We all have integrative counselling approaches at Diverse Roots but we mainly use the following four approaches as well as mindfulness techniques. Our students and therapists working at the practice each have their own individual approaches, which aids all of us in learning from each other. 

Psychodynamic

The psychodynamic model is one in which problems are seen as existing within the context of the self and relationships that have been influential from birth until the present moment and the underlying patterns that these relationships and issues live in. 

Queer-Affirmative

This model focuses on having individuals of any sexual orientation or gender identity work toward self-acceptance and deeper understanding in an entirely non-judgmental environment. 

Trauma-Informed

Trauma, whether acute or chronic, may have impacted your life and functioning and we can help you determine which existing and new resources you could have, find ways to process the trauma itself and cope with the potentially lasting effects.

Person-Centered Therapy

This approach focuses on the client as the expert of their own life and values the client’s autonomy and strength first and foremost, with the therapist playing a supportive role to help clients achieve their goals and work towards healing in a humanistic, non-directive way.

What all of this means in a more practical, less clinical sense, is that we look at the individual as a whole but also interpersonally and systemically. We can look at the patterns that you feel are no longer working for you, try to find their root causes and then work to replace them with more adaptive ways of functioning. 

We work mainly with adults but also work with some adolescents. Erica Baker-Gagnon and Alexa Morash see couples/people for relationship counselling (including polycules or those with diverse relationship structures). The rest of our therapists do not see couples or families on a regular basis but are happy to bring partners and/or family members (either chosen or biological) in temporarily as it is clinically relevant to do so.

We all regularly attend conferences and workshops to continue our professional development/education and to better serve our clients with an empirically-based, up-to-date and integrative approach to therapy.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of some issues that we can help you with: