Welcome
I offer therapy to people who are struggling with various life challenges and looking for a way forward. I provide a space for you to be seen and known. To say, and feel, what is difficult. To find what gives you hope.
Therapy is not just a place to talk about your problems. It is a relationship between two people that promotes healing, new understandings and perspectives. It is a place for you to bring feelings that may be overwhelming and feel unmanageable to deal with on your own. It requires me to understand your experience deeply and for you to try things differently in your life when you are ready.
Therapy Approaches
RELATIONAL PSYCHOTHERAPY
I am trained primarily in relational psychotherapy. This means looking at the issues you bring to therapy as relating to ways you have learned to be in relationships, both past and present. Together we look at what is preventing you from living more fully or authentically.
I support you in building tolerance for being with difficult feelings, helping you feel less alone. It can be helpful to look at ways you cope and protect yourself and whether these ways are still serving you. We explore what other options are possible and what risks are worth taking. While we may dip into your past, the focus is on how past experiences are affecting you now.
I have trauma training that includes somatic approaches and parts work. My approach is exploratory, collaborative, and specific to each person and what you need at the time. I operate from a feminist, anti-oppressive, LGBTQ*-affirmative framework.
EMDR
I offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) as a supplementary therapy. EMDR is a structured, guided therapy that is useful for life events that have a strong, negative hold on you. The approach incorporates cognitive, emotional, and somatic elements. You do not need to retell the story of your trauma. This therapy can be useful if you are repeating unhelpful patterns in your life, or defaulting to fight, flight, freeze or fawning responses.
Areas of Focus:
Relationship / Attachment issues
Trauma
Body Image / Self Image
Gender and Sexuality
Shame and Guilt
Creativity and challenges that arise
Loss and Grief
Depression
Anxiety
Life Transitions
About Me
I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and a Registered Counselling Therapist with the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists (NSCCT).
I studied at The Toronto Institute for Relational Psychotherapy (TIRP), a rigorous, accredited psychotherapy training program. Supplementary to having a foundation in relational psychotherapy, I am trained in EMDR and completed an Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Program from The Embody Lab.
I am a musician - primarily a drummer - with experience touring and recording. I have a background in visual art, with an MFA in studio art from the University of British Columbia. Before becoming a therapist I managed a non-profit music school in Toronto where I worked with marginalized communities in the Regent Park area.
I am a member of the Ontario Society of Registered Psychotherapists.
Rates & Information
I am based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and licensed in both Nova Scotia and Ontario. I can offer therapy to people in various locations across Canada - please inquire. Sessions are available by video, phone, or in-person.
Availability: Tuesday - Friday (only Tuesdays are available for in-person)
Location: 2099 Gottingen Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Rates: $140 for 50 minute sessions. For new clients I recommend booking an introductory session, which give us a chance to see if we feel like a good fit before committing to working together. They are 50 minutes and cost $70. To make therapy more accessible and equitable, I offer some sliding scale spots - please inquire.
Payment is due on the day of session. I require 24 hours notice for cancellations; otherwise payment is charged in full.
Frequency: I recommend committing to weekly or bi-weekly sessions, especially at the beginning of therapy. We will discuss your needs and expectations.
Insurance: therapy services are often included in health insurance plans. If you have insurance, you can check to see if your plan covers Registered Counselling Therapists (NS) or Registered Psychotherapists (ON). Once you pay for your session, I will email you a receipt which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
Contact
I encourage you to reach out and tell me why you are seeking therapy at this time. Please include whether you are looking to meet by phone, video, or in-person and where you are located. I will greet you with warmth and support.
To contact me send an email to therapy@lynettegillis.com or fill out the form here. All correspondence is kept confidential.
You can also fine me on Psychology Today.
