Name: Balance Brain Health
Address: Calgary Alberta Canada, AB
Telephone: (403) 764-0771

Calgary psychologists: The Benefits of Virtual Psychotherapy

The global pandemic has forced many individuals to do many daily and weekly routines in remote settings, including working at their jobs, communicating with friends and family, and attending therapy sessions. Going to therapy sessions by computer has been an adjustment for both client and Calgary psychologists, but that isn’t a negative experience at all. While going to teletherapy instead of seeing your therapist in person may sound like a less effective alternative, it has many benefits and advantages for the client and therapist.

Discover the many benefits of receiving therapy through a computer screen and how it can help improve and maintain your mental health during uncertain and contentious times.

Convenient

Scheduling your therapy appointments in between work and social events can be a headache, and rushing to your appointment to make it on time on a commute can easily induce stress. Instead of trying to get to your scheduled appointment frantically after a long day of work, you can simply return home and begin your therapy appointment virtually on your computer. Teletherapy can be a convenient way for all patients to make it to their scheduled appointment so you can attend your appointment feeling stressed out over being late and without having to miss one minute of a session you’re paying for.

Comfortable and safe

According to a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, many participants who are attending teletherapy sessions because of safety measures brought on by COVID-19 have had positive experiences in these sessions. Many of those participants in this study have stated that therapy from home feels safe and comforting as they divulge the uncomfortable or upsetting aspects of their lives, both past and present. This form of therapy allows any participant to forge a space of solace within their home, whether that means making yourself a soothing cup of tea or grasping onto any object that exudes sentiment and comfort.

Someone communicating with their therapist remotely

Just as effective as in-person

There are some misconceptions about teletherapy and how it is deemed less effective than in-person therapy, but that simply isn’t true and has proven to be a baseless claim. Recent research has indicated, including the aforementioned study by the National Library of Medicine, that teletherapy offers many of the same benefits that in-person will also provide and effectively treat mental health conditions.

Approachable for all

Teletherapy is an accessible approach to mental health guidance for everyone. Finding a therapist to see in person can be extremely difficult when you live in a remote location or have mobility concerns, but teletherapy can be a viable and conducive solution. You don’t have to drive long distances from any remote rural area to try to receive help for your mental health from Calgary psychologists. No one with mobility concerns should have to worry about building access when teletherapy is available to receive.

Speaking with Calgary psychologists or psychiatrists for anxiety

When you have anxiety and depression hanging over your head, it can be highly challenging to deal with daily. But if you are seeking assistance to help improve your mental health for the first time, it can seem like that also has its own set of challenges. The effective treatment you can receive is typically from a mental health professional who is well versed in providing you with coping mechanisms and is someone you can feel comfortable talking to as you discuss your condition openly and honestly. Although finding someone to help alleviate your anxiety is easier said than done, specifically when the intricate differences between a psychologist and a psychiatrist can elude anyone seeking mental health guidance.

Find out the difference between Calgary psychologists and psychiatrists that can be used for worthwhile mental health treatment.

Psychiatrist

According to Healthline, a psychiatrist is able to provide you with both psychotherapies and can prescribe you the necessary medications that can help alleviate your anxiety. A psychiatrist studies various mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia, among other conditions. Further, a psychiatrist is deemed qualified to assess various issues pertaining to psychological disorders and the mental and physical symptoms often associated with these conditions. More so, psychiatrists are also able to treat their patients using talk therapy, but such treatments will differ based on the individual case. Some of the medications a psychiatrist is liable to prescribe can include but are not limited to antidepressants, mood stabilizers, stimulants and non-stimulants.

Psychologist

A psychologist will provide professional counselling and talk therapy to alleviate the debilitating anxiety you may experience. A psychologist will work with you to help you understand the root of your anxiety and give you the tools for behavioural changes. Although very few psychologists can prescribe you medication, it is usually dependent upon the location in which where you reside. Much like psychiatrists, psychologists can assess and diagnose you with certain psychological disorders, mental disabilities, and behavioural issues.

Difference

The most explicit and defining difference between psychologists and psychiatrists, in addition to their academic background, is that psychiatrists are able to prescribe medication while also providing psychotherapy to their patients, while a psychologist can provide counselling services without having the authority to prescribe medications. Though when seeing a psychologist, it is highly recommended to work with your primary physician while undergoing talk therapy to ascertain the best prescriptions that will help treat your anxiety.

