At MindSeed we use a 3-stage model of care
We created MindSeed to be a place that brought together the most effective currently used trauma-informed therapies. Leading that approach is our 3 stage model of care.
3 stages that allow us to meet clients where they are and help them lead full lives.
Stability
Giving a seed the proper conditions to grow.
This is the stage where we find fertile ground and develop the stability to grow roots. Things that happen in a person’s past can take away their ability to feel safe and connected to themselves and with others. In this stage we work together to help them feel safe and empowered. This is the foundation that is necessary to grow well.
Transformation
Cultivating an inner garden.
In this stage we explore how old wounds and patterns get people stuck. We help them learn about triggers and develop strategies to respond skillfully. We gain new perspectives. This starts to create lasting change. It’s the stage where people process the past or ways they’re stuck, and make room for new learning, growth, and possibilities.
Thriving
Flourishing and abundance.
This is the stage of reconnection and integration – to themselves and to a greater community. Working with people to create lasting meaning and purpose. Not that we will ever achieve perfection — rather the ongoing practice of creating a full life.
Trauma is a buzz word in mental health these days
Here’s how we understand it
First, we believe that no one goes through life unscathed.
We often think of trauma as big singular events like an assault or abuse. Things that are clearly traumatic. Feeling terrified, with no escape. Trauma with a capital T.
But there are also what we call little t traumas, many little ways people are hurt over time. These hurts start in someone’s early years. They may have even seemed normal, or gone unnoticed, like a fish in water. Experiences of not feeling seen, accepted, or valued. Of not getting enough of their needs met.
These little hurts happen in relationships with others; and are especially impactful when with important adults. They tend to happen over and over again while growing up, leaving a blueprint of how people see themselves, navigate the world, and experience emotions & relationships.
Here’s how it informs our work
Some people strongly identify with the word “trauma”. Others do not relate - but through therapy realize how their current circumstances have at least in part been shaped by earlier experiences.
We are a centre that provides trauma-informed therapy, which means that we are sensitive to how trauma impacts people’s feelings of safety and trust when working with a therapist. We offer services in a safe, collaborative way, so that people feel empowered and in charge of their treatment.
We see people as whole individuals, not just a collection of problems or symptoms to solve. Our approach recognizes the impact of adversity on mental, emotional, and physical well-being. We provide culturally sensitive and racially affirmative therapy for BIPOC individuals.
We use a 3-stage model of trauma-informed care to prioritize safety and create optimal conditions for healing and success.
You are unique. And your therapy should be too.
Our goal is to help people thrive. And that’s not something where a “one size fits all” approach works.
Many therapies rely on one approach to helping you. Some are focused on gaining insights, while others are focused on changing behaviours.
That is what we call INSIGHTS and SKILLS.
INSIGHTS: On one end of the spectrum, insight-based therapies are great at building awareness, understanding root causes, and what keeps you stuck in painful or unhelpful patterns and feelings.
SKILLS: On the behavioural end, the focus of these therapies is instead on equipping you with concrete skills to make the changes you want.
When you only focus on changing behaviours without deeper insights, people often find that their problems show up in a different way, or just resurface after some time. On the other hand, we can all picture someone talking on a couch for years on end, without any real change.
At MindSeed, we believe that the key to lasting change is in bringing together various insights and skills, based on where you find yourself on our three stage trauma model.
This complete approach makes sure that you get the right therapy, at the right time.
The approaches we use at MindSeed:
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Mindfulness builds awareness of internal and external experiences in the present moment, without judgment.
Mindfulness is a muscle that is strengthened over time. With practice, clients learn to expand their tolerance of the hard stuff without reacting in ways that aren’t helpful in the long run.
The added bonus — they learn to more fully enjoy the good stuff too!
At MindSeed, mindfulness is the foundation of all our services, and informs how our clinicians work with you.
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Knowing what the problem is, isn't always half the battle. People often feel stuck for many reasons, and need support. Therapists work collaboratively with clients to create concrete strategies and a toolbox for how to change behaviours and achieve goals.
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DBT is a comprehensive program and a type of Behavioural therapy geared towards people struggling with suicidality, self-harm, substance abuse and intense emotions.
It focuses on acquiring new skills to tolerate distress, manage emotions and be effective in relationships.
At MindSeed, our clients benefit from the integration of DBT skills in treatment.
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Sometimes talking about difficulties or traumas from the past isn’t actually helpful, and can in fact be harmful. We can use the body as another access point to help safely work through these issues and restore a sense of safety in the body.
Rest assured that there is no physical touch involved – only verbal guidance, at the clients’ own pace and comfort.
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Art can be a powerful tool to express things that aren’t easily put into words. In this therapy different art mediums are used for safe explorations and expression, as part of treatment.
You don’t need any experience with art to benefit from its use as a form of therapy.
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Early life experiences, particularly with caregivers, create an unconscious blueprint for how people come to understand themselves, relationships, and the world. We help clients gain clarity about motivations, behaviours, ways of thinking, feeling, and relating to others.
