Individual Counselling and Therapy
(From one or two counseling sessions to long-term psychotherapy)

Michael and Cheryl Irving believe in the innate wisdom and strength that already exists in the psychotherapy clients they see. The purpose of therapy is not to do something to an individual who is in distress or who is seeking answers, but to work with the individual to acknowledge and affirm their strengths.

We help clients with a wide variety of issues that may include problems in relationships at home and at work, anxiety or depression, life direction or career goals, domestic violence or a history of child abuse. We provide confidentiality, sensitivity and support in a safe and non-threatening setting for you to talk about distressing issues and concerns. This creates an opportunity for you to undertake personal development through a supportive, respectful approach. We will work to help you with empowerment and taking charge of your life. We will help you with identifying and developing tools and life skills to manage your environment and get more out of life. It is our belief that as you gain increased control of your emotional world and relationship with others, healing and transformation takes place in many ways beyond the formal therapy setting. You increasingly become your own therapist, coach and inner guide.

A relationship crisis provides an opportunity and motivation to restore the positive foundations of your love for each other and to move to an even deeper and more fulfilling relationship.

Our couple work is founded on the premise that communication incorporating active listening can dramatically turn around the logjams in a relationship. Frequently the differences in people, that may on the surface seem the root of conflict, are the very forces that attract people to each other. The differences are what move us out of our stale comfort zone and into a deeper understanding of self and a more fulfilled life. Communication is the essence of what will transform the burden of our differences and conflicts that intuitively attracted us in the first place into gifts. The crises in our relationships provide the opportunity and motivation to change, move forward, gain wisdom and become more mature.

Our work in marriage counselling is founded in the basic tenets of Imago Relationship Therapy founded by Harville Hendrix, PhD, author of Getting The Love You Want: A Guide For Couples.

Michael Irving, Ph.D. has witnessed that children have a natural inclination to heal and recover from the challenges of life and the inner emotional conflicts they find themselves in. He believes that children's work is play and that through play they confront and come to terms with their inner demons.

Dr. Irving has worked with children as a counselor, educator, art teacher, parent and psychotherapist for more than 40 years. He has provided play therapy and art therapy for children from five-years-old to twelve years of age. Dr. Irving, shares a play therapy office with, Dr. Robyn Irving, Ph.D. C.Psych. He employs EMDR and EFT (Tapping) in working with children in resolving and desensitizing experiences of trauma and challenging adversities. Dr. Irving works with children who are experiencing nightmares, fears, depression, anxiety or symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress following a motor vehicle accident or other life threatening or traumatic incident.

Michael Irving, Ph.D. loves the challenge and energy of working with youth and teens.

He has great rapport with youth in the challenging teen years. Dr. Irving has also worked with marginalized young people and youth at risk. He has the patience to let them open up and to make a connection that allows understanding and positive meaningful change to take place. (Remove space)In working with youth, he has successfully integrated light and sound technology, teaches stress management skills and explores the emotional bases of youth distress. He has helped high school and college students overcome emotional blocks and raise the their marks several grade levels. Young people and their parents are pleased with the success youth have found in working with Dr. Michael Irving.

For more than 20 years Michael and Cheryl Irving have provided clinical supervision to therapists working with traumatized clients, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder. We have been able to assist other psychotherapists to confidently handle difficult concerns, assisting to them to comfortably use their own skills and wisdom. Further, as a result of twenty years of direct clinical work, trainings and providing supervision we are well acquainted with a variety of interventions and approaches.

Michael Irving, Ph.D. has provided to clinicians lectures, workshops and trainings on childhood sexual abuse, dissociative disorders, ego state therapy, healing emotional trauma through regressive therapies, mind/body integration, art therapy and art in therapy. We have also provided phone consultation to many psychotherapists who have called seeking to refer a client with challenging issues. If rapport and trust exist between the client and the therapist, both Dr. Irving and Cheryl Irving have successfully guided and coached therapists to re-engage in the therapy process.

An automobile accident can result in anxiety, depression, irritability, relationship problems, fears of driving or being a passenger, nightmares, flashbacks and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress.

The psychological injuries of a motor vehicle accident can be covered by your insurance. Michael Irving, Ph.D. is well recognized for his remarkable work with accident victims and those suffering with pain and emotional distress. He can assist you with trauma desensitization. You can learn skills to reduce anxiety and stress. You can develop mind/body techniques for managing pain.

Creative Visualization and Relaxation (CVR) uses advanced light and sound technology to create a powerful relaxed mental/emotional state that assists you in making deep and long lasting changes.

You will transform negative attitudes and beliefs into positive and life affirming feelings and positive responses inside yourself and with the people and events around you. CVR provides the right mental rehearsal and mind-set to create a new reality in your life, faster and with less effort. In this state, you will hear Dr. Michael Irving's and Dr. Patrick Porter's carefully crafted and insightful messages with clarity on both conscious and other-than-conscious levels.

We have light and sound CVR sessions on Weight Loss, Smoking Cessation, Stress Reduction, Pain Management, Meditations for Child Abuse Survivors, Heart Healthy Lifestyle, Accelerated Learning, Insomnia Solutions, Coping wth Cancer, Stress Free Child Birth, Stress Free Denistry, Freedom from Addictions and Dating Success.