Welcome to Horizon Counselling

ACT focus is on teaching you to accept what is in your control and to let go of the things that are not. Its aim is to maximize your potential for a meaningful life. Key components of ACT include incorporating mindfulness, present moment awareness, and incorporation of values into your daily life.

CBT is a therapy that focuses specifically on getting to know how your thoughts influence your feelings and behaviours. It focuses in on those critical negative messages we say to ourselves, and the negative beliefs we have, and provides ways to alter these messages. It also provides a framework to connect emotions, thoughts and behaviours together.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy designed to treat individuals struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from traumatic events such as combat, assault, or accidents. CPT focuses on helping individuals identify and challenge maladaptive beliefs and thoughts related to their traumatic experiences. During therapy sessions, clients learn to recognize and modify cognitive distortions, such as self-blame or feelings of helplessness, that contribute to their distress. Through structured exercises and discussions, clients gradually develop a more balanced and realistic understanding of their trauma, leading to a reduction in symptoms and an increased sense of empowerment. CPT often involves homework assignments to reinforce learning and skill application outside of therapy sessions. By addressing both cognitive and emotional aspects of trauma, CPT aims to promote healing and improve overall well-being.

EFT focuses on connecting you to your emotions in a curious and valuable way. This approach facilitates understanding around the critical functions that emotions serve which also helps to cultivate a deeper insight around their influence on ourselves and our environment. Through this process, we learn to develop tolerance and acceptance for painful emotions, while utilizing them in a way that can transcend our healing journey.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy approach primarily used to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. EMDR involves a structured eight-phase protocol that integrates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, taps, or auditory tones. During EMDR sessions, individuals focus on specific distressing memories while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation directed by the therapist. This process is thought to facilitate the reprocessing of traumatic memories, allowing for the integration of new adaptive information and the reduction of associated emotional distress. Through repeated sets of bilateral stimulation, individuals typically experience a reduction in the intensity of their traumatic symptoms and a shift towards more adaptive beliefs and emotions. 

Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP) is a cognitive-behavioral therapy technique used to treat anxiety disorders, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In ERP, individuals are gradually exposed to anxiety-inducing stimuli or situations, allowing them to confront their fears in a controlled environment. However, what distinguishes ERP from other exposure therapies is the critical element of response prevention. During exposure exercises, individuals are instructed to refrain from engaging in their usual compulsive behaviors or rituals that serve to alleviate their anxiety. By preventing these responses, individuals learn that their feared outcomes do not materialize and that they can tolerate distress without resorting to compulsive actions. Over time, ERP helps individuals restructure their relationship with anxiety-provoking stimuli, leading to reduced symptoms and improved quality of life. 

Dr. Pott provides hypnotherapy. Clinical hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes hypnosis to facilitate psychological change and address a variety of issues, including anxiety, phobias, pain management, and habit disorders. During a hypnotherapy session, the individual enters a relaxed state of focused attention to be more receptive to shifting of thoughts using stories and metaphors. The hypnotherapist guides the individual through techniques to explore and address underlying emotions, beliefs, and behaviors contributing to their concerns. Through suggestive language, visualization, and positive reinforcement, hypnotherapy aims to facilitate cognitive restructuring and promote desired changes in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. While in this heightened state of suggestibility, individuals remain in control and can reject suggestions that are not in alignment with their values or goals.