Claire Pecora Psychotherapy

It’s the last work day in my very first office. These photos mark when it was first ready 3 years ago and waiting to see people once COVID subsided and now the last day as I get ready for a new adventure!
It has meant so much to me to have a space for myself to be able to go in order to get into the therapeutic mindset, focus, and feel calm. It’s also (and more importantly) been such a pleasure to welcome clients into this space that they can purge whatever is going on and hopefully leave feeling lighter.
As I move back to a fully virtual practice, I’m sad to miss the face to face connections and have this space as a container for others. I am grateful for everyone’s flexibility and for the privilege of a job that allows me options. I believe virtual sessions will continue to offer a platform that is accessible to more people and allows for connection in the spaces where people feel most comfortable.
Stay tuned for more updates of what this new chapter has to bring!

You’re ready to talk, I’m here to listen!
Check out my website to see more information & reach out today to get things started!

Claire Pecora Psychotherapy | Therapy | Ontario A description of the psychotherapy & counselling services offered with Claire Pecora Psychotherapy.

Please sign the petition and/or send a letter to your MP to support the efforts to remove GST/HST from psychotherapy services. This is a big step to helping therapy be more affordable and accessible! Link below:
https://www.taxfreetherapy.ca/

Email counselling is the latest offering at Claire Pecora Psychotherapy. This brings the concepts we know and love from traditional talk therapy into the exchanging of emails. Here are some benefits it can offer:
🌿Asynchronous and flexible timing. Maybe you don’t have time right now for a full hour session, maybe you don’t have a consistent internet connection, maybe you travel lots, etc.
🌿A space for writing for those who find this method of communication and reflection to be the easiest, most accessible, or most thought-provoking.
🌿Slowing down the process of therapy (i.e. having more time to think and reflect on responses).
🌿If you have a specific issue you’d like to address and feel you don’t need an extensive amount of sessions.
🌿If you’re looking for ‘psychoeducation’ on a topic (i.e. leaning more about depression/anxiety, how to support a loved one, understanding the signs of X, etc.).
🌿If you’re hesitant of starting to face-to-face counselling or other virtual methods.
This is not an exhaustive list and the points are not requirements, just some ideas of where this service can come in handy. Of course, all other modes of services will continue to be in effect (in-person, phone, and video).
To learn more or book a consultation, check out my website (link in bio)!

Psychotherapy | Claire Pecora Psychotherapy | Ontario A description of the psychotherapy & counselling services offered with Claire Pecora Psychotherapy.

Remove GST/HST on Psychotherapy Counsellors and psychotherapists are the only mental health professionals required to charge GST/HST! Other providers of psychotherapy include: psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses. All of these professionals are exempt from ch...

Let’s start prioritizing healthy communication over politeness!
Again, the goal is not to be mean. Instead, we want to get better at communicating when we’re experiencing negative emotions of any kind so that we are not forced to internalize shame about having the feelings and we can connect to others more authentically.
This might look like telling someone they’ve hurt you, setting boundaries, calling someone in/out, or refusing to pretend you are okay when you’re really not.

Most of us find ourselves needing a “brain break” and something to pull us out of daily stressors. Diving into to a great book can be a great point of self-care and a way to relax.
These are just some of the fictional books and memoirs that I read this year that had themes around mental health issues. Through other people’s stories, fiction or not, we can learn a lot about our own emotions, how we’re relating to others, and identify growing edges.

Somehow we’re already touching down in the last month of the year & it has been quite a journey! I want to share some reflections throughout the month and will start things off with the top therapy related books I’ve read in 2021.
This is a good reminder that information around healing & growth is not limited to therapy. Books can be an excellent, inexpensive, and accessible way to explore yourself even if you aren’t ready to take the plunge into further therapy at the moment.
Plus, they make great Christmas gifts (with so many second hand & local options).🌿🎄

Joyful - Proud - Happy - Amused - Peaceful - Inspired
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Using my new emotion wheel pillow to describe how I feel about this pillow and about my latest reads! All of these books are amazing and I especially recommend my current read: “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb🌞

Visit: www.clairepecoratherapy.com

Body and Soul - How To Be At Home Lean into loneliness—and know you’re not alone in it. Filmmaker Andrea Dorfman reunites with poet Tanya Davis to craft tender and profound animation on the ...

🌿Setting up this office has been a game changer! It is so nice to have created a comfortable space for myself to work and I look forward to when I can also safely invite clients into this welcoming place. 🌿

🌿A lot of pain & discomfort tends to come from trying to put people, situations, & things into circles they don’t belong in. Take time to distinguish which ring things in your life fall into. This can be such a relief as well as good practice for letting go of trying to control the things you cannot.
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🌿Finding the right fit can be difficult. Research shows that the relationship you have with your therapist is one of the most important factors in bringing about positive change. That means, it’s worth it for you to spend some time finding a therapist who really suits your needs & personality.
🌿Lots of therapists will offer free phone consultations... take this opportunity not only to talk about your needs, but also to interview the therapist & ask them questions!
🌿Establishing a safe, meaningful connection with a therapist is something you can do even when things are going well. If you do this, your future self will thank you if/when you run into a crisis & need a trusted support network around you.
🌿Google can be your best friend to find people in your area and so can

🌿You don’t have to be in a relationship to practice getting in touch with your love languages!
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🌿Everyone has one and no one wants one... our inner critics can be so loud at times.
🌿Part of the journey towards self love is about learning how to turn down the noise from the inner critic and shelve it’s presence when it’s not useful.

