Paul Johnston-Psychology Professional Corporation Blog

Q: How Many Counselling Sessions Will I Need and How Often?

Counselling can help you identify and overcome emotional difficulties. In some cases, even just the ability to share your story and your pain in a confidential and safe environment can be healing. At Thunder Bay Psychology, our supportive team is here to listen and help you identify your own unique needs. In partnership with you, we will develop a treatment plan that strives to meet your goals as efficiently as possible.  

Your romantic relationship is one of the most important relationships in your life. However, even strong relationships encounter difficulties. Couples counselling can help partners build the skills they need to navigate through life challenges in a healthy way.  If you are considering couples counselling in Thunder Bay, choose Thunder Bay Psychology.

The number of people experiencing psychological distress is continuing to grow in Canada and around the world. Distress can manifest in many forms but for many people, these problems start affecting their happiness, close relationships, work, and/or functioning. Unfortunately, many individuals who suffer from one or more of these problems often feel alone and unsure how to solve these problems alone.

Problems like the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship or the fear of losing your job are quite stressful. You feel sad, scared and tired. You might not even feel like getting out of bed every morning. These feelings are natural and generally people are able to get over them in a short time. If it lasts for more than a few months however, affecting your day to day life, then you may be suffering from clinical depression. The clinic of Dr. Paul Johnston can assess how you are feeling and what you are going through, and help answer any questions that you might have about your experience, offering suggestions and providing counselling or therapy sessions if needed.

One of the areas Dr. Paul Johnston has a special interest in is treating people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you have it, this disorder can have a detrimental impact on your life, and can put you at risk for developing other mental health issues or medical conditions.

Many people may think of couples counselling as a last resort, but the truth is, it can make almost any relationship stronger, even a happy one. Marriage counselling need not be reserved for people on the brink of separation, but very much can be used as a tool to strengthen and build relationships. In fact, many Thunder Bay couples can benefit from counselling, regardless of the stage of their relationship.

Feelings of sadness, anger and agitation are a completely normal part of the human experience. But if these feelings persist for more than two weeks and are interfering with your ability to carry out your daily activities, than you may have depression. Not everyone experiences depression in the exact same way.

Thanks to our collective obsession with crime shows on television, the job of forensic psychologist is now a part of a lot of Canadians’ vocabulary, even here in Thunder Bay. Although, in reality, practicing forensic psychology doesn’t look a lot like it does on TV, it’s a fascinating job that helps a lot of people in a lot of different ways, from the courtroom to the counselling centre. All forensic psychologists hold advanced degrees in psychology or one of its sub-divisions of study. Although there are a lot of different forms it can take, forensic psychology is essentially where general psychology and the law meet.

Admitting to ourselves that we need help dealing with our mental or emotional state is no easy thing. It’s important to understand that despite lingering stigmas, there is absolutely no shame in the desire to get your mental health under control. Now that you’ve taken the first step, what should you expect throughout the course of your first session? The office of Dr. Paul Johnston, your counselling centre in Thunder Bay, will walk you through how to begin working toward a more manageable future.

Psychological difficulties and issues are common amongst people, whether in our neighbours, friends or even ourselves. These difficulties can eventually result in impairment, impacting our relationships, work and even our ability to get up in the morning. Whatever the nature of your concerns, Dr. Paul Johnston wants to help you find relief offering psychological counseling and psychotherapy in a safe and encouraging environment. Counselling services include marriage counselling, conditions and disorders, post traumatic stress disorders, and forensic psychology.

Depression and anxiety are the most frequently seen problems in psychological services. Interestingly, they tend occur together so if you experience both sets of symptoms, please know this is a common struggle.

At our counselling centre in Thunder Bay, we commonly see clients who are experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties as a result of a traumatic experience. Trauma can take many forms and can be caused by wide range of life experiences. For example, trauma can be the result of an isolated incident such as a car accident, or an ongoing experience such domestic violence.

Many Canadians struggle with emotional and psychological difficulties but do not seek help due to the stigma many feel is associated with mental illness. In some cases, people fear negative judgment from other people such as friends or colleagues. At other times, they may feel scared or ashamed themselves because of the negative stereotypes in our society about mental illness. The fact is, you are not alone!

In our society, there are many competing demands for time and attention. Despite our best intentions, this can lead to struggles within our marriage or relationship. Unfortunately, the relationship difficulties can affect our work, our children, and our emotional well-being.