Philosophy of EBH
Why behavioural health?
Behavioural health is an umbrella term that includes mental well-being, health conditions that can benefit from support, and treatment for problem behaviours (e.g., overspending, challenges decluttering). While you can still get treatment for mental health concerns like depression and anxiety, not having a diagnosable mental health issue doesn’t have to be a barrier to accessing help. We welcome individuals who may not be in the midst of a mental health crisis and are interested in strategies to keep them functioning well.
Evidence-based and tailored to you
We don’t take a cookie cutter approach of one therapy modality when there are so many terrific ways of approaching mental health. We pull from several approaches with research supporting them, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy-informed strategies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Mindful Self-Compassion. We think carefully about the interventions available and design a plan tailored to you, with your concerns at the centre.
A focus on prevention
We know we should take care of our mental health, but it's often on the backburner. Think about your mental health like your physical health, since the problems can be just as debilitating. Ideally you don’t wait until the heart attack to start exercising and you want to treat your mental health the same way. Mental health issues can creep up slowly so you don’t notice how much of an impact they’re having until you start feeling better. We try to wrap up treatment with a discussion of relapse prevention, to recognize and stop problems from coming back.
Respecting the process
Therapy isn’t magic. We try not to just drop a strategy on you and expect that it will change your life; we try to work with you to identify barriers and practical supports to help you implement strategies. We also know that therapy often works as part of a team, which might include medication, your supports, a higher power, or podcasts you listen to, and these contributions are valued as part of your process. The sessions you attend will be a small piece of your mental health journey and we want to do what we can to put you on a lifelong path of psychological and emotional growth.
Making therapy work for you
We understand that therapy is expensive and that many people only have coverage for one or two sessions through their benefit plans, or have to pay out of pocket. While the ideal is for you to attend enough sessions to get you to noticeable change, finances shouldn’t be a barrier to getting support. We offer direct pay options with many insurance companies to minimize the headache and out-of-pocket payments for you. You can attend therapy at our office that is conveniently located in Downtown Vancouver or online. We also offer lunch appointments for people who have limited daytime flexibility.
Therapy is a safe space
While pretty much every therapist says that they provide a warm, genuine, and nonjudgmental environment, we do that too! We appreciate that you may have never talked about some of the things you talk about in therapy anywhere else, with anyone else. We take that responsibility very seriously. With some exceptions that we will discuss in advance, we are bound by confidentiality, so your secrets are safe with us. We also welcome individuals from diverse communities who are wanting to work on the issues we specialize in and can try to make referrals when we aren't the best fit for a particular area of focus.
More About Sarah Mordell
I have been a registered psychologist since 2015 and have been working since that time in private practice with the North Shore Stress and Anxiety Clinic and the public service with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS). In 2023, I left the amazing team at NSSAC for a practice closer to home.
I completed my graduate training at Simon Fraser University with a residency with the Calgary Clinical Residency Program. I believe in giving back to my professional community and have provided supervision to graduate students through BCMHSUS and Simon Fraser University’s Clinical Psychology Centre. I have served as an examiner with the College of Psychologists of BC and I have given a number of community talks on mental health in older adulthood. Outside of work, I enjoy walks with my family and rescue dog, as well as tending to my (literal) garden.