Therapeutic Approach
The intention of counselling is to provide skills and specific interventions for individuals to work towards resolving personal challenges, coping with life stresses, developing individual insights and wisdom, and enhancing relationships with others. Melanie’s therapeutic approach incorporates a non-judgmental perspective with person-centered theory, cognitive behavior therapy, brief solution-focused, and dialectical behavioural interventions with a trauma and attachment informed perspective into her practice. She encompasses the biopsychosocial model of which is the application of clinical care that takes into consideration the biological (physical health), psychological (mental health, behaviours, and personal experiences), and social (community, friends, and family) aspects of a person.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy:
Cognitive Behaviour therapy (CBT) is an evidence based (based on research studies ) therapy that has been effective with various challenges people experience such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder. CBT explains that what we think or believe about ourselves, other people, and the world (cognition s and thoughts) influence our emotions which impact our behaviours. Thoughts form our interpretations and influence what we think might happens to us, which impacts how we feel about it, and in turns guide how we should respond. Unfortunately, sometimes our interpretations turn out to be false and are not very useful or beneficial. Accordingly, our misinterpreted thoughts often cause us to react in ways that are non-productive. CBT can provide various interventions and skills for becoming more aware of our thoughts and for adjusting them when they are distorted or are not useful.
CBT is a very collaborative form of therapy. Ultimately; I want clients to become skilled in using CBT techniques on their own to meet challenges in their lives, long after their work with me has ended.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy:
Emotions are important; we experience them for a reason. Emotions motivate us to change various situations we find ourselves in. However many people struggle with overwhelming emotions or their emotions are triggered more often than what they might need. Some people avoid feeling any emotion in fear they will be swept up by the emotional experience. The problem is the more a person tries to avoid feeling the more overwhelming those emotions can become. In order to stop these emotions some people will drink, do drugs, gamble, and harm themselves. The main point is that stopping emotions do not work. Dialectical Behavior therapy (DBT) was developed by Marsha Linehan; and consists of skills that will balance you when those emotions feel like they are too overwhelming. In addition DBT teaches us to accept our mistakes and situations without judgement in order to propel us forward.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy:
Cognitive Behaviour therapy (CBT) is an evidence based (based on research studies ) therapy that has been effective with various challenges people experience such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder. CBT explains that what we think or believe about ourselves, other people, and the world (cognition s and thoughts) influence our emotions which impact our behaviours. Thoughts form our interpretations and influence what we think might happens to us, which impacts how we feel about it, and in turns guide how we should respond. Unfortunately, sometimes our interpretations turn out to be false and are not very useful or beneficial. Accordingly, our misinterpreted thoughts often cause us to react in ways that are non-productive. CBT can provide various interventions and skills for becoming more aware of our thoughts and for adjusting them when they are distorted or are not useful.
CBT is a very collaborative form of therapy. Ultimately; I want clients to become skilled in using CBT techniques on their own to meet challenges in their lives, long after their work with me has ended.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy:
Emotions are important; we experience them for a reason. Emotions motivate us to change various situations we find ourselves in. However many people struggle with overwhelming emotions or their emotions are triggered more often than what they might need. Some people avoid feeling any emotion in fear they will be swept up by the emotional experience. The problem is the more a person tries to avoid feeling the more overwhelming those emotions can become. In order to stop these emotions some people will drink, do drugs, gamble, and harm themselves. The main point is that stopping emotions do not work. Dialectical Behavior therapy (DBT) was developed by Marsha Linehan; and consists of skills that will balance you when those emotions feel like they are too overwhelming. In addition DBT teaches us to accept our mistakes and situations without judgement in order to propel us forward.
