Mental Health Counselling in La Ronge, SK

So many of us have past wounds that prevent us from living the life we truly want. Sometimes it seems easier to ignore the pain and hope it will disappear. Without tackling old hurts head-on, we can remain chained to the past and unable to move forward. Therapy enables individuals to work through the why of their current experiences to find the root of the problem and address these barriers so we can begin to move forward.

Therapy isn’t just for people who experience difficulties - we all experience difficulties at some point. Therapy is best used when an individual identifies a challenge and wants to make changes to improve their experiences in life. Sometimes individuals see the same challenges resurface over and over in different forms in their lives, and they are unsure why. In everyday life, these problems are addressed superficially without dealing with their roots, which is why they may continue, despite our best efforts.

In therapy, problematic patterns are explored in-depth to address the underlying causes and thus, begin to change the driving forces beneath them. In other words, therapy goes beyond the symptoms and targets the actual issues. We use a unique combination of several research-proven theories tailored to each individual’s needs, which together can help you transform your life.

In many ways, I do not have a typical client. I work with a wide range of adults and youth.

Not at all! Since my sessions can be done using a Secure video-chat platform, you can see me from anywhere you have access to the internet, though I advise choosing a place where you have privacy.

I feel very strongly about confidentiality. What you say to me is between you and me. I have no desire to repeat what you say to me. Legally and ethically, I am prohibited from sharing what you tell me or letting anyone you are seeing me. A few exceptions to confidentiality rarely come up and apply to extreme situations where you are going to act on plans to hurt others or yourself and situations involving child abuse. The technology I use is all HIPAA and PIPEDA  compliant. If you have concerns about confidentiality, please feel free to ask questions at our initial meeting or email me.

If you want to get the most out of your sessions, consider actively applying what you've learned in sessions to your life. Feel free to challenge your therapist to help you plan for testing in real life any lessons learned during sessions. Success in therapy involves a willingness to examine some of your most uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and experiences. If someone pushes you into therapy kicking and screaming, it will not be very effective. You need to want to make changes irrespective of what someone cares about says you should do. If you tend to blame other people for your problems, you'll be limited in how much you'll get out of your sessions. That doesn't mean that a little parent blaming here and there doesn't feel relieving. It just means that entering therapy with a sense of personal responsibility will predict success with the process.

Currently, I am finalizing the MACP program and providing counselling under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist in Saskatchewan.

• Bachelor of Education (2003)
• Graduate Degree in Psychology and Special Education (2003)
• Master of Science in Education (2012)
• Doctor of Education (2015)
• Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (in progress)

My research-based doctorate is in education and not in counselling psychology. There is quite a large overlap between these two fields of study (learning climates for enhancing child development), yet the doctorate did not cover anything related to counselling. If you want to call me Dr. Chris, that is fine, but it is unnecessary 🙂

Although Counselling and Psychotherapy overlap considerably, there are also recognized differences. While the work of Counsellors and Psychotherapists with clients may be of considerable depth, the focus of Counselling is more likely to be on specific problems, changes in life adjustments and fostering clients’ wellbeing. Psychotherapy is more concerned with the restructuring of the personality or self and the development of insight.