Services

Individual Therapy

Therapy can have a profound effect on your life and overall well-being. 

Whether you’re dealing with a specific challenge or simply want to improve your life, we can help you understand your struggles, overcome your difficulties, develop coping mechanisms and build and maintain satisfying relationships. 

We can help with:

  • Difficulties regulating emotions
  • Anger
  • Substance use
  • Impulsive behaviour
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Grief and loss
  • Low self-esteem
  • Identity confusion
  • Day-to-day stress
  • Borderline Personality Disorder
  • PTSD or trauma
  • Eating disorders/body image issues
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Chronic pain or insomnia

We use a variety of treatment models, often in combination, to support our clients including:

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment that was originally developed for suicidal and self-harming individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). DBT is effective for people who struggle with a range of challenges including intense emotions, difficulties with impulse control, and instability in relationships.

DBT has been adapted to treat many other mental health concerns such as eating disorders, addictions, anxiety, and problematic anger. This treatment is supportive and validating, while also being structured, goal-directed and behavioural. DBT focuses on helping people accept themselves as fully as possible, while also pushing themselves to change.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD

Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy is an evidence-based treatment that specifically addresses the symptomatology associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is a relatively short-term therapy that has been shown to be highly effective in reducing symptoms of trauma such as flashbacks, nightmares, and strong physiological responses triggered by reminders of the trauma. The overarching goal of PE is to promote processing of the traumatic event, and to decrease distress and avoidance of feelings and situations associated with the trauma.

In addition to PE, we also offer an integrative treatment called DBT-PE developed specifically for people with both BPD and PTSD. The first phase of the treatment helps people to gain control of their problematic behaviours and then the focus shifts to directly targeting PTSD symptoms.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment that draws on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are all interconnected. This therapy helps clients to become more aware of their patterns in thinking and to develop new and more balanced perspectives. CBT is a highly effective therapy for depression, anxiety, eating disorders and a range of other mental health challenges.

Mindfulness and Compassion-Based Approaches

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Mindfulness and Compassion-Based Approaches

Mindfulness-based approaches help people learn to pay attention to the present moment in a particular way. The aim of these approaches is to work on letting go of judgements, and to approach the world with curiosity and openness to lived experience. Mindfulness can contribute to reduced suffering, improved concentration, and an increased ability to observe your thoughts and emotions rather than to be swept away by them.

Compassion-based approaches help people learn to be more compassionate and gentle towards themselves and others. Self-compassion is central to decreasing chronic feelings of shame and can ease the difficulty of working on many challenges that people may be facing. We integrate these approaches into all that we do.

Individual Therapy FAQ

We are glad to hear that. The first step is to click here and fill out the intake form. We will be in touch shortly to offer a phone consultation with the practitioner we believe will be the best fit for you. There is no fee for this initial consultation.

The goal of your initial consultation is to identify and clarify your needs and ensure that the therapist is a fit for you, and vice versa. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. 

We understand the importance of feeling comfortable with your therapist. If you start with someone and then find that it’s not the right fit, we will do our best to match you with another therapist from our team.

Our rates vary based on practitioner and are in line with the standard rates set by our governing bodies. We have some sliding scale spaces available, so if you have financial concerns please feel free to ask about them when you reach out.

Yes, we offer both in person and virtual sessions. We leave it up to you to choose what suits you best. Please specify your preference when you speak to the intake coordinator.

We are a self-referral clinic, which means a referral is not required. Please reach out to us directly.

Unfortunately not – however, therapy is covered by many private extended health insurance or workplace benefit plans. Please consult your healthcare insurance plan to determine the extent of coverage provided.

Fees that are paid without coverage are tax-deductible as they qualify under the category of medical expenses.

An e-transfer payment is due at the beginning of each session. You must complete the transaction three hours before your session starts to allow for enough time for the payment to be processed. A receipt is issued for you to retain for insurance or income tax claims.

To avoid a charge for your session, a minimum of 24 hours notice is required. Cancellations within 24 hours will be subject to the full session fee. Insurance companies do not provide reimbursement for cancelled or missed sessions.

Ready to discover what therapy can do for you?

Group Therapy

Group Therapy can be very effective on its own, or as an adjunct to individual therapy. It is an excellent way to gain new skills, meet people with similar goals and challenges and learn through others. 

Our group offerings, which will grow over time, are listed below. The ability to attend all sessions and to participate in weekly home practice is very important in order to get the full benefit from group therapy. If you’re interested in learning more about group programs please click here and fill out the intake form.

DBT Group Therapy

DBT group therapy is divided into four modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Mindfulness is at the core of DBT Group Therapy and is interspersed throughout the sessions, while the other modules are between five and seven weeks each.

Each session begins with a brief mindfulness exercise, followed by a review of how participants practiced skills over the week. We then move into an interactive lesson in which participants will learn a new skill.

A closer look at the DBT skills group modules:

Mindfulness

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A core skill in DBT, mindfulness teaches you how to gain control of your attention and awareness. You will learn how to focus your attention in the present moment, rather than ruminating about the past or worrying about the future.

Distress Tolerance

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Learn how to manage pain and distress more effectively, so that you can tolerate your most difficult moments without acting in a way that will make the situation worse.

Emotion Regulation

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Cultivate a better understanding of your emotions and how to manage them so that you can respond instead of react, change emotions that are not helpful, and increase the ones you want to experience more often.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

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Learn to ask for what you want and say no to unwanted requests in a way that increases the likelihood of having your needs met. These skills help you to maintain and improve both your relationships and your self-respect.

Group Therapy FAQ

Groups are limited to 10 participants each.

At the moment all groups take place virtually. Once it is safe to do so, we plan to run groups out of our future west-end Toronto clinic in addition to online.

For most groups, no. For DBT group therapy, yes. We welcome participants who are under the care of a therapist or family physician outside Equilibrium, in addition to our own individual therapy clients. 

For DBT group therapy, we ask for a commitment to – and payment for – one module at a time. The modules vary in length (5-7 sessions each), which will be discussed in your intake call. For other groups, we ask for a commitment to the whole group. Please reach out for full details and pricing.

Interested in one of our group programs?

Other Wellness Services

In addition to therapy, we are proud to offer an ever-growing list of services and programs to support your mental and physical wellness.

All additional services will be listed below – please check back often for new additions. To book – or inquire about – any of them, please click here to reach us.

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Anti-Diet Nutritional Coaching

Coming Soon

Meditation Coaching

Coming Soon

Interested in one of the services above?