Services
Counselling and Psychotherapy
As a clinician, I work primarily out of a "strengths-based" perspective which means that when we explore challenging situations, I'm considering all the things that you're great at along with what you might struggle with. In my experience, we all have skills and tools that we might not be aware of and part of my role is to uncover them with you. In some cases, we might also want to add to your toolkit to give you more options to deal with life's challenges. In the past, I've helped clients work through depression, anxiety, grief and loss, life transitions, communication skills, and trauma
I would describe the tools that I've collected for clients to use as "eclectic" which is to say that I gather them up and present the tools that I think might fit with how someone sees and relates with the world around them. In my work, I pull tools and techniques from mindfulness-based practices, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.
As a Registered Clinical Social Worker, I am also authorized by the BC College of Social Workers to "assess, diagnose and treat mental disorders based on the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)."
Not all tools or techniques will work with every person. Our job will be to find the tools that work best for you.
To book a free 15-min consultation, email me at phil@philmach.ca or call 778-557-3744.
Consultation and Clinical Supervision
For front-line practitioners who are encountering a situation where they require further support, I am available for consultation and clinical supervision on an as-needed basis. Specifically, I am able to provide support in the following areas or subjects:
working with and addressing trauma;
critical incident debriefing;
mood and other psychiatric disorders, including matters related to diagnostic clarity;
navigating multiple systems of care and interdisciplinary practice;
ethical dilemmas; and,
substance use and addictions.
For friends and family members who are concerned about the well-being of a loved one, I can provide support and consultation to develop a care plan or course of action. In the province of British Columbia, individuals are able to intervene when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis through calling the police, with the assistance of a physician or nurse practitioner, or through use of the Form 9 process.
If you have a family member who you believe might benefit from the process, I am able to provide support through the process and assist in completion of any documents required.
For further information regarding BC's Mental Health Act and the Form 9 process, I recommend BC's Mental Health Act in Plain Language and Guide to the Mental Health Act as good resources.