Testimonials
Below are some quotations from people who have worked with me in individual counselling, psychotherapy or Jungian analysis over the years. I thought it would be useful for visitors to this site to hear about the experience of working with me from some of my clients in their own words. Although I have to carefully protect the identity and personal information of these people, what they have to say about their journey conveys a good sense of how working with me can further your own “Journey Towards Wholeness.”
My deep and sincere gratitude to those who allowed their thoughts, feeling and words to be used in this section!
Not too long ago, I found myself in difficulties in coming to terms with my life and becoming discouraged, confused and alone. For the first time, I was looking at getting some professional help. A close friend recommended Brian Collinson to me and despite my apprehension and doubts I have to say that it was one of the best personal decisions I have made as a mature adult.
Brian is clearly experienced and has a way of putting you at ease so that you can feel comfortable exploring the nature of your problems in confidence with him. After a few weeks of therapy, I was able to move forward in a positive way and overcome the challenges I once faced. I could not have done this without help and guidance from Brian and I would not hesitate to recommend Brian to anyone who is struggling with any personal issues.
Individual Counselling - T, male, 62, Peel Region.
“Working with Brian helped me to open up a whole series of doors in my life. I embarked on therapy at a time when the options seemed to be getting fewer, and I was feeling more and more trapped in my situation, my life, and even my key relationships. So it was particularly important to me that the work that I did with Brian gave me the chance to feel that there were still things that I could experience in my life that made a real difference, that made me feel that my life was “real” and worth living. Some of the biggest things that came from the therapy were the discoveries that I made about who I really am. I discovered places in myself that I never knew existed. Brian put me at ease, and made me feel that who and what I am is important. Above all, he is easy to talk to, and genuinely accepting.
Individual Counselling - R, female, 40, Oakville.
When I first came to see Brian, things were at a pretty low ebb for me. I had been living in a certain way, following a certain pattern for a long time. I just didn’t see a way out, and I had adopted some patterns of coping with the anxiety and depression caused by that “stuck” feeling. Despite my strong posturing, these coping techniques weren’t helping me at all. In fact, in some big ways they were making things worse. Brian really made me feel that he was right there with me, understanding and supporting me as I struggled. I also found the way that he worked with my dreams to be of great value. I would have never dreamed that I’d be saying that! Yet it’s completely true: the dream work showed me some very important aspects of myself that I hadn’t even suspected were there.
Individual Counselling - R, 50, male, Mississauga
Before I started to see Brian, I had a ton of scepticism and a lot of reservations about engaging in therapy. It seemed to me to be a sort of self-indulgent activity – maybe even downright selfish—and I wasn’t used to talking about what I felt. I doubted that it could make much difference to my life – or anybody else’s for that matter. But the opportunity to tell my story to someone who is genuinely interested and supportive, who really seems interested in my life turned out to be something that had quite an effect, and in ways that I could have never foreseen.
Individual Counselling - L, 45, male, Burlington
My sessions with you in some ways continued on from therapy that I had done with other therapists. There were dimensions of the work we did that I had found in what I did with other therapists, but there were some new and important elements that came to life through my work with you. I felt that you were really on my side. That was the most important thing: the feeling of support. I felt though, also, that in our work together, I was able to gain insight into where my “inexplicable” feelings and reactions were coming from, and, in particular, my anxiety. And you were able to help me to turn that insight into concrete ways of changing my response to situations.”
Individual Counselling - W, 30, female, Hamilton
