Frequently Asked Questions
You can contact The Oaks Counselling & Consulting here or at info@oakscounselling.com or telephone at 905-845-4646. We will do our best to get back to you within 24 hours and answer any questions you may have regarding the therapy process.
We offer 50-minute counselling sessions. Together, we’ll decide the frequency.
Therapy can help connect you with these emotions in a safe, healing way. Building trust with your therapist takes time and is an important element of the therapy relationship. It is important that you feel safe in order to share your experiences with your therapist. This is why it is important to choose a therapist with whom you feel comfortable. As you feel more comfortable sharing personal experiences with your therapist, meaningful change can occur.
Therapists try not to offer advice. At times, a therapist may make suggestions regarding other resources that might be beneficial to you. Often times through the process of therapy, the client acheives greater clarity in order to move forward.
When you feel you have nothing further to work through and seeing your therapist feels neutral for you.
Some insurance companies cover Social Work services. Please check your insurance coverage.
Therapists at The Oaks Counselling & Consulting have training in Relational Psychotherapy, as well as a Master’s degree in Social Work. Relational psychotherapy views past and present relationships as central to life difficulties. Relational Psychotherapy can help people create new ways of understanding themselves and relating to others through the empathy and connection in the therapy relationship. For more information – tirp.ca
According to Dr. Daniel Seigle, author of “Mind Sight”, “The Whole Brained Child” and “The Mindful Brain”, trauma is defined as any experience that overwhelms our capacity to cope. Past trauma can greatly reduce the capacity for healthy relationship. Many people seek out substances, use compulsive behaviours or seek out emotionally unavailable partners to soothe the emotional disregulation or to re-enact unresolved trauma in a misguided attempt at healing the past. Trauma re-enactment only serves to reinforce addicted patterns. Professional help to resolve trauma is always recommended.
Resources
Crisis Services
24.7 Crisis Support Peel
905-278-9036
1-888-811-2222 (Caledon)
1-844-437-3247 (Dufferin)
Oakville Distress Line
905-849-4541
Kids Help Phone
www.kidshelpphone.ca
Toll free: 1-888-668-6868 (up to age 21)
Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton
Mon-Sun (24 hours)
905-875-1555
Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre of Peel
24-hour crisis line at 905-273-9442.
Regional Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Services – Trillium Health Partners
Chantel’s Place – 905-848-7580 ext. 2548
Assaulted Women’s Helpline at 1-866-863-7868
Grief Resources
Bereaved Families of Ontario – Toronto
www.bfotoronto.ca
(416) 440-0290
Elisabeth Kubler Ross
www.elisabethkublerross.com
The Canadian Centre for Bereavement Education and Grief Counselling
(416) 926-0905
The Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children
905-377-2333
Max and Bea Wolfe’s Centre for Children’s Grief – Mt. Sinai Hospital
905-586-4800 ext. 7884
Addictions & Mental Health Resources
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) – Toronto
416-535-8501
Canadian Mental Health Association – Peel Dufferin Branch
905-451-2123
www.toronto.cmha.ca
Drug & Alcohol Helpline (24 hours)
1-800-565-8603
Halton Alcohol, Drug and Prevention Treatment (ADAPT)
905-639-6537
OHIP covered or sliding scale counselling services:
Halton Family Services
www.haltonfamilyservices.org
905-842-3811
Catholic Family Services of Dufferin Peel
905-450-1608
Family Services of Peel
905-453-5775
Shalem Mental Health Network
905-528-0353
(sliding scale, no wait list)
875 Main Street East, Hamilton, ON, L8R 1T8
BOOKS & ARTICLES
Mindfulness/Meditation:
- Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation. Daniel J. Siegle
- A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook. Bob Stahl PhD, Elisha Goldstein PhD
- Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Jon Kabat-Zinn
- Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment–and Your Life. Jon Kabat-Zinn
- Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom. Rick Hanson
- The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness. Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn
Addiction:
- Healing the Addicted Brain: The Revolutionary, Science-Based Alcoholism and Addiction Recovery Program. Harold Urschel
- The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. Norman Doidge
- In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. Gabor Mate
- Neurobiology of Addiction. Alan Swann MD, F. Gerard Moeller MD, Marion Lijffijt, PhD
Mental Health Focus:
- Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think. Dennis Greenberger, Christine Padesky
- Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviours (workbook). Lisa Ferentz
- The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Brene Brown
- The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook. Edmund J. Bourne, PhD
- Fear & Other Uninvited Guests. Harriot Lerner, PhD
Trauma Focus
- The Body Says No. Gabor Mate
- The Body Keeps the Score. Bessel van der Kolk, MD
- Healing Trauma. Peter A. Levine
- The Body Bears the Burden: Trauma, Disassociation and Disease. Robert Scaer
- The Polyvagal Theory. Stephen W. Porges
Healthy Relationships:
- Getting The Love You Want. Harville Hendrix, PhD
- The Science of Trust. John M. Gottman
- Hold Me Tight. Dr. Sue Johnson
- Will I Ever Be Good Enough: Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers. Karyl McBride, PhD
- From Impasse to Intimacy: How Understanding Unconscious Needs can Transform Relationships. David Shaddock
- Finding Your Ruby Slippers: Transformative Lessons from the Therapists Couch. Lisa Ferentz
Parenting:
- Whole Brain-Child. Daniel J. Siegel, MD
- No Drama Discipline. Daniel J. Seigel, MD & Tina Payne Bryson, PhD
- How To Talk: So Kids Will Listen And Listen So Kids Will Talk. Elaine Mazlish
Divorce Care:
- Conscious Uncoupling. Katherine Woodward Thomas, MA, MFT
- The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children and Divorce: Reassuring Advice to Help your Family Adjust. Carl E. Pickhardt
- Parenting After Divorce: Resolving Conflicts and Meeting Your Children’s Needs. Philip M. Stahl
- The Divorce Helpbook for Teens. Cynthia MacGregor
- The Way They Were: Dealing with Your Parents Divorce After a Lifetime of Marriage. Brooke Lea Foster.
- When Parents Hurt: Compassion Strategies When You and Your Child Don’t Get Along. Joshua Coleman
