Theory & Practice
Choice Point Psychological’s Theoretical Stance
Psychological Suffering is Rooted In…
Our Hardwiring for Negative for Thinking, Social Comparisons, & Anticipating Risks
OUR PAINFUL PAST LEARNING THAT MAY IMPACT BEHAVIOR AND COPING WHILE UNDER STRESS
TRAUMATIC STRESS CAUSING FURTHER DISRUPTIONS TO OUR BEHAVIOUR, COPING, AND PERCEPTION
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor Frankl
Our first goal is to assist you in understanding your undesirable symptoms and behaviours from a new perspective. Mental health has been historically stigmatized and unfortunately the stigma persists to this day. We want to help you move past shame or self-defeating attitudes you may have about what you are going through. We believe every behaviour is a form of coping and it has roots in bodily responses to the environment, as well as past learning. There may have been experiences in your life that you could not control that contributed to the challenges you face today, but there are ways to persevere despite what you have been through. We will help you discover “the space between stimulus and response” by working together to identify elements in the environment activating you and contributing to your presenting concerns. Together we will explore your history to determine why certain things in your environment influence your behaviour, as well as why you gravitate towards certain coping habits. From there, we will embark on developing mindfulness-based strategies that you can utilize to widen “the space between stimulus and response” and to interrupt the self-defeating cycles you may currently be facing. We will practice these skills routinely to help them become more comfortable and natural. We will also generate new ways to cope that are more conducive with your values and the person you want to be. As needed, we will augment this with exposure therapy treatments (e.g. EMDR or Prolonged Exposure Therapy). This process is all about empowering you and helping you regain control over your life.
AT CHOICE POINT, WE WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT IS AND IS NOT WORKING.
1. Are you over stressed, finding yourself short of time, energy, motivation?
2. Are you over relying on either threat systems or drive systems to guide your daily actions?
3. What are you doing to cope? Is it aligned with the person you want to be?
4. What is happening internally while faced with stress and is your stress cycle reaching completion?
5. In what ways is your painful past learning keeping you stuck? (maladaptive coping, shutdown, self critical, fearful/anxious, etc.)
SIGNALS OF SUFFERING
Detached from values, meaning, purpose
Avoidance of internal or external experiences
Chronic hyper/hypo arousal symptoms
Rigid or non life-enhancing coping behaviours
Lack of balance in lifestyle
Disconnection from self and others
Lack of vitality
Cognitive distortions or rigid thinking
Extreme or uncontrolled emotion reactivity
PILLARS OF WELLNESS
Daily values-guided action
Open to array of life experiences
Completed stress cycles with adequate resting periods
Flexible and dynamic self-care practices
Striving towards holistic living
Meaningful and supportive social network
Daily micro reminders of aliveness and gratitude
Noticing parallels between thought content & feelings
Able to be with our emotions & respond deliberately
ARE YOU STRESSED AND SURVIVING? WE WANT TO HELP YOU FEEL ALIVE AND ALIGNED WITH YOUR VALUES! HOW?
1. Identify the blocks and barriers keeping you stuck.
2. Skill building, skills practice, life improvement.
3. Working through past pain to make you less vulnerable to old habits while under stress.
References
Gilbert, P. (2009). The Compassionate Mind: A New Approach To Life’s Challenges. London: Constable and Robinson.
Hayes, S., Strosahl, K., & Wilson, K. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice Of Mindful Change. New York: The Guilford Press.
Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, Self-Regulation. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Van Der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body In the Healing Of Trauma. New York: Penguin Random House LLC.