DEEP BRAIN REORIENTING
Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) Therapy in Ontario & Nova Scotia
DBR therapy with a DBR Approved Provider and Level 3-trained therapists, offered in person and online in Ontario and Nova Scotia.
What is Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR)?
Deep Brain Reorienting was developed by psychiatrist Dr. Frank Corrigan as an approach to working with trauma and attachment-related distress.
DBR pays particular attention to responses that occur deep within the brain, including the orienting and shock responses that can happen before we have time to consciously think about what is happening.
Rather than beginning with the story of what happened, DBR helps the therapist and client carefully track these early responses.
This can allow traumatic experiences to be processed without requiring extensive retelling or repeatedly revisiting the details of what happened.
What can DBR help with?
DBR is a cutting edge trauma therapy that can get to the root of long standing struggles and patterns.
DBR may be helpful for people experiencing:
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complex or developmental trauma
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childhood and attachment trauma
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PTSD
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emotional overwhelm
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anxiety and hypervigilance
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shame
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dissociation or emotional shutdown
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relationship trauma
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longstanding patterns that have been difficult to change
It can be particularly useful when you understand a problem intellectually but continue to experience an emotional or physiological response that does not seem to match what you know logically.
How is DBR different than talk therapy?
Many therapies begin with thoughts, emotions, behaviours, or the story of what happened.
DBR begins deeper.
It works with the brain's early orienting and shock responses and the physiological changes associated with them. These responses can occur before conscious thought and can continue to influence how we feel and react long after a difficult experience has ended.
For some people, working at this level can help create change where insight and understanding have not been enough.
DBR APPROVED PROVIDER
Advanced Training in Deep Brain Reorienting
Dr. Karma Guindon, PhD, RSW, is a DBR Approved Provider, one of a relatively small number of clinicians worldwide to have achieved Approved status in Deep Brain Reorienting.
DBR Approved status is distinct from completing DBR training. Approval involves additional requirements designed to demonstrate knowledge of the DBR model and competent clinical use of the approach.
There are currently approximately 70 DBR Approved Providers worldwide, including only a small number in Ontario.
Dr. Guindon has continued to deepen her DBR training through specialised learning and professional development, including:
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DBR Levels 1 and 2 (Dr. Frank Corrigan - October 2022)
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DBR Level 3 (Dr. Frank Corrigan - December 2023)
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Alexander Technique (AT) Interweaves for DBR Processing (Martin Warner - April 2024)
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Clinical Applications of DBR for Clients with Dissociative Disorders (Cindy Shrigley and Dr. Tina Shrigley - October 2024)
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Deep Brain Reorienting Conference (September 2025)
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Where Self Location: An In-Depth Training (Dr. Frank Corrigan and Dr. Jessica Christie-Sands - April 2026)
Dr. Guindon brings more than 30 years of psychotherapy experience to this work, with a particular interest in trauma, attachment, dissociation, and the ways our deeper survival systems can continue to shape present-day experience.
She offers DBR therapy in person in Aurora and Bolton and online to clients throughout Ontario and Nova Scotia.
DBR THERAPY WITH OUR TEAM
DBR Therapy With Our Team
In addition to Dr. Guindon, two associate in the practice have completed Level 3 training in Deep Brain Reorienting and offer DBR therapy as part of thier clinical work.
Both participate in ongoing consultation with Dr. Guindon.
This provides additional options for client interested in DBR therapy, depending on therapist fit and availability.
DBR Therapy in Ontario & Nova Scotia
DBR therapy is available through our practice with Dr. Karma Guindon, a DBR Approved Provider, as well as two associates who have completed Level 3 training in Deep Brain Reorienting and participate in ongoing DBR consultation with Dr. Guindon.
Ontario
IN-PERSON
DBR therapy is available in person in Aurora and Bolton, Ontario
ONLINE
Online DBR therapy is available to clients throughout Ontario, including those who may not have access to DBR therapy locally
Nova Scotia
ONLINE
Online DBR therapy is available to clients throughout Nova Scotia, including Halifax and communities across the province
Although there are currently no DBR Approved Providers located in Nova Scotia, Dr Karma Guindon is a DBR Approved Provider who is able to provide online psychotherapy to clients in the province.
FOR THERAPISTS
DBR Experiential Consultation
Dr. Guindon also offers DBR experiential consultation for therapists who are completing experiential hours as part of their DBR training or approval requirements.
Experiential consultation is available online to therapists in Canada and internationally, including therapists seeking to complete up to 8 hours of DBR experiential work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail during DBR?
Not necessarily. DBR does not depend on repeatedly telling the story of a traumatic experience. Instead, the work focuses more closely on the underlying orienting, shock, physiological, and emotional responses associated with an experience.
Can DBR therapy be done online?
Yes. DBR therapy can be provided online. Dr. Guindon offers online DBR therapy to clients throughout Ontario and Nova Scotia, as well as in-person DBR therapy in Aurora and Bolton, Ontario.
How is DBR different from EMDR?
Both DBR and EMDR are approaches used in trauma therapy, but they work somewhat differently. EMDR typically involves bringing aspects of a distressing experience to mind while using bilateral stimulation. DBR begins by carefully tracking the orienting tension and shock responses that can occur before the emotional response to an experience fully develops.
How do I know if DBR is right for me?
DBR may be worth considering if you continue to experience emotional or physiological reactions that feel difficult to change, even when you understand their origins. Whether DBR is appropriate depends on your individual history, current needs, and goals and can be discussed with your therapist.