At Metta Emergence our integrative approach to counselling draws on therapeutic modalities from various schools of therapy. Our framework is grounded in the Humanistic or Person-Centered perspective as well as Family Systems Theory and Transpersonal Psychology and informed by Gestalt Therapy, Neuroscience, Mindfulness/Buddhist Psychology, Attachment Theory, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), and Hypnotherapy.

Integrative Therapy

Integrative therapy is a progressive form of psychotherapy that combines different therapeutic tools and approaches to fit the needs of the individual client. With an understanding of normal human development, an integrative therapist modifies standard treatments to fill in development gaps that affect each client in different ways. By combining elements drawn from different schools of psychological theory and research, integrative therapy becomes a more flexible and inclusive approach to treatment than more traditional, singular forms of psychotherapy.

Positive Psychology

Unlike traditional psychology that focuses more on the causes and symptoms of mental illnesses and emotional disturbances, Positive Psychology emphasizes traits, thinking patterns, behaviors, and experiences that are forward-thinking and can help improve the quality of a person’s day-to-day life. These may include optimism, spirituality, hopefulness, happiness, creativity, perseverance, justice, and the practice of free will. It is an exploration of one’s strengths, rather than one’s weaknesses. The goal of positive psychology is not to replace those traditional forms of therapy that center on negative experiences, but instead to expand and give more balance to the therapeutic process.

Attachment Based Therapy

Attachment-based therapy is a brief, process-oriented form of psychological counseling. The client-therapist relationship is based on developing or rebuilding trust and centers on expressing emotions. An attachment-based approach to therapy looks at the connection between an infant’s early attachment experiences with primary caregivers, usually with parents, and the infant’s ability to develop normally and ultimately form healthy emotional and physical relationships as an adult. Attachment-based therapy aims to build or rebuild a trusting, supportive relationship that will help prevent or treat anxiety or depression.

Neuroscience

The complicated, multidisciplinary, and quickly developing field of neuroscience looks at the structure and function of the human brain and nervous system. Neuroscience research draws on cellular and molecular biology, anatomy and physiology, human behavior and cognition, and other disciplines, to tool out information about how the brain works at levels previously unrecognized. We have a hundred billion neurons, or brain cells, with close to a quadrillion connections between them, and we have yet to fully understand a single cell.

Neuroscience is the place where psychology meets biology to further our understanding of physical, psychological, and neurological health conditions, such as the brain’s role in how we perceive different types of pain and the underlying cause of Parkinson’s disease. Computer simulations, imaging, and other tools give researchers and medical experts new insight into the physical anatomy of the brain and its relationship to the rest of the mind and body.

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)

AEDP is a client-centered approach to psychotherapy that helps clients work through traumatic experiences in ways which correct their relational connections and support their healing through transformational change.

Family Systems Therapy

Family systems therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps individuals resolve their problems in the context of their family units, where many issues are likely to begin. Each family member works together with the others to better understand their group dynamic and how their individual actions affect each other and the family unit as a whole. One of the most important premises of family systems therapy is that what happens to one member of a family happens to everyone in the family.

Person-Centered Therapy

Person-centeredtherapy uses a non-authoritative approach that allows clients to take more of a lead in discussions so that, in the process, they will discover their own solutions. The therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment and acknowledging the client’s experience without moving the conversation in another direction. The therapist is there to encourage and support the client and to guide the therapeutic process without interrupting or interfering with the client’s process of self-discovery.

Emotionally Focussed Therapy

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short-term form of therapy that focuses on adult relationships and attachment/bonding. The therapist and clients look at patterns in the relationship and take steps to create a more secure bond and develop more trust to move the relationship in a healthier, more positive direction. Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples seeks to break the negative emotion cycles within relationships, emphasizing the importance of the attachment bond between couples, and how nurturing of the attachment bonds and an empathetic understanding of each others emotions can break the cycles

Humanistic Therapy

Also known as humanism, humanistic therapy is a positive approach to psychotherapy that focuses on a person’s individual nature, rather than categorizing groups of people with similar characteristics as having the same problems. Humanistic therapy looks at the whole person, not only from the therapist’s view but from the viewpoint of individuals observing their own behavior. The emphasis is on a person’s positive traits and behaviors, and the ability to use their personal instincts to find wisdom, growth, healing, and fulfillment within themselves.

