Find steadier ground with stress and anxiety
A gentle, practical program blending mindfulness and proven ACT skills — to help you meet stress and anxiety differently, without fighting your own mind.
5 sessions · one hour each · in person or online
The complete program — $99 for all five sessions
Book a free intro callDoes this sound familiar?
- Your mind races and you can't seem to switch it off.
- You lie awake replaying the day, or bracing for tomorrow.
- You feel wound tight, on edge, or quietly overwhelmed by ordinary demands.
- You've tried to "just calm down" — and it doesn't stick.
- You want tools that actually work in the moment, not just in theory.
What this stress and anxiety program is
This stress and anxiety program in Newmarket is a structured, time-limited course — five one-to-one sessions, in person or online — that helps you build a different relationship with stress and anxiety.
Most of us try to fight anxious thoughts or push difficult feelings away, which tends to feed them. This program takes a gentler, evidence-based approach. Using mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), you'll learn to unhook from spiralling thoughts, make room for hard feelings without being run by them, and take steady action toward what matters to you.
Sessions are one-to-one with Elena Tikhostoup, a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) working under the clinical supervision of Brendan Callaghan, PhD, RP.
This is structured support and skills-building — not open-ended therapy — designed to give you practical tools in a focused five weeks. If it becomes clear you'd benefit from longer or more specialized support, we'll help you find the right next step.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the simple, practised skill of paying attention to the present moment — your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations — with openness and without judging them. It isn't about emptying your mind or forcing yourself to feel calm. It's about noticing what's actually here, so you can choose how to respond instead of reacting on autopilot.
For stress and anxiety, that shift matters. So much of anxiety lives in replaying the past or bracing for the future. Mindfulness gives you a steadier place to stand in the present — and with practice, it loosens the grip of the spirals that keep stress running.
Skills you'll build
- Grounding and paced breathing to settle the body when stress spikes.
- Noticing thoughts and feelings without being swept up in them.
- Coming back to the present when your mind starts to race.
- Catching physical stress signals early, before they escalate.
- Responding thoughtfully instead of reacting automatically.
- Meeting yourself with self-compassion in the harder moments.
What is ACT — and why it helps
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, said as the word "act") is a well-researched approach with strong support for stress and anxiety. Its aim isn't to help you get rid of difficult thoughts and feelings — it's to change your relationship with them.
Here's the counterintuitive idea at its heart: the harder we struggle against stress and anxiety, the more they tend to stick around. Fighting anxious thoughts, or pushing uncomfortable feelings away, usually feeds them. ACT teaches a different move — making room for discomfort, unhooking from unhelpful thinking, and pouring your energy into what actually matters to you.
The skills of psychological flexibility
- Present-moment awareness — staying grounded in the now rather than lost in worry.
- Defusion — stepping back from thoughts so they hold less power over you.
- Acceptance — making room for hard feelings instead of avoiding them.
- Values — getting clear on what genuinely matters to you.
- Committed action — taking steady steps toward that, even when it's uncomfortable.
- Self-compassion — a kinder relationship with yourself along the way.
What this program can help with
The mindfulness and ACT skills in this program are designed to help with the everyday experiences of stress and anxiety, including:
Dealing with something more acute or complex? The free intro call helps us make sure this program is the right fit — and if it isn't, we'll point you toward more suitable support.
How it works — the five sessions
A gentle arc, built on the core processes of ACT. Each session teaches a skill and puts it to work on what's actually going on for you.
Understanding your stress and anxiety
Map what sets it off, see how it shows up in your body and mind, and learn your first present-moment grounding skill.
Unhooking from anxious thinking
Learn to create distance from the thoughts that spiral — so they carry less weight and pull you around less.
Making room for difficult feelings
Reduce the inner struggle that keeps anxiety going, and build the willingness to feel without being overwhelmed.
Reconnecting with what matters
Clarify your values and let them — rather than fear — guide your choices, even when stress is present.
Your plan going forward
Pull it together into a personalized, one-page toolkit to stay steady long after the program ends.
What you'll walk away with
Elena Tikhostoup
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) · MACP Candidate
Elena practises under the clinical supervision of Brendan Callaghan, PhD, RP. Working in both English and Russian, she brings together a foundation in Behavioural Psychology and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (in progress), with particular experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, caregiver burnout, and life transitions — accessible, structured support from a clinician who brings real care to the work.
The practical details
Common questions
Is this therapy?
It's time-limited support and skills-building rather than open-ended therapy. If it becomes clear you'd benefit from longer or more specialized support, Elena will help you find the right next step.
Do I need to know anything about ACT or mindfulness?
Not at all. Everything is taught and practised with you, step by step.
In person or online?
Either — whichever suits you. You can also mix the two across the five sessions.
Can I use my insurance?
In many cases, yes. Sessions are provided as supervised psychotherapy and are eligible under many extended health benefit plans. Detailed receipts are provided, issued under Elena's clinical supervisor's registration where an insurer requires it. It's always worth checking your specific plan.
What does "Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)" mean?
Elena is registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and is completing her qualifying registration hours under the clinical supervision of Brendan Callaghan, PhD, RP. Her work is overseen by an experienced psychotherapist throughout.
What if I'm dealing with more than everyday stress?
The free intro call is partly to make sure this program is the right fit. If you need a different level of support, we'll point you toward it.
Ready for a different way to meet stress and anxiety?
You don't have to keep white-knuckling your way through. Five focused sessions can give you real tools — and a steadier footing.
Book a free intro call