Brian Collinson

My Primary Focus in Psychotherapy:

The Wholeness and Uniqueness of Individuals -- Not Pathology

My fundamental conviction as a psychotherapist is that there is a vital force in the life of each person that is trying to bring all that we are into being and relatedness. For most of us, this process is not simple or easy. But it is something that we want and need at the deepest level. And the journey to get to this wholeness, while difficult at times, is filled with vitality and energy, meaning and hope.

Not all forms of psychotherapy start from this emphasis on the wholeness of the person. Many never get beyond a focus on what is wrong with the client: childhood wounding, faulty thinking patterns, inferiority complexes, stress, anxiety, depression etc. They never address the forces within the client that are actively trying to bring a new perspective and relationship to life.

In a counselling / psychotherapy relationship with a client I work with him or her to understand, and above all, to help him or her understand, his or her unique individuality. We are constantly working on questions, like: “What is your unique story?”; “What makes you 'you'?”; and, “What is trying to come into being in your life?”

Most clients come to see me because they have some kind of hardship, pain, misery or serious stress, anxiety or depression in their lives. And it's very easy to get focused in on “the problem”: such problems are usually matters of vital concern to the individual suffering from them. But the bigger question for psychotherapy is, how does “the problem” relate to what is trying to come into being in that person's life? It is that question, and the potential healing that flows from it, that is the starting point for finding new life and real renewal, as Carl Jung and others have recognized.

It can be a big step to enter a counselling or psychotherapy relationship. Some people feel that seeking the assistance of a psychotherapist implies that a person is “sick” or a “failure at life”. But people who have worked with a good psychotherapist recognize that no one can see all of himself or herself. We all need someone else outside of our immediate circle to help us see ourselves in a clearer view, and to give us the support we need as we do it. This can be especially true for people confronted with the demanding suburban lifestyles experienced by many in GTA communities such as Oakville, Mississauga or Burlington. By entering into a solid psychotherapy relationship, individuals get the warm and knowledgeable support and affirmation that is the fundamental starting point of any meaningful knowledge of, the self, and of true self love.

Quick Facts

Brian Collinson, Psychotherapist / Counsellor, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

I focus on individual psychotherapy / Jungian analysis for long-term growth and in-depth personal change.

I'm located in south-east Oakville, Ontario, Canada very near the Oakville-Mississauga city limits and the QEW. Upon request, I can send you a map to my location via email.

My office is particularly convenient for those who live in areas of Ontario, Canada near:

• Oakville
• Mississauga, especially western Mississauga (e.g., Lorne Park, Clarkson, Port Credit, Erin Mills, Britannia)
• Burlington
• Milton
• Georgetown
• Acton
• Hamilton

The types of issues clients bring to me as a psychotherapist include:

• Mid-life transitions and orientation
• Work and life, vocation
• Anxiety and depression
• Anger and rage
• Serious and terminal illness
• Marital and family distress and other relationship stress
• Divorce, separation, relationship breakdown
• Alcoholism and drug dependencies
• Sexual identity and orientation; sexuality in relationships
• Creative blockages, especially for those working in the arts
• Suicide survivors (family, co-worker or other)
• Trauma and critical incidents, history of family trauma
• Adolescent issues of personal identity and growth
• Spirituality, meaning, religious crises
• Grief and bereavement
• Job loss and career crises
• Other stress and stress-related issues