Solution-Focused
Counselling & Coaching

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When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves
— Viktor E. Frankl

In my practice as a counsellor & coach, I combine my years of practice in clinical counselling, with additional training in Coaching, Cognitive Behavioural theories, Solution-Focused Techniques, Neuroplasticity and Somatic theories and Mindfulness. A combination of these methods has been shown to be proven and effective in helping people with the life challenges such as:

  • Life Transitions (E.g. Career change, education, etc.)

  • Anxiety & Fear

  • Nervousness & Worry

  • Stress & Tension

  • Mood Issues / Low-Mood

  • Teen & Young Adult Issues

  • Relationship/Interpersonal Issues

  • Other behaviours that can negatively affect one’s ability to move forward in life.

I strive provide my clients with the necessary skills and tools needed to effectively navigate life's obstacles, discover and realize their 'life's purpose,' manage difficult life transitions, make difficult, but positive life changes, manage stress and time, increase their Emotional Intelligence and address the fears that often accompany one's journey in improving and feeling more fulfilled in their life.

The Solution-Focused Approach in coaching/counselling focuses on three core areas in a client’s life (Winbolt, 2011, p. 20):

1)      Their abilities and strengths
2)      The present and future
3)      Their achievements and successes

Considering and examining the outcomes we wish to achieve as opposed to trying to understand the cause(s) of a problem are what a Solution-Focused approach aims to do. As stated by O’Hanlon & Weiner-Davis (1989, p. xx) a Solution-Focused approach is a “method that focuses on people’s competence, rather than their deficits, their strengths, rather than their weaknesses, their possibilities, rather than their limitations.” 

Neuroplasticity:
Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz coined the term - “Self-Directed Neuroplasticity,” which refers to the ability to rewire your brain with your thoughts. As crazy as this sounds, it has been found to be very possible!
This approach to ‘treatment’ doesn’t only rescue his patients, Schwartz says. It rescues ‘free will.’ 

In fact, the belief that we have free will is actually contradictory to what much modern neuroscientific research has found. Recent research suggests an ever-increasing number of our ‘choices’ (behaviours, decisions we make, etc.) are somehow hardwired into us — from which person we vote for in an election to which flavor of smoothie we order. I truly believe that we are all able to obtain this positive ‘rewiring’ through ‘Self-Directed Neuroplasticity’ as I have experienced it’s value myself. By integrating ‘Self-Directed Neuroplasticity’ into my practice, I assist clients in being able to free themselves from negative thoughts, behaviours and actions that currently hinder their lives.

Mindfulness:

“Mindfulness. It’s a pretty straightforward word. It suggests that the mind is fully attending to what’s happening, to what you’re doing, to the space you’re moving through. That might seem trivial, except for the annoying fact that we so often veer from the matter at hand. Our mind takes flight, we lose touch with our body, and pretty soon we’re engrossed in obsessive thoughts about something that just happened or fretting about the future. And that makes us anxious.

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

Yet no matter how far we drift away, mindfulness is right there to snap us back to where we are and what we’re doing and feeling.”
(Mindful Staff, 2014).

I always strive to be a supportive partner, working in collaboration with you throughout your journey of achieving your goal(s) and making life changes, throughout the ups and downs, keeping you accountable, on track, committed and most importantly, feeling supported and inspired.

*Services are CONFIDENTIAL as I view client privacy as an
ethical standard and a top priority*

 

References:

Mindful Staff. (2014). What is mindfulness?. Retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/

Winbolt, B. (2011). Solution focused therapy: For the helping professions. Philadelphia, PA:
       Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 

Volk, S. (2013). Rewiring the brain to treat ocd. Retrieved from http://discovermagazine.com/2013/nov/14-defense-free-will