At Lori Gill Psychotherapy, we understand that our experiences and emotions directly impact our physical health. The body often holds excess energy, which can lead to overwhelming emotions like stress, anxiety, anger, or feelings of depletion such as depression and fatigue.
Our goal is to help children, youth, and adults learn how to effectively manage these emotional states through our integrated approach, which includes techniques informed by current research in neuroscience and psychology.
At Lori Gill Psychotherapy, we believe that emotional regulation is a core skill for overall wellness. Our treatment approaches focus on helping you learn how to feel your feelings, notice your thoughts, and develop the ability to observe, respond to, and shift these as needed.
Learning to regulate emotions is vital for a higher quality of life. Everything we think, feel, and do relates to our well-being and directly affects our actions and emotions. Achieving optimal wellness is a conscious and intentional practice, especially after experiencing trauma or stress.
Dr. Caroline Leaf emphasizes that the mind is energy, generating thoughts, feelings, and choices that shape our experiences. This means that when we learn to manage our minds, we can influence our brain and body positively.
Emotional regulation is the ability to manage and respond to your emotions in a healthy way. It involves:
A core part of our treatment approaches focuses on emotional regulation and affect regulation, in other words learning how to feel our feelings and notice our thoughts in a safe structured way and develop an increased ability to observe, respond to and shift these as needed.
Through effective trauma and wellness-focused techniques, we teach you how to:
The “Window of Tolerance,” a term coined by Dr. Dan Siegel, describes the optimal arousal level that allows for healthy emotional experiences. When we experience trauma or unmet attachment needs, our window of tolerance can shrink, making it harder to manage emotions effectively. Lori has a blog post and video on the topic that many people find helpful. You can learn more using the links below.
Learning to track and shift your emotional state can be a powerful tool for promoting regulation and integration throughout your mind and body.
To Decrease Arousal:
To Increase Arousal:
— Client Testimonial
If you’re ready to learn more about how we can support your emotional regulation and overall wellness, Book an Appointment or Contact Us for personalized guidance.
There are some wonderful sensory based resources that may be helpful for supporting your wellness journey. Here are a few of our favourites!