Psychotherapy & Mental Health Care

Mental health is an essential part of overall wellness, yet many people struggle in silence. They often only seek the help they need when the challenges become overwhelming. In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences mental illness. This goes to show just how widespread the need for effective, compassionate mental health support truly is.

By the way, you don’t need a mental health diagnosis to benefit from psychotherapy. Talk therapy can help with daily stress and daily interpersonal conflict all the way to deeper emotional concerns without the label of a clinical condition. 

Research shows that many people begin noticing meaningful improvements within just a few months of starting therapy.

What Is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a collaborative process between you and a trained mental health professional. Together, your therapist and yourself will explore your thoughts, feelings, and behavioral patterns. The goal of talk therapy is to help you feel grounded, empowered, and capable of responding to life’s challenges in more constructive ways.

A strong therapeutic relationship is at the heart of effective psychotherapy sessions. A client that feels properly heard and understood creates the mental space needed for reflection, clarity, and emotional healing. And of course, all sessions are confidential, letting you feel secure to say whatever you need to.

Therapy can be short-term and solution-focused, or it can be longer-term and exploratory. Both approaches are valid, and many people benefit from a blend of the two.

Our Philosophy of Care: A Holistic Approach

We view mental health as inseparable from physical health. At Back to Health, our care philosophy is rooted in treating the whole person, acknowledging how deeply interconnected the mind and body both are

Practically speaking, one thing we mean by this is that many long-term physical conditions can strongly affect one’s emotional well-being, just as ongoing stressful emotional conditions can lead to worsening physical symptoms. Essentially, one affects the other and vice versa in a feedback loop.

But, that same feedback loop also means that improving one’s psychological health frequently improves one’s physical well-being at the same time. For example, reduced stress can lead to better sleep, improved immune function, and a more regulated nervous system.

Our clinic also uses a collaborative model when it comes to our various practices. Practitioners across disciplines such as psychotherapy, osteopathy, massage therapy, and fitness, can all work together to support your goals. This integrated care approach often leads to more thorough, effective outcomes.

Who We Help

We support adults, teens (where appropriate), couples, and families. Common concerns we work with include:

  • Stress, burnout, and chronic overwhelm
  • Anxiety, panic, worry, social or health anxiety, and phobias
  • Low mood, depression, loss of motivation, or emotional numbness
  • Grief and major life transitions (separation, caregiving, relocation, identity shifts)
  • Trauma and painful past experiences (at a pace that feels safe)
  • Chronic pain, tension headaches, and TMJ concerns
  • Relationship or family conflict, communication issues, or boundary difficulties
  • Perfectionism, self-criticism, shame, and low self-worth
  • Sleep difficulties connected to stress or mental load

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is my concern big enough for therapy?” The answer is almost certainly yes. Early support helps prevent long-term challenges and builds emotional resilience.

Service Options

Individual Psychotherapy

One-on-one sessions tailored to your needs, focusing on insight, emotional processing, and practical skills you can use in daily life.

Couples Therapy

A structured setting that helps improve communication, rebuild trust, and navigate conflict or transition. Beneficial for couples at any stage of their relationship.

Family Therapy

Support for families experiencing stress, difficult transitions, or caregiving challenges. Sessions focus on repairing communication, helping to define one’s roles and responsibilities better, and rebuilding trust. 

Psychology & Clinical Assessment

Assessment services can clarify symptoms, help establish a diagnosis when needed, and guide further treatment.

How We Work

We draw from several evidence-based approaches, including:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviours through structured exercises and habit change.
  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT): Build psychological flexibility and take values-based action, even in the presence of difficult emotions.
  • Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT): Understand emotions as important signals and learn to process them in healthy ways.
  • Mindfulness-Based Strategies: Practice grounding, attention training, and emotional regulation.
  • Trauma-Informed Care: Gentle, safety-focused work that respects boundaries, pacing, and bodily cues.
  • Attachment-Based and Relational Therapy: Explore relational patterns, boundaries, and emotional needs.
  • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Identify strengths and actionable next steps.
  • No single approach fits everyone. Your therapist will collaborate with you to determine what methods may be most helpful.

First Steps

1) Connect

Reach out by phone or online. Share your preferences and what you’re seeking: virtual or in-person care, daytime or evening sessions, and therapist qualities that matter to you.

2) First Session (Intake)

We learn about your history, strengths, challenges, and goals. This is also your chance to get a sense of your therapist’s style.

3) Your Plan

Together, we establish goals and discuss session frequency. Plans may be short-term and skills-based or longer-term and depth-oriented. 

4) Ongoing Care

Sessions offer space to reflect, practice tools, and integrate insights. We’ll check in on progress and adjust the plan as needed.

5) Flexible Access

Choose in-person sessions for sessions in a calm, out of the way environment, or select our secure virtual sessions for ease and convenience, or a blend of both.

What You May Notice Over Time

While every journey is different, many clients experience:

  • Calmer days and fewer anxiety spikes
  • A more stable mood and improved sleep
  • Clearer thinking and less rumination
  • Stronger communication and boundaries
  • A kinder inner voice and better self-care
  • Reduced fear of pain flares and greater confidence in managing symptoms
  • Feeling more present, connected, and hopeful

Therapy is not a quick fix, but a series of small, consistent steps that create meaningful change. And don’t worry, you won’t be doing it alone.

Mental Health and Pain: Why We Treat Both

Mental stress and physical pain influence each other. A tense body heightens the brain’s sense of threat, increasing pain signals. Chronic pain, in turn, can lower mood, disrupt sleep, and increase irritability. As we discussed the mind-body connection above, we believe in treating both by:

  • Relaxing muscle guarding to support easier movement
  • Re-training breath and posture to settle the nervous system
  • Shifting pain-related thoughts toward more realistic, helpful beliefs
  • Creating flare-up plans and self-soothing strategies
  • We believe this integrated approach supports longer-lasting, whole-person change.

Getting Ready for Your First Visit

  • Consider your goals: what do you hope will feel different in the next few weeks?
  • Notice your patterns: when do symptoms spike, and what helps?
  • Plan your time: give yourself space before and after sessions to settle in and decompress.
  • Bring questions: therapy is a partnership, and open communication helps guide the work.

If you’ve had therapy before, sharing what was helpful (and what wasn’t) can shape the process and help us start in the right place.