Counselling and Therapy, Divorce Coaching, and Mediation of Parenting Plans

Carol has been working in the social services, counselling, and custody and mediation fields in Calgary for over 30 years.  (See Carol’s biography for more details).  Carol has successfully worked with individuals, couples and families in the areas listed below.

Counselling and Therapy Services

Carol Daw has successfully treated individuals, couples and families struggling with:

Emotional Suffering

  • Trauma
  • Low Self-esteem
  • Anger Issues
  • Depression
  • Grief and Loss

Relationship Issues

  • Due to the effects of trauma
  • conflict and disconnection
  • parenting problems
  • communication patterns
  • marital difficulties
  • Step-parenting
  • Blended Families

Life Events

  • Trauma Experiences
  • Job Loss
  • Family of Origin Concerns
  • Grief and Loss
  • Separation and Divorce
  • Relocation
  • Medical Diagnosis

Bow Valley Counselling and Mediation welcomes and has experience supporting ethnically, sexually and spiritually diverse people.

  • Strategies are modified to meet the needs and wishes of each individual client and the specific issues being addressed – (For instance, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for trauma and many other issues, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for Depression, Gottman Methods and Sue Johnson’s Emotion-Focused Therapy for couples’ issues, Motivational Interviewing for the less motivated), etc.
  • The pace and intensity of therapy will be client-led, therapist-agreed-upon and situation-appropriate
  • Goals will be set to work on improving what is important to you, such as how past events are interfering with current functioning, or how the effects of depression are interfering with your enjoyment of life, or how a relationship ending is tearing you apart.

Mediation Services – (Divorce, Family, Employment)

Mediation is a type of conflict resolution where a neutral third person assists the parties in reaching a mutually agreeable solution to their issues. It can be particularly useful for adult family members or parent-teen disputes as well as an effective option for separating and divorcing couples. Carol Daw is a Family Mediator and she is well-experienced working with high conflict parties to help them to reach a settlement to their disputes.

Each person has an idea of the problems and issues that need resolving. The Mediator helps you identify the issues where there is agreement and where there is disagreement and works with you to find the best solutions. The Mediator is a neutral third party. In divorce and separation, there are many details that need to be settled, such as: Who moves out, and when, how, and where to tell the children, how to divide possessions, how to coparent? What happens to debts and assets? etc. Research shows that it is best for children when parents can cooperate after a separation. When the parents are in conflict the children’s needs are not given adequate attention. Mediation can help you do this.

Carol has considerable experience mediating comprehensive agreements, which include the Parenting Plan (including child support) as well as the division of assets and liabilities and agreements regarding spousal support.

Carol has made the decision to focus upon Parenting Plans.  She will be happy to refer you to other professionals for the division of assets and liabilities and to address spousal support.

For more information go to WWW.FMC.ca and …see the Resources page

THERAPUTIC MODELS

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)

  • EMDR is used to resolve symptoms resulting from disturbing memories and unresolved life experiences.
  • EMDR is a well-researched method for reducing symptoms of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) as well as a wide variety of other negative thoughts and behaviours.

Carol Daw is a certified EMDR therapist and has many years of experience with this very effective therapy method. For more information go to WWW.EMDRIA.com or WWW.EMDRCanada.ca

If your emotions feel overwhelming or if you tend to shut down when you feel an emotion you may not be ready for EMDR treatment yet.

EMDR therapy relies on your body and mind’s ability to process through your thoughts and feelings. If you’re unable to process in that way, EMDR therapy may not be effective yet.  In such cases the therapist will help to prepare you for EMDR therapy, by working with you so that you are more able to handle your emotions or get in touch with your emotions during EMDR processing.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)

  • CBT is based on the idea that thoughts influence our feelings and behaviour and gives clients strategies for working with thoughts, behaviours and feelings in such a way as to reduce struggles. Likewise, just as thoughts affect feelings and behaviours, behaviours affect feelings and thoughts and feelings affect behaviours and thoughts.
  • CBT has strong evidence to support its effectiveness
  • CBT is based on the idea that often our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviours, not external things, therefore, if we can change the way we think we can feel and behave differently, even if the situation does not change.

GOTTMAN METHOD COUPLES THERAPY

  • Combines the knowledge and wisdom of decades of research and clinical practice.
  • Interventions and exercises help couples break through barriers to achieving greater understanding, connection and intimacy in their relationships.
  • Interventions are designed to increase respect, affection, and closeness; break through and resolve conflict when stuck; keep conflict discussions calm; create greater understanding between partners.
  • For more information, and to purchase products, (such as books, conversation cards, etc) please go to: www.gottman.com