LOOKING GLASS THERAPY
Dimitri Kaklamanos, MACP
WHAT I DO
I put you in the driver's seat. You set the agenda for each session and the goals. I facilitate the learning by providing psycho-education (a fancy way of saying why your brain works the way that it does) and evidence-based treatment (more fancy terminology that means 'techniques that work') with the objective of helping you be the best version of yourself.
WHAT I WON'T DO
I won't give you permission to stay stuck. That's your choice. Therapy is dynamic, and although it can feel like a roller coaster ride with ups and downs and twists and turns, it should always be moving you forward towards the life you want to live. Don't get me wrong, setbacks are normal, and together will get through those and everything else life has presented to you.
WHY I CAN HELP
I practice Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. In short, what it means is that I'm not here to judge your thoughts and feelings, and with some work, you can get there too. Â Let's work together so that we can direct your energy into uncovering the true you and how that shows up in your life in the way you treat yourself, others, and the world around you.
"You're the meaning and purpose of your life."
-Â Dimitri Kaklamanos
INFORMATION TO PREPARE YOU FOR THERAPY
WHAT'S MINDFULNESS? IS IT SOME NEW-AGE THERAPY?
Mindfulness is an ancient Eastern practice that has its roots in Buddhism. The essence of mindfulness is to increase your awareness of your present reality. Not just what's going on around you, but inside your mind, your heart, and your body. If you can look at yourself, I mean really look at yourself, then it's the first step towards change.Â
Simultaneously, mindfulness can also lead us to a place of acceptance.  Many confuse acceptance with "I'm o.k with this".  On the contrary, acceptance helps us acknowledge the challenges that we've faced or are currently facing, and leads us to the question, "What now?".
You can say that mindfulness is the beginning of changing our relationship with our inner and outer worlds.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE ANXIETY?
Anxiety consists of two parts: worry and the feelings and bodily sensations of anxiety.
Worry - that's your mind racing trying to figure out every possible scenario in your life. You start off with "What if they're all out of ice cream at the grocery store," and end up freaking out about a zombie apocalypse.
Once you're mind gets all amped up with your thoughts, it starts affecting how your mind functions and how your body feels. You may experience trouble concentrating and focusing, remembering important information on a test, or walking around like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You may also find it hard to breathe, or get sweaty palms, wobbly legs, and/or the feeling of butterflies in your stomach.
The truth is, no one can make your anxiety disappear, but you can certainly learn to manage it. Call Looking Glass Therapy for more details.
WHAT'S DEPRESSION LIKE?
We often confuse depression with sadness. Â It's not. Â Depression is the absence of emotions. Â It's a state of numbness, whereby the things that you use to enjoy hold no pleasure. Â People often relate feeling like their whole world has turned grey, like all the colour has been siphoned out of it. Â You may find yourself eating or sleeping too much, or too little.
You're not alone. Â CAMH reports that approximately 8% of all adults will have a major depressive disorder in their lifetime. Â Youth between the ages of 12-19 are also at risk of experiencing depression: Â 5% of males and 12% of females. Â
Although rumination is often a major culprit in depression, it's often fueled by stress, relational issues, loss and grief, and many other negative life experiences and/or trauma. Â
As with anxiety, there is hope.  Talk-therapy is an integral component of the treatment plan.  Call Looking Glass Therapy for more details.