clearer, new and more supportive ways of relating can begin to take shape.
What is Emotionally Focused Therapy?
Emotionally Focused Therapy works by bringing awareness to emotional experiences in the present moment and exploring how these emotions influence interactions with others. In therapy, you are supported in expressing emotions safely, understanding your own attachment needs, and responding to others with greater empathy and clarity.
EFT is collaborative and experiential, helping people move out of rigid or reactive cycles and into interactions that feel more secure, responsive, and connected. It is effective for individuals, couples, and families, and is also well suited for addressing trauma and emotional distress within relationships.
Benefits of EFT
EFT has been widely researched and shown to support lasting change. Many clients experience deeper emotional connection, improved communication, and a reduction in recurring conflict. By addressing the emotional roots of distress, EFT can support healing from past injuries, increase emotional resilience, and foster a greater sense of safety and trust in relationships.
Why choose EFT?
EFT offers a structured yet compassionate approach to understanding emotions and attachment. It is particularly helpful if you find yourself stuck in repeating relationship patterns or feeling disconnected from the people who matter most to you.
Sex Therapy
Sex therapy is a supportive and trauma informed approach that helps individuals and couples explore concerns related to intimacy, desire, identity, and sexual well being in a safe and respectful way. It can be especially helpful if you feel disconnected from your body, unsure about what is normal for you, or weighed down by shame, anxiety, or confusion around sex. In a culture where sexuality is often stigmatized or narrowly defined, many people struggle in silence, even though sexual concerns are extremely common.
In sex therapy, sexual well being is understood as deeply connected to emotional health, relationships, past experiences, and nervous system responses. Rather than focusing on performance or quick fixes, therapy offers space to slow down, become curious, and explore what is happening beneath the surface. This may include working through sexual trauma, addressing desire discrepancies, navigating changes related to pregnancy, aging, illness, or stress, or exploring questions of sexual or gender identity.
Sex therapy provides a non judgmental environment where you do not need to have the right words or answers. The focus is on building safety, understanding your needs, and developing a more compassionate and connected relationship with yourself and others. Whether you are seeking support as an individual or with a partner, sex therapy can help you move toward greater ease, intimacy, and confidence in your sexual life.
Acceptance-and-Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, is an evidence based approach that supports people in navigating difficult thoughts, emotions, and life challenges with greater flexibility and self compassion. It can be especially helpful if you feel stuck in patterns of avoidance, self criticism, or ongoing struggle with anxiety, low mood, or stress.
Rather than trying to eliminate uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, ACT focuses on changing your relationship with them. Through this approach, you learn how to make space for what is outside of your control while committing to actions that reflect what truly matters to you. Over time, this can reduce emotional suffering and support a greater sense of meaning and direction in your life.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
ACT is grounded in the idea that distress is often amplified when we fight or judge our internal experiences. In therapy, you are supported in noticing thoughts and emotions as passing experiences rather than facts that must be obeyed. This allows for a more flexible and balanced response to internal challenges.
ACT also emphasizes present moment awareness and values based living. By clarifying what is important to you and learning how to stay engaged with the present, you can begin to take meaningful steps forward even when discomfort is present.
Core elements of ACT
ACT is built around several interconnected processes that support psychological flexibility. These include developing distance from unhelpful thought patterns, practicing acceptance of difficult emotions, strengthening present moment awareness, and cultivating a steady sense of self that is not defined by momentary experiences. Therapy also focuses on identifying personal values and translating them into committed, purposeful action.
Benefits of ACT
ACT has been shown to be effective for concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma related challenges, and chronic pain. Many clients experience greater emotional resilience, improved mindfulness, and a reduced sense of being controlled by difficult thoughts or feelings. By aligning daily choices with personal values, ACT can also support increased life satisfaction and a deeper sense of fulfillment.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy is a trauma informed, body based approach that supports healing by working with both emotional experience and nervous system regulation. It can be especially helpful if you feel easily triggered, disconnected from your body, or stuck in stress responses that do not seem to shift through talk therapy alone.
Rather than focusing only on thoughts or memories, somatic therapy gently brings awareness to physical sensations, breath, posture, and nervous system responses. By learning to notice and respond to what is happening in the body, many people begin to feel safer, more grounded, and more at ease within themselves. This approach supports the release of stored stress or trauma and helps build a greater sense of emotional stability over time.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is based on the understanding that the body holds experiences, particularly those connected to stress or trauma. When something overwhelming happens, the nervous system may stay on high alert long after the event has passed. Somatic therapy works directly with these patterns, helping the nervous system return to a more regulated and settled state.
Sessions may include gentle body based techniques, elements of Somatic Experiencing, and mindfulness practices. You are never pushed to relive or retell painful experiences in detail. The focus is on developing awareness, choice, and capacity, so your body can process experiences in a way that feels safe and supported.
Somatic therapy vs Talk Therapy
While traditional talk therapy focuses on understanding thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, somatic therapy adds another layer by working with how stress and emotion show up in the body. For many people, especially those with trauma, anxiety, or chronic stress, this mind body approach can lead to deeper and more lasting change.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is a practical and evidence based approach that supports people in managing anxiety, depression, trauma, and a wide range of emotional challenges. It can be especially helpful if you feel caught in repetitive thought patterns or behaviours that continue to impact your mood, relationships, or sense of confidence.
CBT is a structured yet collaborative process that helps you understand the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Rather than staying focused on the past alone, CBT supports you in developing skills you can use in everyday life to respond differently to stress, triggers, and difficult situations. The goal is to help you feel more capable, balanced, and in control over time.
What is cognitive behavioural therapy?
CBT is grounded in the idea that the way we think influences how we feel and how we behave. When thoughts become overly negative, rigid, or self critical, they can intensify emotional distress and keep unhelpful patterns in place. CBT works by gently identifying these patterns and supporting you in developing more flexible and supportive ways of thinking.
Sessions focus on building practical tools, increasing awareness of triggers, and learning strategies that can be applied both in and outside of therapy. You are an active participant in the process, working together with your therapist to set goals that feel meaningful and realistic for you.
CBT and skill building
Unlike approaches that rely solely on insight, CBT places a strong emphasis on learning skills that support your mental health in the moment. Many clients find this empowering, as the tools developed in therapy can be practiced between sessions and carried forward long after therapy ends.
CBT has been extensively researched and shown to be effective in reducing anxiety, depression, and emotional reactivity. Over time, this work can help you break free from unhelpful thought cycles, strengthen emotional regulation, and respond to challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
The CBT process
CBT typically begins with a thorough assessment, allowing you and your therapist to develop a shared understanding of your concerns and build a strong therapeutic relationship. From there, therapy focuses on clarifying patterns, practicing new strategies, and gradually reinforcing these skills so they become part of daily life.
The intention of CBT is to support your independence, so you feel equipped to navigate future challenges without needing ongoing therapy support. CBT can also be integrated with other approaches, such as somatic therapy or EMDR, depending on your needs.
Who can benefit from CBT?
CBT can be helpful for people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma related concerns, obsessive or intrusive thoughts, stress, chronic health challenges, and relationship difficulties. It is also well suited for those seeking a structured approach to personal growth, resilience, and long term change.