Our Approach
"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us... on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."
CARL SAGAN
Learn About Our Unique Approach to Psychotherapy
It all started when…
In 2016, Rory Nicol, a Registered Psychotherapist, began his private practice with the intention to share his support, knowledge, and care with others… simply put he wanted to help good people live good lives.
5 years later that journey led to the creation of The Dot.
As founder and director of The Dot, Rory wanted to build an online community where a diverse group of mental health professionals could offer counselling from a humanistic, relational, and somatic perspective for anyone seeking therapeutic support and guidance.
The ultimate goal: to empower individuals to live their best lives and boldly grow forward.
The meaning behind our name.
Carl Sagan's book Pale Blue Dot was inspired by an image taken, at Sagan's suggestion, by Voyager 1 on 14 February 1990. As the spacecraft was departing our planetary neighborhood for the fringes of the solar system, it turned it around for one last look at its home planet. Voyager 1 was about 6.4 billion kilometers (4 billion miles) away, and Earth appears as a tiny point of light, a crescent only 0.12 pixel in size.
It puts into context many of the things that we see and do and their relative importance in this grand scheme of things we call life. It’s a reminder that there is a very distinct world that exists beyond the daily lens through which we can get trapped within. Zooming out can offer that perspective that leaves us feeling relieved and more free. This may not solve every internal conflict in our mind or the external battles that plague the world, but it can give us the tools to treat ourselves and the people around us with increased compassion.
For us, it is also a reminder that everything around us is deeply connected. The underlying chemical elements that create planets, stars, and solar systems are precisely the same ones that have created our bodies, brains, and everything else that we observe. Greater interconnectedness allows the world to move forward and we are all a part of it. The degree of responsibility we want to take in that process is up to us, but the beauty of being connected to something greater than ourselves can’t be denied.
Stop living on auto-pilot and start living on purpose.
We believe people living their best lives can make a better world.
While we are confronted by uncertainty and conflict in a world that is simultaneously on the brink of unimaginable innovation and disruption, it is our responsibility as humans to move forward through life with 'purpose'.
Living mindfully not only benefits us as individuals, it builds a collective good that activates real change. Because, when good people are able to live their best lives, hurt and fear can turn into hope and courage - and ultimately, a better world.
Meet the team
We do our best not to:
Try to fix you.
Give you unsolicited advice.
Tell you what to do.
Pretend to know more about you than you do.
Assume what is best for you.
Have all the answers.
Make the hard stuff go away.
We work to:
Remind you that you are not broken.
Give you room to access your own wisdom.
Support you in figuring out what to do.
Recognize that you are an expert in your own life.
Remember that only you know what’s best for you.
Honour that we don’t know it all.
Collaborate with you on how to make the hard stuff easier to sit with.
Our approach
OUR VALUES
We believe in the rights and dignity of all beings.
All living things have meaning, purpose and value and that's why we treat people and the planet with respect, compassion and humility.
We promise to share our knowledge, champion the truth and most importantly, lead by example.
We believe in the power of knowledge and the wisdom of failure.
Every individual has the capacity to learn and grow despite their past or current experiences.
We promise to nurture a space where people feel safe and valued - as they are - so they can explore what they want from their future with no judgment or fear of failure.
We believe life is a journey where you can choose the best possible path.
Life is a series of experiences that forms each of us into the unique individuals we are. Throughout life we'll encounter challenges that leave us feeling afraid, lost and alone.
As health care professionals, our purpose is to help people identify their obstacles, not make them go away. Instead, we promise to serve as guides, helping those who feel lost find their path and rediscover opportunities for growth along the way.
We believe everything is connected.
In the grand scheme of things everything we know is connected from the smallest molecule to the infinite universe. Is it any wonder then that what we experience (through our environment, our interactions and relationships) impacts the way we think, behave and interact?
We promise to give people the ability to put their challenges into a deeper context so they can process their pain with greater awareness and wisdom.
We believe in the pursuit of progress.
As modern humans, we live in a world that revolves around the relentless pursuit of MORE. More work, more money, more influence, more power, more things. In order to get more, do more and be more, perfectionism and comparison have given way to a fear of failure and feelings of unworthiness.
We promise to help people reconnect with their 'true' potential so purpose and progress - not perfection and competition - become a new measurement of self-worth and success.
“ We won’t be distracted by comparison if we are captivated by purpose.”
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
You are who you work to grow into.
We believe everyone has the power and potential to create a better life for themselves and others. It’s time to connect with yourself, choose your path, and boldly grow forward.
We want to help you get into the habit of asking yourself: ‘Does this support the life I’m trying to create?’ And if what you’re doing isn’t working, then it’s time to examine your life, and boldly grow forward. Being bold is understanding yourself, loving yourself and forgiving yourself. Being bold is going against the norm because deep down it doesn’t feel right. It’s being courageous in the face of opposition and truly being, you.
Are you ready?
