GENERAL PRACTICE INFORMATION

Rates & Insurance

Payment Methods:  Cash and cheque are the current forms of payment.

Cancellation Policy:  If you do not attend your scheduled therapy appointment and you have not notified us at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the session.  Most referral sources do not reimburse for missed sessions and consider this the client’s responsibility.

INTERVENTIONS AVAILABLE

Therapists at Willow’s Bend draw from a wide variety of interventions to help support clients while providing a value-free and bias-free environment.  These interventions are either evidence based or have preliminary data to support their use in counselling and psychotherapy.

Brainspotting

Brainspotting is a very powerful intervention which allows the client to process unresolved trauma held deeper in the brain structures.  It involves locating a point in the client’s visual field that corresponds to the trauma.  It allows the therapist to help the client release emotional responses and body based sensations that are problematic.  This intervention is both powerful and very gentle.  It prevents the client from flooding with unprocessed emotional content while addressing the deeper stored memories & sensations in the brain.  For more information, please see https://brainspotting.com/.

Play Based Interventions

Play based interventions are crucial for children and adolescents to gain important interpersonal skills and neurobiological functions related to well-being.  When children are engaged in play, they are engaged in brain-based activities that support regulation of the nervous system, positive self-concept & self-esteem, and development of healthy relationships.  Play based interventions provide a safe environment for children to express their inner world in a way that is healthy and supports resilience.  We also use play based interventions to create a “therapy sandwich” for children who have experienced severe trauma.  This therapy sandwich is made of high energy play before and after the serious trauma interventions.  By delivering the trauma interventions between high intensity connection and play, the child is able to make greater gains in therapy and enjoys the process.  It is the greatest complement when a child tells the parent that all they did was to play!  This tells us that there was a great balance between the intensity of trauma interventions and play based activities for engagement, relationship building, and resilience.

Mindfulness Based Sandtray Interventions

Sandtray interventions are another powerful way to support children, adolescents, and adults to face complex and difficult problems in therapy.  The combination of mindfulness and sandtray creates a relaxing and calm space for exploring life’s difficulties.  These interventions are helpful for the identification of patterns in life & relationships, themes related to life experiences, and identifying a pathway to healing.  Some sandtray interventions also combine Focusing interventions to create a powerful healing experience.

Structured Sensory Interventions

Structured Sensory Interventions include structured 8 to 10 session programs to address trauma in children, adolescents, and adults.  These interventions are based on current neurobiological underpinnings related to trauma and healing.  There are various programs available for building resilience skills for children who have had exposure to more complicated and complex trauma and for addressing the themes associated with trauma.  These themes include anger, hurt, worry, fear, and revenge which are common experiences for individuals who have experienced extremely difficult life events.  The interventions are based on gently addressing the traumatic experience, understanding the themes, and building resilience.

Mindfulness Based Play Family Therapy

Children between ages 3 and 12 and their families benefit from engaging in Mindfulness Based Play Family Therapy.  This intervention requires a four session assessment process to clearly identify developmental gaps and problem behaviors as well as family relationships.  The intervention sessions start with a 15 minute intervention called "Talk Time" in which the parent, child, and therapist discuss events that went well and an area for improvement.  After Talk Time, the child is invited to engage in play based interventions that allow the child to work through the themes that were discussed with the parent.  Every fifth session (or more frequently if needed) the parent attends a Mindful Parent Coaching session which supports the development of parenting skills specifically targeted to the child and family's needs.  This intervention supports the child, parents, and family system to develop improved coping, co-regulation, and parenting skills.

Interpersonal Neurobiology

Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) is based on considering an individual or family from a holistic perspective based on the embodied brain (brain-body connection), mind (thoughts & emotions), and relationships.  These interventions are rooted in cutting edge science related to effective emotional and relational health and well-being.  IPNB provides a birds eye view of a person’s situation while also providing a firm foundation in neurobiology, trauma, attachment, and resilience.

Mindfulness Integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Mindfulness Integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MiCBT) is a powerful short-term intervention that combines the main principles of mindfulness with traditional Cognitive Behavior Therapy.  This combination is provided in a structured format that is approximately 8 to 12 weeks long based on the needs of each individual client.  MiCBT is an evidence based practice that leads to greater equanimity or the ability to remain calm under pressure.  Clients who start this program remark at how quickly they gain the skills to remain calm under pressure in work settings and in their relationships.  For more information please see:  http://www.micbtforwellbeing.com/.

Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)

Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT) is an approach developed by Dr. Dorrie McCubbrey in 1995.  This approach supports clients through practicing five principles of eating disorder recovery.  These principles include:  Love Your Self, Be True To Your Self, Express Your Self, Give to Your Self, and Believe in Your Self. This approach is evidence-based, solution focused, client centered, mindfulness based, and transpersonal in nature.  It is viewed as a comprehensive approach for lasting recovery.

Mindfulness Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT)

Mindfulness Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) was developed by Dr. Jean Kristeller during her clinical training at Yale University.  The interventions are based on supporting individuals who struggle with compulsive overeating, binge eating disorder, weight loss, weight loss maintenance, and to improve one’s relationship with food.  The full MB-EAT program is 12 sessions and can be done in either individual or group formats.