Existential Therapy

Existential therapy focuses on free will, self-determination, and the search for meaning—often centering on you rather than on the symptom. The approach emphasizes your capacity to make rational choices and to develop to your maximum potential.

The existential approach stresses that:

• All people have the capacity for self-awareness.

• Each person has a unique identity that can be known only through relationships with others.

• People must continually re-create themselves because life’s meaning constantly changes.

• Anxiety is part of the human condition.

Mindfulness / Buddhist Psychology

Buddhism includes an analysis of human psychology, emotion, cognition, behavior and motivation along with therapeutic practices.

Buddhism and the modern discipline of Psychology have multiple parallels and points of overlap. This includes a descriptive phenomenology of mental states, emotions and behaviors as well as theories of perception and unconscious mental factors. Psychotherapists such as Erich Fromm have found in Buddhist enlightenment experiences (e.g. kensho) the potential for transformation, healing and finding existential meaning. Some contemporary mental-health practitioners such as Jon Kabat-Zinn increasingly find ancient Buddhist practices (such as the development of mindfulness) of empirically proven therapeutic value,[3] while Buddhist teachers such as Jack Kornfield see Western psychology as providing complementary practices for Buddhists.

Transpersonal Therapy

Unlike most forms of psychotherapy that concentrate on improving mental health, transpersonal therapy takes a more holistic approach, addressing mental, physical, social, emotional, creative, and intellectual needs, with an emphasis on the role of a healthy spirit in healing. To facilitate healing and growth, transpersonal therapy places great emphasis on honesty, open-mindedness, and self-awareness on the part of the therapist as well as the client.

At Metta Emergence we take confidentiality very seriously and have a written confidentiality agreement with each client.

The client/counsellor relationship is confidential and no details of your sessions will be shared with anyone without your written consent. There are legal requirements where I am obligated, by law, to break confidentiality. If you reveal to me that you intend to harm yourself or someone else I am required to report to the proper authorities. If child abuse is suspected, or an elderly individual is being neglected, I will contact the appropriate government or community authorities. I am required to release your client records if I am subpoenaed to do so by a court of law. In all cases you will be notified prior to any of the above occurring.

We (Maria and Steve) share a business, but do not share client records, client information or any details of any of our clients, client sessions or session work. If we are co-facilitators of a group then we both share information about the participants of that group unless any group participants are also our personal clients. No information about our personal clients is shared outside of our sessions with each individual client.

We have flexible counselling hours, with online appointments available 4 days a week. We offer reasonable fees and flexible payment methods, with a strict confidentiality policy. Use our contact form, email us or call 778.765.3865.

Individual & Couples Fees

This is really up to the client as it depends on a few factors such as the client’s schedule, the nature of the difficulty, finances, etc. We recommend beginning with weekly or bi-weekly appointments and seeing how you feel after a few sessions.

Clients can consult with a counsellor for few sessions, engage in short-term work lasting 10-20 sessions or engage in longer term counselling. It really depends on your needs and what supports you. Our sessions are 60 or 90 minutes in length.

We accept payment via Credit Card only. Payment is due at the end of each session.

Clients are asked to provide a minimum of 24 hours notice for all cancellations. Appointments that are cancelled or missed without 24 hours notice will be charged the full amount of the scheduled appointment. Cancellations or changes to your appointment can be made by calling our office at 778.765.3865 or via email.

Metta Emergence offers counselling services online which make it possible for you to access services from the comfort of your own home, office, or another location using Zoom. Zoom is a fully encrypted platform between the two parties protecting data in transit by TLS 1.2 using 256-bitAdvanced Encryption Standard (AES-256), and is fully HIPAA/PIPEDA compliant.

Online counselling is a great solution for clients outside of the lower mainland area in B.C., who have mobility or transportation barriers, parents or caregivers struggling to find child care, couples who may not always be in the same location, clients who do not have the time to travel to and from an in-person appointment, have caregiving responsibilities, or simply prefer the comfort of their own home.

To access online counselling appointments, users simply need a tablet, computer, or mobile device with access to the internet.