Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) & the future clinical direction of LGA

You may have noticed there are a lot of choices for mental health support these days. We have come a long way since I hung out my shingle as a sole practitioner in 2018. Our culture is experiencing a very positive shift towards mental health being valued, accepted and seen as health; exactly what our mission since day one has been. 

This positive shift makes it harder to know who to seek out help for what concern/symptom/issue. There are many therapists, with various credentials and approaches to clinical practice. Not all therapists practice from the same approach or have the same level of training post graduation. We used to think of client/therapist fit based mostly on connection and comfort with the therapist, which remains very important, however clients can now niche down and find someone they connect with AND who has an approach and relevant training that aligns with your values and your individual needs.

As a clinic I would like to share the approach that aligns with our foundation, known as EFT. This approach truly embodies our values as a clinic; that we all struggle and there is nothing wrong with you if you are. From the beginning we have promoted that mental health is health. We don’t see people as their diagnosis-we see them in the context of their environment, their life experiences and within the structures of society as a whole. What does that mean exactly? It means their behaviour makes sense when we ask questions about their life story. 

As a practice, we focus on what people have lived through and what's happened to them, not what's wrong with them. Creating meaningful and lasting change in your life comes from new emotional experiences and healing, in relationships with others. Secure attachment can be found at any stage of life. When you find secure attachment in relationships, your world changes, you don’t need to be in survival mode anymore. 

We are committed to the highest level of training for our clinicians and are very much looking forward to continuing with the training we just received from Gail Palmer herself, the founding member of the Ottawa couples & Family institute. She will  return in the fall to further lead us through this transformative approach to practice.

Reach out to me if you have any questions or want to learn more about EFT.