Find a Therapist in Mill Bay, British Columbia.

Psychotherapy can be an enriching and fascinating experience. I work hard to create a safe environment where people can explore their lives from new perspectives. This can be an opportunity to transform your life into what you always hoped it could be, as well as an effective way to clean out the elements that are causing hurt, stress, or discomfort. Psychotherapy in my mind can be likened to yoga: it requires, patience, gentleness, effort and with those optimal results can be found.

I am honoured that you are interested in my services and I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I have been described as slightly non-conventional in the counselling world, which suits me perfectly, and also tends to suit youth who are trying to stand up to the force of the problems in their life. I am very comfortable working with this population, and I feel fortunate that I can connect with teens the way I do, conventionally or in a way that makes sense to them.

The circumstances and issues that you are dealing with are unique to you, but you don't have to face them alone. Every individual has different experiences, perceptions, feelings, thoughts, beliefs, values, attitudes, cultural backgrounds and "upbringings". Counselling sessions are private and confidential, and can provide a way for you to explore your problems and really tune in to your feelings. This is an opportunity to speak freely about your circumstances and release pent up feelings, without having to worry about what others think or feel, and without receiving unwanted advise from family, friends or coworkers. At the root of the problem, there are very real, legitimate and understandable reasons for feeling the way you feel, thinking the way...(view profile to read more)

Psychotherapy is a fancy word for having someone truly, sincerely, empathetically and without preconceptions or judgements, share your truth with you. It is the greatest honor and also responsibility to hold precious, with respect, everything you bring to the counselling experience. Sometimes that is trauma, shame or guilt. Sometimes psychotherapy includes delving into your past but this is not always the case. If you are wanting to focus on the present, and explore how to make a life more worth living, psychotherapy can provide you the insights you need to make positive change in your life. What is important to know is that regardless of where you are or want to go, you are safe with me.

Take the courageous step towards personal growth and lasting change by engaging in my unique style of psychotherapy. I've been a psychotherapist for over 30 years and learned what's most effective from the clients I've worked with in the past. Through collaborative sessions tailored to meet your needs we will explore challenges, uncover insights, determine a path to healing, and develop effective strategies for a more fulfilling life. Unlock your resilience and your potential for happiness!

Shelley helps clients to explore the blocks that are preventing them from feeling in charge of their life. In a safe and supportive environment, Shelley encourages clients to uncover their wounds and unmet needs from childhood so that they can understand their behaviour patterns and how they coped with life's difficulties. Bringing awareness to these patterns with compassion and empathy, Shelley motivates clients towards change, by exploring new ways of coping and offering strategies and new skills that build on client's strengths, while enhancing self-esteem and self-worth. Helping clients develop a clear sense of self with confidence, promotes their potential, and feeling of empowerment.

Diving in to our selves and our unconscious minds can yield unexpected gifts. Sometimes individuals are called to do so because of problems in their lives or symptoms that cause them discomfort, and at other times for personal growth and self-innovation. Through guided self-exploration, you can heal and grow. You can experience increased life satisfaction, a greater sense of meaning and purpose, and a broadened awareness of your past and present choices so that you can improve the ones you make in the future.

We are often influenced unconsciously by experiences from our childhood, and develop patterns of beliefs and behaviour that no longer serve us well in our present lives. In a safe environment, psychotherapy can gently explore the patterns and bring new insight and wisdom, which can lead to new behaviour, perspectives and choices. Clients can connect with inner wells of strength and creativity which can bring a new sense of peace and purpose.

For me psychotherapy involves a deep listening, a drawing out process, and a dialogue that invites the person to understand their life's journey with a fresh insight into their challenges and successes and potential. There are often undisclosed victories and triumphs that we overlook as we consider our challenges. Acknowledging our hidden strengths is an important component of moving forward.

Psychotherapy is a counseling process which helps you understand why the things that are troubling you have happened. I will ask you to tell me your story in detail and ask lots of questions to help you gain clarity and insight. This is not a quick counseling method but aims to be a thorough one. The goal is to support you in making the changes you need to make to improve your situation. We will identify your competencies and build on them with new skills. Psychotherapy can be an exciting experience for you as you learn to live your life more as you would like to see it. You may experience some discomfort as you confront issues you have avoided but you will see positive growth in yourself.

My goal is for you to feel better, clearer, and confident that you can make a change; and that you have a meaningful goal to work towards. My first interest is to alleviate the pain and confusion if present through listening and clarifying. My approach is guided by the challenge presented and the change desired. Identifying the key influences is often helpful towards developing motivation and how to move forward.

I offer a safe, empathetic, and collaborative space to explore client thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we work to identify patterns that may be contributing to challenges, develop effective coping strategies, and build emotional resilience. I support clients in gaining deeper self-awareness, improving relationships, and aligning actions with core values. Through reflection on past experiences and exploration of unconscious patterns, clients can uncover insights that foster growth, acceptance, and long-term healing. This integrative approach addresses immediate concerns but also empowers my clients to create meaningful, lasting change and live fulfilling lives.

As a Registered Clinical Counsellor, most of the work we will be doing is psychotherapeutic by definition. In my practice I offer a safe, compassionate space where you can open up and explore early trauma, old wounds and self-limiting beliefs. Our focus will probably involve Family of Origin work and to how to become more clear on what themes and issues were at play as you grew up. More importantly, our work in that area will involve what the consequences of living with that family were and how you can make more authentic and life-affirming choices now.

