A strengths-informed approach to counselling that makes room for what is hard and for what still matters to you. Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). A team that also includes Registered Social Workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCCs) certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. In-person sessions in Edmonton and St. Albert, and virtual sessions for people in Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Positive Psychotherapy Is Right for You

You may be unsure whether a therapy with the word "positive" in its name will take your struggles seriously. Maybe you have already heard "look on the bright side" more times than you can count. You might also be wondering whether what you feel is serious enough to justify counselling at all, especially if nothing has gone terribly wrong and life just feels flatter than it used to.

Some people describe it like this. You keep up with work and family, but the things that once mattered feel far away. You can list every mistake from the past week, yet struggle to name one thing that went well. You notice yourself pulling back from people, not because of anything they did, but because connection takes energy you no longer seem to have.

These patterns are common reactions to long stretches of stress, loss, or change. They often reflect the ways a person has adapted to get through hard periods. They do not mean something is permanently wrong with you, and they do not mean you have failed at being positive.

If you are considering whether speaking with someone could help, this page may be a useful starting point. It explains what positive psychotherapy is, what the research reviewed for this page can and cannot tell you, and how sessions work at our clinics. You may wish to read on and see whether it feels relevant to you or to someone you care about.

Who Positive Psychotherapy May Help

This approach may be worth discussing with a therapist if you:

• want counselling that pays attention to your strengths and values, not only your difficulties
• feel stuck, flat, or disconnected and would like to reconnect with what matters to you
• are going through a life change and want to think about what you would like to build next
• have tried other kinds of counselling and are curious about a different emphasis
• prefer to set the pace and the goals together with your therapist
• are gathering information for a partner, family member, or friend and want to understand the options

Positive psychotherapy may not be the right starting point if:

• You are in crisis or in immediate danger. Please use the crisis resources listed below first.
• You need a diagnosis or a formal report. This counselling service does not include a psychological assessment. Assessments are a separate service with their own process, described on our mental health assessment page.
• You have forensic or legal needs. Court-ordered evaluations, evidence for a legal case, and similar requests are outside this therapy service.
• You are looking for a program that addresses harm you have caused to others. This page does not describe that kind of program. The admin team can talk with you about where to look.
• You already know you want a different approach. Options such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are described on their own pages.

If you are not safe where you live right now, or someone is hurting you, your safety comes first. The Family Violence Info Line below can help you think through options by phone, text, or chat.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling is not designed for emergencies. If you or someone else is in danger, or you are thinking about ending your life, please contact one of these services:

• 911: call, or go to the nearest emergency department, if there is immediate danger.
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8, any time.
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7).
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): call or text 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free).

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Positive Psychotherapy Is, and What It Is Not

Positive psychotherapy is a strengths-informed approach to talk therapy. Along with the concerns that bring you in, sessions may explore your strengths, values, meaningful experiences, relationships, and practical goals. It does not ask you to ignore pain or pretend things are fine. The idea is to give attention to both what is hard and what still supports you.

There is no single version of positive psychotherapy that every therapist uses. Some clinicians may make it a main focus, while others may draw on parts of it alongside other approaches. Your therapist can explain how they work, ask for your feedback, and adjust the focus with you.

To be clear about scope, this service:

• is not a legal service, an investigative process, or crisis intervention
• does not include a psychological assessment or a diagnosis
• does not replace medical care or emergency support
• cannot promise a specific result

You set the pace, not your therapist. You will not be pushed to talk about anything before you are ready. What you share is confidential, with some limits set by law and professional standards, which are explained in the confidentiality section below and again in your first session.

Each clinician works within the scope of their own training and professional regulation. If your needs would be better met by a different service or professional, your clinician will tell you and talk with you about options.

Signs Ongoing Stress or Disconnection May Be Affecting You

You do not need a diagnosis to consider counselling. People who look into this approach often describe experiences like these:

• feeling flat or numb, even on days when nothing in particular is wrong
• a low, steady sense of dissatisfaction that is hard to explain
• noticing mostly what went wrong, and struggling to recall what went right
• a harsh inner voice that drowns out anything kind you might say to yourself
• losing track of what you value or what you want next
• pulling away from friends or family, or feeling disconnected even when you are with them
• dropping activities that used to bring enjoyment or a sense of purpose
• tiredness, restless sleep, or tension that seems tied to how life has been going

These experiences are common reactions to stress, loss, change, or long periods of simply getting through. They are not permanent features of who you are, and having them does not mean something is broken. For some people, structured support that looks at both difficulties and strengths is a useful place to start sorting through them.

If physical changes like poor sleep or low energy are new or getting worse, checking in with a family doctor is a reasonable step as well.

How Positive Psychotherapy Works at Wholesome Psychology

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a Therapist tool or browse Our Therapists to read individual profiles. If you would rather talk it through, the admin team at 780-904-4880 can help you find a clinician whose approach and availability suit you.
• Book your first session. You can book through the online booking system. In the first session, your therapist reviews confidentiality and consent, answers your questions, and talks with you about what brings you in and what you hope counselling can offer.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist co-create a plan around your priorities. If positive psychotherapy is part of that plan, you decide together which areas to focus on, such as strengths, values, relationships, or practical goals.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes. Follow-up appointments are typically weekly or bi-weekly, and you can adjust the frequency together.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews how things are going with you on a regular basis. The plan can change as your needs change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Therapy here is collaborative, and your voice shapes what happens at every stage. If something is not working, saying so is part of the process. The Getting Started with Therapy page has more detail on what to expect.

