Dr. Jorhdin Banner: Psychologist

www.jbanner.org


ONE-TO-ONE COUNSELLING
MARRIAGES/COUPLES COUNSELLING

The problems people have in relationships or trying to reach their personal goals often relate back to experiences they had as a child. As they passed from one stage of development to another, for any number of reasons, different needs were not met and appropriate life skills didn’t develop. Now, as adults, they find themselves stuck in a repeating, maladaptive pattern.
During the sessions, the goals are to identify the patterns of thinking and behaviour that have developed because of these early experiences, and to express the feelings associated with them. Once understood, these patterns can be changed.
My role is to be a resource, a skilled person who can help people sort through their feelings, understand why they do what they do, and help them make changes.
Sessions are completely confidential and private, and are usually scheduled for one hour. Longer sessions can be arranged.
During the first session, clients explain what issue they would like to focus on. Together, we set some realistic goals and decide on a time frame for reviewing how things are progressing. We also discuss different techniques that can be used.
Marriage/Couples Counselling. Couples focus on developing open and honest lines of communication. This allows both individual and shared needs to be expressed clearly and patterns of thinking and behaving that are not effective to be identified. In practical terms, the focus of this work can be to improve the relationship or to help couples in the difficult process of separating.
Family Systems Work. Needs that are not met in childhood, perhaps because of abuse or other situational factors, give rise to difficulties later in life. These difficulties show themselves when people can’t maintain satisfying relationships, have trouble making decisions, are perfectionists or are generally unhappy. People find themselves caught in a cycle of self-criticism from which they are unable to break free. Family systems work identifies the roles played by each family member and how these roles have contributed to the present situation. This work goes back to the earliest remembered occurrence of these issues, and identifies those needs not met during that developmental period. This awareness helps clients understand why they feel and act the way they do and what concrete steps need to be taken.
Relaxation. Chronic muscular contraction can cause people to feel tense and stressed. A modified form of progressive muscular relaxation (pmr) focuses on systematically contracting and relaxing muscle groups throughout the body. PMR can reduce tension and make it easier to handle different situations.
Gestalt Therapy. Gestalt uses role playing as an effective way to clarify the different parts of a problem. Clients use an empty chair to express aspects of the personality that are in disagreement. This process identifies the inner critical voice that keeps people from trying new things and assists in bringing about resolution.
Visualization. Visualization is a technique often used in sports. Generally, a specific image of oneself performing a particular activity is visualized. This image is then used as a template to achieve the desired performance. In the therapeutic setting, visualization helps the client to see a specific event in the past and to go back and change that event into one that has a more desirable outcome. This new image can then be used as a model for future behaviour.
Dream Analysis. Analyzing dreams can help determine unconscious tensions that affect clients. Dreams are the interface between the conscious waking world and the unconscious. The dream can often provide valuable information that has not yet reached consciousness.
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The Jungian analytical approach forms the basis of my work as a therapist. Jung believed that the different aspects of the personality had to be in balance for the individual to be healthy, otherwise the resulting imbalance created some form of psychological discomfort. By identifying those aspects that are out of balance, and what effects they have, we also discover what needs to be addressed.
Dr. Banner earned a B.Sc. (Honours) in Psychology at the University of Calgary in 1986, an M.A. at York University in 1988 and a Ph.D. in Community Health at the University of Toronto in 1992.
Her counselling internship was conducted in 1989-90 at the Atkinson Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, York University. She served as a consultant at the Centre in 1990-91.
Dr. Banner has trained at the Bradshaw Center in Los Angeles and been in private practice since 1989. From 1997 to 1999, she also received training at the C.G. Jung Institute Analyst Training Program in Pittsburgh.
C. G. Jung Foundation
Ontario Psychological Association
My office is located in Toronto in the Canada Trust Towerof BCE Place, 161 Bay Street (Bay and Front Streets)
Tel: 416.214.1963
E-mail: jb@jbanner.org