🌿It’s such a common phrase: “You can’t love someone else until you love yourself”. I think this comment comes with the best of intentions… we all want to be the best versions of ourselves and bring genuine care & love to our partners. The problem is, if you wait until you completely and wholeheartedly love yourself to find a partner, you might be waiting a long time…
🌿This is not because self-love isn’t possible… far from it! It’s just that our modern day, western approach to self-love is framed as if it’s a beautiful destination that you’ll arrive and stay at. Instead, self-love is a process! It has a tendency to fade in & out and change overtime.
🌿This process or journey can certainly happen when you’re on your own, don’t get me wrong! The point here is that it does not HAVE to… and a partner can be very instrumental in this journey.
🌿Relationships are all about a balance between connection and exploration. Due to the way we’re hardwired for attachment & connection, relationships become our safe haven where we can relax, feel comfortable, recharge, and find a sense of belonging. Having this safe place to come back to makes it inviting & possible to have the curiosity to explore and find a sense of freedom & autonomy.
🌿This balance of having safety, comfort, and support as well as freedom, exploration, and autonomy breeds a perfect storm for individuals to nurture self-like & love. We can extend this beyond romantic relationships and say that any relationship that brings a sense of connection and safety can help be the balance to your self-exploration (for example a parent, a close friend, a sibling, and even a therapist).
🌿All of this being said, a partner can be just that… a “partner”, a companion, in your ever-changing journey with self-love.
🌿Sources on this topic come from the wide range of literature by John Bowlby, Sue Johnson (Love Sense & Hold Me Tight), and Esther Perel (Mating in Captivity & The State of Affairs).
@ Kingston, Ontario

🌿 @ Kingston, Ontario

🌿 Love languages show us another way that it’s natural to be different. Each person learns to give and receive love differently. This one reason why couples often find themselves missing each other, as they’re not speaking the same language.
🌿Learning about your partner’s love language can bring greater understanding for one another and help you show your love in a way that they are able to receive it.
🌿Check out Gary Chapman’s book: “5 Love Languages” or do the quiz online! @ Kingston, Ontario

🌿So many times we end up feeling like our choices need to be one thing OR another. However, two things can be true at once! I can like ice cream AND cake at the same time and it doesn’t mean I like the other less.
🌿Often times we see things as black and white where there is no room for complexity. If we just embrace the idea that things can coexist, we open up a whole new world of understanding and acceptance.
🌿Using “and” allows you to acknowledge the complexities in a conversation. It allows for people to be heard and not shrugged off with a “yeah, but”. A “both/and” mentality will open up many more doors than “either/or”.

🌿 @ Kingston, Ontario

🌿We now know that trauma takes all shapes and sizes; it’s not limited to experiences of war or natural disaster. Researchers have been doing great work to understand the various nuances of trauma, especially when it comes to terrible experiences suffered in childhood that end up changing the entire make-up of one’s being. Another area that deserves more acknowledgment & research is intergenerational or ancestral trauma; where horrific & painful experiences of oppression live on through family lines.
🌿With all of these avenues of understanding, trauma is something that lives in the body… a “stuck” feeling where the experience just can’t be released, so it gets relived & manifests in other painful ways.
🌿No matter the experience, know that the pain you’re living with is VALID & that a journey towards healing is possible. @ Kingston, Ontario

🌿This week is all about couples! First off, some of you might be wondering what couple therapy entails… the points above give you an idea of some of the things we can do in couple therapy, but it is not limited. Couples come to therapy for a variety of reasons such as infidelity, parenting, separation, lack of connection & intimacy, s*xual issues, issues with communication & conflict, and more. Just like with individual counselling, I aim to meet couples where they’re at in their journey and tailor my work to best suite them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🌿Another myth: couple therapy is not limited to married/monogamous/heteros*xual couples… it’s possible that “relationship therapy” describes this work better because in my view, this kind of therapy is open for all relationship dynamics that view themselves as committed to one another in a romantic sense. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🌿Are you wondering of couple/relationship therapy is right for you? Don’t hesitate to check out my website (link in bio) or reach out to me for more information! @ Kingston, Ontario

🌿This idea of impact over intent works on so many levels of our lives today. It’s a valuable concept to bring into conversations of race: just because you’re a “good person” or you didn’t intend to offend someone, does not erase the fact that someone might be hurt by what you’ve said or done. 🌿This is also an important idea to bring into our close & intimate relationships. To show someone that you love & value your relationship with them, it’s important to prioritize their hurt over your defences & guilt. These displays of listening & compassion can bring about huge changes in the depth of your relationships.🌿

🌿 There are lots of misconceptions about therapy to unpack. The unknowns of such a vulnerable process can make the idea of therapy seem too overwhelming to start. These are some common myths about therapy & points about how my practice works to debunk these myths. Of course, this is just the beginning! If you have more questions about the therapy process, don’t hesitate to reach out to me today.🌿 @ Kingston, Ontario

🌿You might wonder: what are the differences between “psychotherapy”, “therapy”, & “counselling”? In short, they all meet YOU where you’re at in your journey and aim to help you manifest positive change in your life. 🌿Psychotherapy tends to focus on these patterns that just keep coming up in your life & explores both the past and present to understand more about the “big picture”. 🌿Counselling is often focused on one or a few current problems to try and equip you with short-term solutions and coping skills. 🌿The truth is, most therapists use BOTH in almost every session. We want to help you explore those big life questions AND help you live a happier, healthier life in the present. Sounds like something you’re interested in? Check out the website link in my bio for more information & to get started on your journey with psychotherapy today!🌿

Especially in times like these, when we are surrounded with news of others who are suffering, it can be easy to diminish our own struggles by comparison. This is your reminder that no matter what your situation is, your emotions are valid and you are allowed to acknowledge them!

www.psychologytoday.com

Claire Pecora Psychotherapy updated their website address.