Evidence and Approaches

We want to be clear about what the evidence reviewed for this page can support. The research material available was limited, so this section describes positive psychotherapy without making claims about how well it works or how it compares with other therapies.

Positive Psychotherapy

What it helps with: It offers a way to explore strengths, values, meaningful experiences, and relationships alongside current difficulties.

Evidence summary: Research on this approach includes a randomized controlled trial with an 18-month follow-up comparing positive psychotherapy with cognitive behaviour therapy in clinical depression ("Long-Term Effects of Positive Psychotherapy," n.d.). Its findings were not available for this review, so no results are reported here. A depression guideline was also reviewed for background, and no recommendation about this approach is attributed to it (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], n.d.).

Limitations: The evidence reviewed does not show how effective this approach is, who it suits, or how it compares with other therapies. Fit depends on your goals and preferences.

What Results to Expect

No therapy can guarantee a particular outcome, and positive psychotherapy is no exception. Change is rarely a straight line. Some weeks may feel easier and others harder, and that kind of back-and-forth is common.

Some people notice shifts within a few months. Others find that longer-term work is more useful for them. Outcomes vary from person to person.

Things that can influence how counselling goes include:

• what you are dealing with and how long it has been going on
• your current circumstances, such as work, health, finances, relationships, and safety
• the fit between you and your therapist, and the approach you use together
• how much time and energy you have for sessions right now

Fit matters. If the approach or the therapist does not feel right, you can change either one. Mentioning it to your therapist or the admin team is enough to start that conversation.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is confidential. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow CAP's Standards of Practice and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Other clinicians follow the standards of their own professional bodies.

Two Alberta privacy laws are relevant to counselling. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) sets rules for how private organizations, including private clinics, collect, use, and disclose personal information. The Health Information Act (HIA) governs health information held by custodians such as Alberta Health Services, and applies to clinicians working for or contracted by those custodians. Your therapist can explain how these laws apply to your records.

Confidentiality does have limits. Situations where information may need to be shared without your consent include, for example:

• a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else
• suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which must be reported under Alberta law
• a court order that requires records to be produced

This list is not complete. Your therapist will explain the limits of confidentiality clearly in your first session, before you share anything personal. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy first and take your time deciding what you want to share.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe what happened to me in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Positive psychotherapy can focus on present-day patterns, your strengths, and what you want going forward, without going through painful events in detail. If you later want to talk about something specific, your therapist can help you do that at a pace that feels manageable.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, with some limits. Counselling is confidential, and your privacy is protected under Alberta law and professional standards. Exceptions include a risk of serious harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, and a court order. Your therapist will go over these in your first session, and the confidentiality section above explains them in more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a shorter period to work on a specific goal, while others prefer longer-term support. Your therapist will check in with you regularly about progress and whether the plan still fits. You can change how often you attend as your needs change.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is reasonable to notice that a therapist or approach is not working for you. You can tell your therapist directly, or contact the admin team at 780-904-4880, who can help you find a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I have sessions online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available to people anywhere in Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply as for in-person sessions. It can help to find a private space where you will not be overheard. You can read more about online counselling.

Does "positive" mean I have to stay upbeat or ignore what is hard?

No. Positive psychotherapy is not about forcing a cheerful attitude. Difficult emotions, losses, and problems are part of the conversation. The approach simply makes room to look at your strengths, values, and relationships as well, so the picture of your life is not limited to what has gone wrong.

I am looking into this for someone else. What can I do?

You can share this page and let them decide whether it feels relevant. They can call the admin team, use the matching tool, or book on their own when they are ready. For a child or teen, see the Children and Youth section below. If you are worried about someone's immediate safety, the crisis resources above are the right place to start.

What if I am not safe at home right now?

Your safety comes first. The Family Violence Info Line (Alberta) is available by call or text at 310-1818, 24 hours a day, and 911 is there for immediate danger. Counselling can be one part of your support, but it does not replace services designed for safety planning. If you do attend counselling, you can tell your therapist about safety concerns, including whether virtual sessions are safe to attend from home.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students.

Training and approaches vary from clinician to clinician. Individual profiles on Our Therapists describe how each person works. If you would like a therapist who draws on positive psychotherapy or other strengths-based approaches, the Match with a Therapist tool or the admin team at 780-904-4880 can help you check current availability.

Children and Youth

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches and work with parents and caregivers to support the child at home and in daily life.

The evidence reviewed for this page did not include research on positive psychotherapy with children or teens. Whether a strengths-informed approach suits a young person is something to discuss with the clinician. You can learn more on our child and youth counselling page.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to learn more or arrange a first appointment, you can:

• book a session online
• use the Match with a Therapist tool
• call the admin team at 780-904-4880
• email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• read Getting Started with Therapy for more on what to expect

Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Long-term effects of positive psychotherapy compared to cognitive behavior therapy in clinical depression: An 18-month follow-up randomized controlled trial. (n.d.).
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Depression in adults: Treatment and management [Clinical guideline].