Psychotherapy & Counselling Services
Heather Church, RP
Welcome
Over twenty years, I have developed expertise serving people who have mental health challenges and/or developmental disorders, as well as their loved ones. I am a registered psychotherapist (College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and Registered Behaviour Analyst (College of Psychologists and Registered Behaviour Analysts of Ontario. My range of expertise has grown to reflect the needs of my clients and their loved ones as they have grown through the lifespan.
I chose a nature theme for this website, as I am strong believer in the health benefits of spending time outside, in nature, whenever possible.
The People I Serve Include:
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Children over 6 years old
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Teenagers
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Young Adults
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Adults
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Individuals
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Couples
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Those coping with diagnoses, end-of-life of self or loved one
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Those grieving
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People with Developmental Disorders, including Autism
My work is evidence-based, hopeful and focused on helping you to achieve your goals and live according to your values, no matter your stage in life. In our work together, my goal is to help you to develop insight into your situation. I will help you to develop the tools to grasp life's patterns and untangle the daily struggles, so that you can implement your plan to live and move forward in a way which is meaningful to you.
Click here to read this article that I authored, about the importance of incorporating advanced care planning in individual service plans for care of people with developmental disorders, alongside colleagues in an inter-university collaboration.
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Individual Psychotherapy (Regulated)
I offer psychotherapy and counselling online, as a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) in accordance with the standards of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). I use Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
Psychotherapy may be helpful for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, or other challenges that significantly impact emotional or psychological functioning.
In general, I find that rapport is beneficial to developing a strong therapeutic alliance (i.e., the relationship of trust between a client and therapist, whereby they work together as allies to achieve the client's goals). To determine if I am the right fit for you, please book a complementary initial consultation. If you prefer in-person appointments, these can be arranged. Please contact me prior to booking in order to do so.
Boys & Men's Mental Health
Boys and men often feel excluded or misunderstood/misrepresented in mental health services. In an effort to serve boys and men better, I participate in regular peer consultation and professional development specific to this challenge. There is no one size fits all when it comes to mental health. I am prepared to meet you and respect you where you're at.
Couples Counselling
I use EFT, CBT and ACT in couples counselling, to assist couples as they navigate challenges in and seek to strengthen their relationship. As such, this service is subsumed within the psychotherapy services that I offer. This is because we address dysfunctional relationship patterns, emotional dysregulation, attachment injuries and clinically significant distress.
Psychoeducational Counselling
Depending on what you are looking for, these services may or may not be subsumed under psychotherapy.
If you are:
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Seeking assistance adapting to an identified or diagnosed cognitive, learning or emotional difficulty of yourself or a loved one,
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Psychoeducational assessments (NB: this will NOT formulate a diagnosis) in order to identify the learner's strengths and struggles,
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Addressing distress arising from those difficulties and/or
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Working on functional impairment, this would qualify as psychotherapy.
Where it ceases to be psychotherapeutic but still valuable is when the services have a more administrative focus. For instance, I can write a report, explaining in plain language the challenges experienced by the learner and strategies to accommodate them. We can then use that information to develop learning strategies which capitalise on their strengths. A report will also be prepared and provided to the client, to share it as they choose to schools, coaches, and others involved in the learner's learning journey. I can also help you to prepare for, and if you choose, attend case conferences with you, to help inform the goals, problem resolution and priorities.
A complementary initial consultation is mandatory for this service. Additional psychoeducational services include: explaining the individual service plan (ISP), Identification, Program, Review Committee (IPRC) and navigating services and supports processes for those who have been identified within the school system as eligible for these supports.
A complementary initial consultation is mandatory for psychoeducational services, to ensure that I am the best fit for your goals. Additional psychoeducational services include: explaining the individual service plan (ISP), Identification, Program Review Committee (IPRC) and your rights and role in it, as well as navigating services and supports processes for those who have been identified within the school system as eligible for these supports.
Contact
Have a question or want to learn more? Reach out to us through the form below.