Conclusion

When it comes to the question of whether you should seek help from a Calgary psychologists or psychiatrist, there is no broad consensus. Simply put, this question can only be answered with the assistance of your primary physician, who knows your medical history. You should be honest with your primary physician and tell them of the specific symptoms you experience when anxious, and they will be able to refer you to someone who can assist you in starting proper treatment, whether that be a psychologist or a psychiatrist.

Witnessing your partner or a loved one suffer from an injury can significantly change a relationship and erode the mental health of all parties involved. While you may not have been injured yourself, caring for a loved one or partner who has can take an emotional toll. Trying to sift through the collective trauma between your loved ones and yourself is complex, and learning to cope is particularly important.

If dealing with an injury of someone close to you is becoming emotionally taxing, here are some methods that can help you cope.

Having a support system

Surrounding yourself with loved ones aware of what you and your partner are going through can take away some of the weight you are carrying. Taking the time to spend with loved ones away from your injured partner will also give you time to relax, vent your emotional grievances, and allow you to feel their earned support. Asking loved ones to care for your injured partner when you are unable can also give you time to yourself without the threat of exhaustion consuming you. No one should ever have to go through times of stress without relying on loved ones who will help curate a healthy, positive environment for both you and your injured partner.

Set boundaries

When supporting someone that has suffered from an injury and the trauma that results from that, you also need to keep your own health in mind and set boundaries. Caring for your loved one day in and day out, or if your loved one is prone to lashing out on bad days, you must consider how these accumulated events might impact your mental health. Setting clear and ardent boundaries with your loved one can reduce the risk of a contentious relationship forming and exhaustion. Don’t push yourself too much and tell your loved one what your expectations are in how they treat you.

Coping mechanisms

Adopting coping strategies for you and your loved one can help you sustain a healthy relationship. Breathing techniques, meditation, avoidance of negative thoughts, and wishful thinking are healthy coping mechanisms to reduce stress and pessimism that might arise after an injury. Taking time out of your day to do any physical activity can also be great in reducing stress, and setting aside light activities to do yourself or with your loved one can enhance your relationship.

Don’t neglect self-care

When caring for a loved one with an injury, it is vital not to neglect to tend to yourself as well. Do things you enjoy, whether by yourself or not, and perform tasks that will better your wellbeing. Self-care can include following a skin-care regime, cooking, reading, or any activity that brings you joy. When pouring yourself into caring for another person, you should always set time aside to fulfill your own needs.

Seek professional help

If you find your mental health declining after the injury of your loved one, talking to a therapist or visiting a local mental health clinic sometimes is necessary to improve your health. Talking to a professional can give you coping mechanisms that can be helpful for you and your loved one to adopt into your daily lives. The more you can cope with the traumatic injury of a loved one, the more you will be equipped to help them manage as well.

Balance: Psychology & Brain Health can help you find balance in your life by maximizing functioning and minimizing disability through holistic, evidence-based, and client-centred care. Calgary cognitive psychologists and neuropsychologists Calgary offer cognitive assessments, behavioural therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy in Calgary, and insomnia therapy in Calgary. By utilizing a biopsychosocial model, we specialize in assessing, preventing, and treating factors that can negatively affect your brain health. This includes keeping in mind the biological (e.g. genetics, neurochemistry, medical conditions), psychological (e.g. mood, personality, coping skills), and socio-environmental factors (e.g. culture, social support, education) that individually and collectively impact our well-being. Call (403) 764-0771 today to book at our neuropsychology clinic, chronic pain clinic Calgary or MCI clinic Calgary.

Mindfulness practice and meditation may seem like synonyms at first glance since meditation employs mindfulness, and mindfulness practice owes a great deal to meditation. But it helps to understand the distinction when you’re looking for ways to complement conventional psychological treatment.

What is Meditation?

Mindfulness is a practice derived from more traditional forms of meditation. In traditional forms of meditation, there are a few schools of thought, and many more technical pointers. But the goal remains the same: generate a harmonious mind frame and get in touch with your spirit and surroundings.

