The approach that Just Being team of counsellors would engage in:

We at Just Being are trained in Mindfulness and Presence Oriented forms in counseling and psychotherapy. We also combine other methods in counseling like somatic, or cognitive work or art based approaches, depending on our individual specializations.

Mindfulness and Presence is based on engaging in a moment to moment way with whatever we encounter. This approach or orientation is based on the belief that we all have deep inner resources no matter what we are faced with and we can access these inner resources at any point in time.

Through the process, we touch into what feels `okay’ within us and from there we look at what we are faced with. It is a life affirming approach. It is an orientation that also includes somatic awareness or awareness of sensations in the body or how the body is also responding to how we think and feel and we attempt to include a bodily or somatic awareness as best as possible in the moment. It is not necessary to be oriented in the body and an exploration can also happen if you can’t sense or feel at that moment what’s going on for you in the body.

However you are and whatever shows up is just fine. Everything that is brought up can be source of inquiring into more deeply to understand and respond to what is felt and needed as well as an opportunity to tap into our inherent sense of wholeness and wisdom.

The sessions might also include short guided mindfulness or self-compassion practices that are research based and are offered by the counselor if appropriate for you. These practices can really be helpful to us to be in touch with ourselves and relate to our experiences more deeply in a kind and compassionate way, thereby touching into our own inner resources.

Our approach is trauma-informed and trauma sensitive. What we mean by trauma is that sometimes because we’ve held our emotions for a long time within us or we experienced something at some point in our lives where we didn’t have the required care, holding or understanding needed, we hold these imprints in our body-mind. Sometimes life situations bring up these imprints. Sometimes in counseling and therapy and in mindfulness practice, these imprints surface. This is a good sign so we can look at what is waiting to be resolved. These imprints are often underlying the symptoms that we might be experiencing.

Counseling and Psychotherapy help to provide a safe space for these imprints to emerge so you can move forward in your life in a more free and spacious way and aligned with the deepest intention of your being. Our counsellors are trained in working with the body-mind in a way that doesn’t get overwhelming and are trained to respond to the overwhelm and modify any practice or method with the knowledge of how best to work with the physiology. Some of us in the team are trained in trauma resolution approaches and specialize in that area.