Fundamental to the work is a good therapeutic relationship. That is, we have the collaboration and trust to combine your knowledge of yourself and your situation and my skills and knowledge of the clinical issues to make change happen. With established trust and rapport between us, we can develop a structureless structure for our treatment plan. That is, one flexible enough to give space to deal with thoughts and feelings spontaneously each week, and structured enough to accomplish your goals.

Who are you? Why did you do that? What affect did that have on you? How would you like to do that differently? Together we'll explore your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, and gain some insight in order to increase your sense of well-being, improve your relationships, and achieve higher levels of functioning. We will pay close attention to the information your body gives us, and work at regulating the intense emotion through somatic awareness, inquiry, interventions, and reflections.

My approach is to work collaboratively with clients using a holistic model of therapy which entails a blending of Eastern and Western modalities. For example, training in meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, proper exercise, a nutritious, science-based diet and maintaining proper sleep hygiene. Also, including talk therapy can then help to reveal core values and issues. Mindfulness training benefits clients in observing clearly thoughts and behaviours. Clients benefit greatly through the use of evidence based interventions by developing the skills needed to evaluate thought patterns and overcome destructive patterns.

I approach therapy as a deeply collaborative process that recognizes the multiple roots of both our struggles and our brilliance. I'm committed to collaborating to build a supportive therapeutic space, honoring the strategies people have developed to navigate their struggles, while helping them find new approaches that better serve them here and now. I draw on a variety of perspectives and techniques to facilitate transformation: queer, feminist, and disability theories; somatic, relational, and neurobiological understandings of mental and emotional health; Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR); Somatic Experiencing (SE), parts work, and Intuitive Eating.

Psychotherapy is a more long-term approach that is based on trust. When entering psychotherapy, both of us make a commitment to being honest and present in the relationship. Together, we can develop a safe space for you to explore your inner world and put words to your inner experiences. For psychotherapy, I will generally suggest that we meet once a week or once every two weeks for a number of months or even years. Psychotherapy is a process of great personal transformation.

Dr Sharolyn Sloat, Psychotherapist, Victoria BC, provides psychotherapy, counselling, and psychological services in a variety of areas to individuals, couples, and groups. Her expertise includes, but is not limited to, Relationship Issues, Addictions Analysis, Managing Emotions & Energy, Personal Growth, Human Performance, Career Concerns, Perfectionism, LGBT Issues, and Balance & Wellness. She takes an action-oriented and solution-based approach while helping clients to clarify, articulate and negotiate their needs and boundaries. Exploration, Enlightenment & Empowerment are the goals.

Psychotherapy is similar to counselling. Individuals attend regular sessions for a variety of issues, such as anxiety, depression, stress, body image, eating disorders, self esteem, and personal growth. Psychotherapy includes therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Dialectival-Behavioural Therapy, and Mindfulness Training. Individuals explore thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and patterns. Through self awareness and learning new skills and strategies, individuals can feel better, more connected to themselves and others, more clarity around personal needs, and experience greater joy and increased functioning.

All of us get to a point in our lives where we feel like we’re stumbling through the darkness, unsure of who we are, what we’re doing with our lives and where we’re going. In these moments, we may desperately wish we had someone to help guide us through to a place where we feel more empowered and more control of our lives. In our individual sessions, I provide a safe, compassionate, non-judgemental space for you to begin your journey of self-exploration. We revisit old stories and beliefs so that we may engage in new perspective taking. With courage, compassion and curiosity, we can begin transforming disempowerment to empowerment. Ready to feel lighter and more empowered? Let’s get started.

I provide a strong sense of safe space for client's to open up. Even though I'm non-judgmental and believe the client should be in the driver's seat, I'm not afraid to grab the wheel when needed! Expert direction is sometimes called for in the therapeutic relationship. I'm a confident therapist who brings over 20 years of experience to therapeutic work. I am fluent in various modalities of therapy, including DBT, ACT and CBT. My goal to support (and gently guide) my clients to live their best lives.

Ongoing psychotherapy consists of exploring your own unique personal experience and relational past in order to discover who you are and who you want to be and become. It can reveal old patterns and roles you may want to change in your current life, and it can also help clarify your own responses, actions, and beliefs. Effective psychotherapy can be a huge catalyst for growth and self-actualization. I draw on several modalities to assist this process - Somatic Psychotherapy, Relational Life Therapy, and Internal Family Systems.

In psychotherapy, my focus is to build a trusting and therapeutic relationship with you so that you can safely uncover a deeper understanding of yourself, your thoughts and your feelings. You are unique in your approach and response to change and so there is no limit to the time you need. I am available to support long-term therapy while you engage in self-reflection and personal growth. To facilitate a therapeutic process, I draw on a wide range of skills and therapies that includes interpersonal, person-centred, systems, social justice, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioural and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

If you're finding that childhood trauma or past trauma is impacting the way you move through the world, the relationships you have (or want but struggle to have), how you feel about yourself, or how stuck you feel in your life in general, Gravitate Counselling Inc. can help. Our counsellors offer trauma-informed therapy, giving you a space to work through the past hurts that continue to affect you. Offering phone and online video counselling to clients across British Columbia, our counsellors can help you understand how your experiences have shaped you, explore what changes you'd like to see in your life, and build the skills to help you move forward.