Counselling : Freedom and Growth
When people come for counselling, I believe they are looking for two things: Freedom and growth.
Freedom – from the pain and the frustration of whatever it is that is robbing us of our hopes, our minds, our joy, our safety, our relationships and our lives.
Growth – To be the people that we know we are on the inside, but just cant seem to get out. The version of ourselves that we have always wanted to be… dreamed we were.
It can be so frustrating to struggle day after day with something we cant seem to control. Our friends and families tire of supporting us, and the only answer there seems to be is medications, that can be addictive and cause even worse side effects. We are left feeling alone, shamed and weak, with no answers and nowhere to go.
We desperately want to be better! We know inside that we are capable of living fuller, healthier, more active and engaging lives, but we cant seem to get things together to do it. We know we want to be happier, have great relationships, do jobs and activities that we are passionate about.. But we seem stuck! We want to be free to live!
Some of the therapies and areas I offer help in are:
Anxiety Counselling
Because I suffered from Social Anxiety for many years, I now concentrate a lot of my counselling on helping people overcome anxieties. Often with anxieties I use a combination of counselling, CBT, andNeurofeedback, depending on the type. There are many different kinds of anxieties, but most people experience a version of one of the major 5: General Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder [OCD], Phobias, and Post Traumatic Stress [PTSD].
Neurofeedback
This is state of the art, cutting edge technology that is non-invasive and drug-free; helping people to feel stabilized and focused. It is often called “brain training” and it is helping many people with panic
attacks, ADD, sleep problems, peak performance, depression and more. I dont diagnose, or treat something specifically here, we just train up your brain and all kinds of symptoms and conditions start changing. I’ll be the first to admit that it does not work well for everyone – but if it does, then it is truly life transforming. It is considered very safe and remarkably free of side effects.
Depression Counselling
Most people can feel down from time to time, and that’s pretty normal in life – but sometimes we feel depressed. It can feel like it is for no reason at all, or because of circumstances that have left us feeling helpless and hopeless. Losing a job, a failed marriage, relationship conflicts, death of a loved one, loss of dreams, feeling trapped… it can all send us into depression. Sometimes talking to someone that can lead us out and offer us hope, support and a plan, is all we need to get traction back in our lives.
Relationship Counselling
Relationships can be some of the hardest and most hurtful experiences people will encounter in their lives. In fact, a lot of counselling is about how to overcome hurts, and have healthy connections. There are many things that can get in the way of people having strong healthy relationships: boundary violations, addictions, lack of communication tools, lack of listening, codependency, unwilling to forgive…you name it! Sometimes just getting an unbiased opinion, an outsiders point of view or a few tools can really help to get your relationships back on track. Ask me about my 5 session package for couples that is based on the theories of John Gottman!
Self Worth and Esteem
It might surprise people to know that many of the reasons we struggle in our lives is because of low self-esteem or low self-worth. Not having a healthy view of ourselves can show up as perfectionism, codependency, depression, people pleasing, social isolation, rebellion, controlling and addictions…just to name a few! We can end up feeling unworthy and judged, fearing abandonment, failure, and even our own power. Some people live everyday feeling guilt about their feelings, or someone else’s. Though it is not easy, there is hope and freedom from this.
Trauma / Post Traumatic Stress [PTSD]
Trauma and PTSD affect so many people, I’m often very surprised that some have done as well as they have. An unexpected event, witnessing or being a part of a violent or terrifying act, car accident, or even doing something you never thought you would; can leave you feeling traumatized. PTSD is characterized by experiencing what is perceived as a life threatening event that left you feeling helpless or in horror. It is usually accompanied with avoidance, flashbacks and nightmares and will leave you feeling very much like your “radar is always on” and dissociative. This will usually continue for more than a month after the event. Research has been showing that Neurofeedback has been very successful along with counselling and some CBT, in helping people with PTSD and trauma.
Sometimes we need help. We need the help of someone that understands the pain, frustration, shame and guilt, and can help us to get to the place where we can start getting traction in our lives and become the people we were always meant to be. Free To Be… You
Today is the day to start living your life…
Are you ready?
Ken McDonnell Registered Professional Counselor 778 846 3569
Visit testimonials , for more information about how professional counselling has helped many people get freedom and growth back into their lives.
You can also visit my Blog for information and interesting articles on neurofeedback, anxieties and more!
Check out my Services and Fee’s
