Psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy or “talk therapy” is a form of treatment which starts with an exploration of current emotional problems. Treatment progresses to include a personal history and once the issues are clearly understood the therapist will proceed to a more active treatment phase.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):

CBT is a very popular type of psychotherapy based on the idea that feelings and behaviors are determined by our thoughts. In other words, if we think gloomy thoughts we will feel down and depressed. If we think that something terrible is about to happen we will feel anxious, fearful and worried. CBT helps patients to identify and change negative or unreasonable self-talk.

When patients are suffering from severe depression or anxiety they lack the motivation, and often the ability, to read a book about CBT. Recommending books on CBT to patients, especially early in their illnesses, is usually a waste of time. I wrote “Psychotherapy: A Cognitive Approach” to provide a short but effective guide to CBT which would not overwhelm patients as they struggled with depression and/or anxiety. Recommended by the late Dr. Albert Ellis, one of the original founders of CBT, the small book can be downloaded here for free.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a type of CBT developed to help patients overcome Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT focuses on "emotional regulation" helping patients, often in their teens manage intense feelings and emotions. It may be difficult to find therapists well versed in DBT and I recommend the book "The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook" by McKay, Wood & Brantley as a great first step.

Behavioural Activation Therapy (BAT)

By changing behaviour, Behavioural Activation Therapy (BAT) changes thoughts and feelings in a positive way. Enjoyable activities are encouraged and effects are monitored. In BAT the initial focus is on behaviours while in CBT the initial focus is on thoughts. An excellent self-help BAT workbook is available at the link below.

BounceBack

BounceBack is a free skill-building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Check out BounceBack at the link below:

Stress

Stress is the physical or psychological response to an event or stressor which is considered to be threatening or challenging.

A certain amount of stress (good stress) motivates and energizes individuals while excessive amounts of stress, especially when prolonged, result in anxiety and a feeling of being overwhelmed. In 1967, two psychiatrists developed a scale to assess the impact of life-events. The scale comprises a hierarchy of events, some of which are less relevant today than they were in 1967.

Happiness

The practice of psychiatry not only involves the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses but also includes the exploration, with patients, of concepts such as happiness. The article below appeared in the Globe & Mail some years ago. Enjoy!

Relaxation Therapy & Mindfulness (Creating Inner Calm)

Creating Inner Calm is an audio program that I designed to relieve stress, anxiety and insomnia. The compact disc version was a Canadian best-seller and the program is now available here. There are three separate but complimentary exercises. 'Conscious Breathing', will help you relax by focusing on and controlling your breath. “Full Release” allows you to relax your entire body, and hopefully your mind, through muscle tension and release sequences. “Imagine”, a favorite track, combines controlled breathing, muscle relaxation and creative visualization. Enjoy!