CORPORATE COACHING
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Large and small life challenges are important catalysts for change. Without challenge, an individual loses the impetus to learn and grow.
It is impossible, and perhaps even undesirable, to remove or eliminate all stress, but what is important is how we react in stressful situations. Our reactions can positively or negatively affect how we feel about ourselves and those around us.
Meeting stressful situations successfully increases our confidence in our own abilities and this confidence can keep us engaged and fulfilled in our career and with our family and friends. Feeling that stress has not been handled well can undermine self-confidence and compound existing difficulties.
Part of the coaching process is to learn more about yourself and to develop new skills to reduce stress and facilitate success.
What Is It?
Corporate coaching can help executives improve their effectiveness in an ever-changing business environment. Coaching focusses on three main goals:
1. Enhanced problem-solving skills
2. Strengthening interpersonal communications
3. Optimizing motivation and creativity
There is no single solution that works for everyone, but coaching can assist executives to assess their individual and team options. Much like a personal trainer at the gym, the corporate coach can help top-level executives continue their own training to improve outcomes.
Expected coaching outcomes:
Defining your goals and setting objectives to reach them
Providing a variety of approaches to achieve set goals
Monitoring and supporting the attainment of both short- and long-term goals
Strategies to improve performance and success
Enhanced productivity and self-efficacy as a result of successful goal attainment
Personal/corporate change and adaptation
More motivated and creative individuals and teams
Fewer personal or corporate blocks that limit success
Wider range of viable outlets for personal creativity
Better understanding of strengths and weaknesses
Stress coping strategies
Change and Stress Management
An examination of the sources of stress, the stages in the stress response, and how arousal (high levels of stress) affects performance. Concentrating on effective coping strategies and how individuals can stay ahead of stress. Attention is paid to the body component of stress by finishing with a progressive muscular relaxation, a technique focussing on contracting and then relaxing muscle groups in a systematic way.
Team Building
Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator inventory in business is an effective method for examining an individual’s preferences in decision making, learning, information processing and communications. A half-day seminar is constructed to help senior managers and executives fine-tune team building and problem-solving skills. Subsequent one-to-one sessions supplement the group session and provide privacy for working on individual work-related issues.
Understanding Interpersonal Relationships
This seminar provides a context for why it is important to understand the patterns that affects our relationships with others. Participants identify their own relationship template to reveal how these patterns affect business and home life. We examine some of the cultural forces that reinforce certain stereotypic patterns of relating and outline a basic strategy to change patterns you are unhappy with.
The "Art of War"
This seminar focuses on six core business strategies and puts participants in the mind set of the ancient Chinese warriors who only entered "battle" as a last resort. The best and first resort is to see things before they become a problem. Otherwise, one must be able to move an issue in the direction that serves you best with the least disruption.
Clients
Since 1996, I have offered seminars and workshops in the Toronto downtown core for law firms, financial institutions and other businesses, including:
Royal Bank of Canada Financial GroupRBC Dominion SecuritiesSHL-System HouseMcDonald’s CanadaScotia McLeodTorysBlake, Cassels & GraydonDavies, Ward and BeckRobins, Appleby & TaubThe Bay
All of the seminars and workshops can be specifically tailored to meet your requirements.
Dr. Banner earned a B.Sc. (Honours) in Psychology at the University of Calgary in 1986, an M.A. at York University in 1988 and a Ph.D. in Community Health at the University of Toronto in 1992.
Her counselling internship was conducted in 1989–90 at the Atkinson Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, York University. She served as a consultant at the Centre in 1990–91.
Dr. Banner has trained at the Bradshaw Center in Los Angeles and been in private practice since 1989. She has attended the C.G. Jung Institute Analyst Training Program of Pittsburgh.
C. G. Jung Foundation
Ontario Psychological Association
My office is located in Toronto in the Canada Trust Towerof BCE Place, 161 Bay Street (Bay and Front Streets)
Tel: 416.214.1963
E-mail: jb@jbanner.org