Hayley Quinton Counselling and Psychotherapy

11/20/2025

In my sessions, I often talk about the Window of Tolerance.

What is the Window of Tolerance?

The window of tolerance is the zone where your nervous system feels safe enough to function well.
Inside this window, you can think clearly, manage emotions, and respond—not just react.

Outside this window:
• Hyperarousal feels like overwhelm, anxiety, panic, irritability, or a racing mind.
• Hypoarousal feels like shut down, numbness, disconnection, or exhaustion.

Therapy helps widen this window so daily stress feels more manageable, relationships feel safer, and your body has more capacity to stay regulated.

If you’re noticing that your window feels small lately, you’re not alone — and support is available.

11/18/2025

Therapy is lifelong work — and so is learning.
Ongoing training helps me stay grounded, ethical, and able to offer the best support possible. 🌿

I recently completed a brainspotting course and officially able to offer this to my clients!

Brainspotting focuses on deep nervous-system processing through eye position.

How it works:
• You locate a “brainspot” — an eye position connected to internal activation.
• You hold that spot while noticing sensations, emotions, and shifts in the body.
• The therapist supports you, but the process is more internal and less structured.

Best for:
✔ Trauma
✔ Chronic stress
✔ Performance blocks
✔ Emotional activation that’s hard to describe
✔ People who feel “stuck” or overthink in therapy

If this is something that may be helpful for you, let’s connect!

11/17/2025

If you’re feeling it, it’s real — even if it doesn’t make logical sense yet.

11/14/2025

As a psychotherapist, my work doesn’t end when the session does.

To support others well, I believe it’s essential to keep learning myself.

Continuing education, new therapeutic approaches, updated research, and ongoing supervision all help me show up with clarity, skill, and compassion. The mental health field is always evolving — and staying informed allows me to offer care that is ethical, grounded, and genuinely helpful.

Training isn’t just a requirement…
It’s a commitment to the people I serve.
It’s how I ensure that every session is held with safety, respect, and evidence-based support.

I’m grateful to be in a profession where growth is lifelong — and where learning directly benefits the hearts and minds of others. 💛 💫

08/07/2025

07/18/2025

🌐 Virtual Therapy – Accessible Care Across Canada! 🛋️

Did you know? As a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) through the CCPA, I’m qualified to provide virtual psychotherapy services to clients across provinces and territories. This means whether you’re in BC, Ontario, or Newfoundland, support is just a click away.

💬 Why choose virtual counselling?
• Access therapy from the comfort of your home
• Flexible scheduling that fits your life
• No travel time or location barriers
• Safe, secure, and confidential sessions

Wherever you are in Canada, you’re not alone. 💛 Let’s connect.

📩 Contact me today to learn more or book your first session.
📧 hq.psychotherapy@gmail com
📞 705-996-2212

06/18/2025

Polyvagal Theory is a concept developed by Dr. Stephen Porges that explains how our nervous system responds to stress, safety, and connection. It focuses on the vagus nerve, a key part of the autonomic nervous system, and how it influences our emotions, behaviors, and bodily reactions.

At its core, polyvagal theory explains:

How we shift between states of calm, fight/flight, and shutdown, depending on how safe we feel.

This is the vagal paradox:
💬 “My body wants connection, but it also senses danger.”

In therapy, we explore how this shows up in your life and relationships — and how co-regulation can help you restore a sense of safety with others.

💫 Co-regulation is the nervous system’s natural way of calming through presence, rhythm, and attunement.
You weren’t meant to self-soothe all the time.

🧠 With awareness comes choice. With choice comes change.

06/12/2025

✨ Noticing Your Glimmers ✨
The nervous system’s little “yes” moments.

You’ve probably heard of triggers—those moments that signal danger or discomfort to our nervous system. But what about glimmers?

Glimmers are the small, everyday moments that bring a sense of safety, connection, or peace. They tell your nervous system, “You’re okay here.”

☀️ A warm patch of sun on your skin
🎶 A favourite song playing unexpectedly
🐾 A pet curling up beside you
🌳 The sound of trees in the wind
👂 Someone listening—really listening

These aren’t big, dramatic events. They’re quiet, often fleeting. But when we learn to notice them, glimmers become anchors—pulling us gently back to calm.

🧠 In therapy, we can learn how to tune into glimmers, especially if you’ve been living in survival mode for a long time. Your body deserves to know what safety feels like.

💬 What was your last glimmer? Share below—or take a moment to notice one today.
⠀⠀
—
Hayley Quinton Counselling & Psychotherapy

06/10/2025

You don’t have to wait for a breakdown to take a breath. Start here. 💛

06/06/2025

🧠✨ Mental Health Matters — Every Day ✨🧠

It’s easy to check in on our physical health — but how often do we check in with our mental health?

Anxiety, low mood, stress, or simply feeling overwhelmed are more common than we think — and none of these experiences mean you’re weak or failing. They mean you’re human.

🌿 Therapy offers a safe, confidential space to explore what’s going on beneath the surface, at your pace.

If you’ve been thinking about reaching out, or just curious about how counselling works, I’m here to help.

📍 Offering a warm, compassionate space (online)
💬 DM or visit the link in bio to learn more or book a free consultation.

Take the first step — your mental wellbeing is worth it. 💚

— Hayley Quinton
Counselling & Psychotherapy

06/04/2025

When emotions feel overwhelming, name them to tame them.

🧠 Research shows that simply putting feelings into words can reduce their intensity.
Whether it’s anxiety, sadness, anger, or even joy — acknowledging what you’re feeling is the first step toward understanding and managing it.

💬 Try saying to yourself:
“I’m feeling anxious right now — and that’s okay.”

This small act of mindfulness builds emotional awareness and creates space to respond with self-compassion instead of reaction.

You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Support is here when you’re ready. 💛