Some schools of thought take it even further. They aim to attain a mental state empty of thought for various aims within mind cultivation. However, such schools of practice may not be compatible with everyone due to differences in philosophy and personal aims. But Mindfulness experts can leverage all traditional techniques to make practice methods fit a broader part of the population. Enter mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness entails complete presence in the moment by observing one’s current experience with open curiosity and a willing readiness to accept one’s surroundings and future. It combines traditional meditation techniques with bodily awareness to teach people how to embrace the current moment with heartfelt acceptance. According to rapidly accumulating research, regular mindfulness practice indicates improved stress management abilities through functional and structural changes in the brain.

Stress management skills may help us recover swiftly from adverse conditions while also maintaining our cognitive, emotional, and physical health directly, allowing you to do more than just consult with a psychologist. You can take control and benefit from a regular practice, improving your experience when you do get facetime with a psychologist; it allows you to shift from over-reliance on breakthroughs to steady and gradual progress.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) puts you in the driver’s seat, and can aid in the regulation of emotions (such as anxiety, sadness, and anger), the effective use of cognitive capacities such as attention and memory, and the management of health issues (e.g., blood pressure, pain, sleep disturbance). Mindfulness skill development may be beneficial to anybody who wants to learn how to handle stress more efficiently in their everyday lives, off of the therapy couch. And it’s better suited to someone who’s never even heard of meditation before.

Fortunately, mindfulness practice is quite suitable for a broad range of patients. Moreover, it’s accessible online and in-app as a part of more general virtual psychological care. With mindfulness practice, you can maximize your psychological health potential and minimize debilitating psychological issues from anywhere. Ready, set, meditate!

Balance Psychology & Brain Health can help you find balance in your life by maximizing functioning and minimizing disability through holistic, evidence-based, and client-centred care. Calgary cognitive psychologists and neuropsychologists Calgary offer cognitive assessments, behavioural therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy in Calgary, and insomnia therapy in Calgary. By utilizing a biopsychosocial model, we specialize in assessing, preventing, and treating factors that can negatively affect your brain health. This approach includes keeping in mind the biological (e.g., genetics, neurochemistry, medical conditions), psychological (e.g., mood, personality, coping skills), and socio-environmental factors (e.g., culture, social support, education) that individually and collectively impact our well-being. Call (403) 764-0771 today to book at our neuropsychology clinic, chronic pain clinic Calgary or MCI clinic Calgary.

Pandemics are a mixing pot of social, societal, personal stressors. Fear levels are bound to go up as it’s natural to worry about anything from falling ill to struggling for basic needs. Aside from the threat of disease, pandemics can easily interrupt the complex supply chains supporting large populations in urban centers like Calgary. Psychologists are here to help patients who think that these pressures might be getting to them.

The Pandemic’s Psychological Pressures

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a long ordeal, uprooting the psychological environment most Calgarians enjoyed pre-pandemic. While we all wish things could go back to normal, a significant part of the balancing act that is psychological health involves learning to live with the pandemic’s external pressures.

A significant part of the damage the pandemic has caused us is rooted in fixation. Generalized Anxiety Disorder strongly correlates with a fixation on the possible outcomes of the pandemic, especially in those younger than 35 years of age. Without meaning to oversimplify things, it’s like the old adage, the thing to fear is fear itself; the thing to worry about is worry itself. But what can you do about it? Because worry won’t help you.

Profession and work environment can also significantly influence your anxiety levels. For front-line workers, especially healthcare workers, the pressure to work longer hours with less time off, at greater than average risk of contracting disease, also drives higher anxiety levels.

How You Can Benefit from Psychologists’ Assessments

The biopsychosocial model of psychology drives and informs Balance Psychology & Brain Health Center. To improve our brain health, we need to take a holistic approach to the psyche, including biological, psychological, and socio-environmental issues.

When we conduct a psychological assessment, or cognitive assessment, we can identify factors within your control and factors well outside of your control. Doing so illuminates what action plan items can help—and what maladapted coping mechanisms within yourself you might’ve ignored before the pandemic. Optimizing yourself can mitigate the pandemic’s external influence, which is well within your control.

As the pandemic rages, the ability to conduct psychological care can be impacted by emergency legislation barring people from businesses deemed non-essential. In addition, there could be some risk gathering at places of business, even a psychology practice. Patients looking for help with pandemic anxiety can also consider virtual psychological care to get help when they need it, no matter where we are with lockdowns or transmission risk. There’s a lot you can do to get away from anxiety, even in the middle or end of a pandemic!