My name is Gord. I am a 67 year old man who has always had trouble fitting in. I am passionate about my career as a mental health counselor but it has been a long journey to get here. 

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I have had my share of challenges including anxiety, withdrawal, and not knowing how to f it in. Drumming has always been a powerful way for me to feel better. Recent research provides an explanation for this. Engaging in creative activities that involve the body, especially with other people, lights up areas in the brain that may be shut down because of trauma and other conditions that cut us off from our ability to connect . Yoga, drama,  play, and pursuing activities we love with others have been called the best class anti-depressants.  Medication often has a role to play, but the quality of our own self-care efforts can make the biggest difference in the long run.

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I feel my own experience with stigma and anxiety make me a better, more compassionate counsellor  for people on or off the spectrum and anyone questioning why they don't fit in, have trouble with emotional regulation, or whose experiences of chronic invalidation or abuse prevent them from having the kind of life and relationships they want.

 

Sometimes the distress goes very deep. Traumas of various kinds can plant traces of raw pain in our bodies that just won't go away. This may involve emotional escalation, rage, or extreme withdrawal and is as true for an assault or a car accident as it is for experiences of chronic shame.  EMDR, which has also been called memory reprocessing therapy, provides a simple technology for addressing these unpredictable trigger points in our body. Raw undigested memories are targeted and the brain is allowed to integrate them with our adult creative selves so we can start to move forward again.

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EMDR and an offshoot, Brainspotting, are powerful tools I am proud to have in my therapist's toolbox. I find they often provide a "missing link" of treatment that can give a big boost on a person's path to recovery.

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"After hearing Gord speak I knew instantly that this could be the person to help put all my demons to rest. For once in a really long time I felt a glimmer of hope. Gord was my life line I could never thank him enough for giving me my life back."

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If you would like to arrange a counselling session, my office is at 11 Catherine Avenue not far off the 404 north of Toronto. To contact me even if you just want to ask a question, feel free to e-mail

canadagates@gmail.com

Call or text: 289-926-7722

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