Evidence Based Modalities

Therapy/counselling approaches that have been heavily researched and found to be successful in helping individuals and families make positive changes in their lives.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – is an evidence-based practice that focuses on the connection between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Emotions can be difficult to change on their own, and CBT approaches trying to change those emotions by changing our thoughts and behaviours that contribute to those feelings of distress. CBT helps build skills (ie. Positive self-talk, changing how we view the world, changing pattern behaviours, changing habits) and increase awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and how they impact our daily life (Cully & Teten, 2008). CBT values practice and repetition and uses “homework tasks” (ie. Tracking and rating feelings, completing a thought record, noticing unhelpful thoughts, activity scheduling, mindfulness or relaxation practice) to encourage and help skill building.

Brief Solution Focused Therapy (SFBT) – is an evidence-based practice that focuses on finding solutions (i.e., finding different ways to feel better) rather than finding the root cause of their challenges. Challenges could be anything that feels hard for the individual. This approach focuses on goals, times when things go well or when you were able to cope, and exploring what life would look like if things were different.

Narrative Therapy – is an evidence-based practice that focuses on separating the problem from the person (the problem is the problem, the person is never the problem), and focuses on the importance of stories and histories, and how individuals are the expert of their own experience. Narrative therapy also assumes that everyone has their own skills, strengths, abilities, values, and beliefs that can help them reduce the impact of problems in their lives.

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) – is an evidence-based practice that focuses on the mindset that “kids do well if they can”, that kids with challenging behaviour aren’t lacking the ability to behave well, but are lacking the skills to behave well. By identifying triggers, working together to thoroughly understand the problem and the skills that are needed to be built on to help improve problems, and building the skills required to provide lasting solutions.

Single Session Counselling – is an evidence-based practice that focuses on what feels most important for the client at the time (i.e., on that day). The counsellor and client will develop a goal together to work on during the session.  Single session operates on the belief that every individual has strengths,  knowledge, and the ability to build hope for the future.

Trauma Focused CBT – is an evidence-based practice that explores past traumas/hurts to redesign automatic  thoughts related to those experiences as well as identifying and practicing coping skills. Parenting skills and education are used to support caregiver-child relationships.  re-writing/redesigning your story; find video to add to help clinicians and/or families to understand TF-CBT.