Dr. Benjamin Armstrong is a Clinical Psychologist (PhD) and is licensed by l'Ordre des psychologues du Québec (OPQ). He has been seeing clients since 2014 and has trained under more than a dozen different clinical supervisors. He worked in both private and hospital settings. 

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In his own words:

“I take a compassion-focused approach to therapy. Under this approach, my primary aim is to relate to my clients with absolute acceptance and unconditional support no matter what they choose to bring up. In this way, I help my clients to experience an emotional state of warmth and security that is profoundly soothing and therapeutic. At first this state will come from the client’s relationship with me, but very quickly we’ll move into self-compassion and self-soothing so the client can create this state for themselves in or outside of the therapy room. In some cases, just creating this state of security is all that’s needed. In others, it provides a foundation that supports the rest of our work together.

 

Specific Techniques

For clients having difficulty with anxious, obsessive, or unpleasant thoughts, a compassion-focused approach is often quite therapeutic in itself. For more persistent problems, Dr. Armstrong teaches his clients mindfulness techniques, diaphragmatic breathing, cognitive reframing (perspective shifting), and incremental exposure.

 

For clients hoping to change their behavior Dr. Armstrong employs motivational interviewing, a conversational technique that helps people uncover their own underlying motivation for change. He combines this with proven behavioral strategies that give clients the best possible chance to reach their goals.

For clients with trauma or an otherwise difficult history, there is a specific compassion-focused approach whereby emotional memories are “reprocessed” from a warm and compassionate perspective.

 

Dr. Armstrong is also trained in hypnotherapy, which can be useful for relaxation, self-confidence, motivation, and focus. It can ease anxiety and phobia and encourage growth.

 

Clientele

Dr. Armstrong  has experience with anxiety, panic, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, low self-esteem, lack of motivation, burnout, isolation, and trauma. He has helped clients discover their values and life purpose and can provide help to those wanting to take their lives to the next level through personal performance coaching. He also has experience treating male sexual problems.