In person office sessions
available soon in Edmonton, Alberta
Online sessions – available now
Although our office primarily serves Edmonton, Alberta, some of our services may be available across many Canadian Provinces and Territories. Feel free to inquire.
Individuals
Our collective experience includes supporting those living through anxiety, depression, debilitating stress, grief, loss, multicultural concerns, First Nations histories, First Responder issues, trauma, lifespan transitions including end of life, as well as parenting and relationship concerns; we support teens and adults of all ages.
We work primarily within a mindfulness-based, attachment- and trauma-informed CBT or ACT framework, using material, techniques, and methods from humanistic and behavioural approaches, talk therapy, art therapy, and other therapeutic approaches as appropriate, depending upon each client’s needs.
Please review our counsellors’ bios to determine the best fit for you.
Couples
We enjoy working with couples and ask most couples to complete either a “Gottman Connect—Enhanced Relationship Checkup” or a “PREPARE/ENRICH Assessment.”
These online assessment tools are used to establish a baseline and monitor progress. We primarily operate within a mindfulness-based, attachment-informed, trauma-informed, CBT, or ACT framework, utilizing materials, techniques, and methods from talk therapy. We also integrate materials from The Gottman Institute, Prepare Enrich Resources, and other sources as deemed appropriate.
Families
Parenting skills support is available for parents of children of all ages, and this can be provided in an individual, couples, split and co-parenting, or blended family context.
The family unit will be defined during the initial intake and assessment session(s), which will help determine the limits of confidentiality and consent for counselling. When engaged in family counselling, it is important to understand that the client is the defined family unit and not a specific individual or individuals within the family.
A family unit may meet with their counsellor as an online group, and separate sessions may be booked with each individual family member, determined collaboratively and at the discretion of the family therapist.
When counselling is requested for minor children signed consent must be provided by every parent/guardian involved before sessions with the child under 19 years of age can begin.
Counsellors at Mindful Centre—Counselling and Support Services Inc. do not provide supervision services or parent capacity assessments. Our services are currently limited to online work and, in our opinion, are not practical or appropriate for services required by the court. Please refer to the section under “Fees” for additional information.
MINDFUL CENTRE – SUPPORT SERVICES
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
Debriefings and defusing are provided as support services for individuals or groups following a critical incident. CISM interventions are not operational debriefings or counselling services.
CISM services can be an important first intervention following a critical incident such as a fire, violent crime, unexpected death, or disaster.
Mindful Centre – Counselling Support Services Inc. views CISM services as a form of “first aid”, that may require follow up intervention. Greater harm could arise if CISM services are viewed as an substitute for clinical counselling or psychiatric intervention. It is important to acknowledge that individuals severely affected by a Critical Incident may experience delayed onset and exacerbation of critical incident stress responses. Mindful Centre—Counselling and Support Services Inc. advocates for recognizing these potential reactions and encourages a readiness to seek therapy if necessary.
Consider this: First Aid, appropriately applied, does not tend to exasperate injury; it can delay or even prevent infection and sets up best chances for effective advanced medical treatment. Withholding First Aid for severe physical injuries can also lead to irreparable harm or death. Withhold advanced medical treatment, then First Aid or alternative efforts can become environments for infection to grow, leading to loss of function, loss of wholeness, and possibly even death. The best practice for physical injury is a combination of first aid and advanced medical treatment when needed. Yet, sometimes a little cleansing, a band-aid, and some comforting, rest, information, and support will do.
It is the opinion of Mindful Centre—Counselling and Support Services Inc. that best practice following the experience of critical incident stress reactions includes CISM intervention followed by advanced mental health interventions such as clinical counselling or psychiatric care when needed.
People are not sent for surgery when a little cleansing and a band-aid will do. Band-aids should not be minimized in value. If a little First Aid treatment facilitates natural healing and prevents the need for greater/invasive intervention, then isn’t that valuable?
Mindful Centre—Counselling and Support Services Inc. takes the position that CISM services are valuable interventions that support and may even prevent the need for advanced mental health interventions such as clinical counselling or psychiatric care.
Self-care and team building are best practiced before individual or group moral depletion and are all the more pertinent during challenging times. Contact Mindful Centre—Counselling and Support Services to discuss your organization’s needs for resiliency and wellness presentations or CISM interventions.
Contact Us
Feel free to reach out to us at Mindful Centre. Your questions, thoughts, and feedback are invaluable to us. Whether you’re curious about our services, seeking guidance, or just want to say hello, we’re here for you.
Connect with us, and let’s embark on a journey together.