SERVICES
Therapy
I provide culturally-sensitive individual, couples, and family therapy with age groups ranging from youth to elderly. I have over 20 years of experience with issues ranging from daily stressors to historical trauma-related issues.
Presenting issues I have experience with include:
Childhood Abuse* (physical, emotional, sexual)
Relationship/Marriage Concerns / Conflict**
Parenting - from stress to strategy to success!
Anxiety / Anger Management / Emotion Regulation
Self-Esteem/Self-Worth Issues / Assertiveness
Career/Workplace Issues
Identity / Life Transitions
Domestic Violence
PTSD / Trauma
Grief & Loss
* I have extensive experience working with Residential School Survivors, 60s Scoop Survivors, and intergenerational family members and I am committed to supporting this community indefinitely.
"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.... People only seriously consider change when they feel accepted for exactly who they are."
— Carl Rogers
Treatment Philosophy
One of many great influences in my approach to therapy is the humanistic works of Carl Rogers, who developed person-centered therapy. I am very open to meeting the unique and individual needs of each person who walks through my door—empathetically accepting them without judgment and from where they are at on their journey. From this standpoint, I work from an integrative perspective that does not limit me to one particular approach or another.
While one person may be looking to quickly resolve a current issue or obstacle and simply needs some supportive guidance or a safe place to vent for a short time, or another seeks to identify and overcome some deeper, long-standing issues that are preventing them from living a full and satisfying life, I will offer treatment best suited to that individual’s particular situation. Quite often this includes identifying imbalances in one’s spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional worlds. Should it become evident that someone will be better served by another practitioner or service in addition to, or instead of mine, I will not hesitate to offer referrals to alternative or additional resources.
I also take a very optimistic approach to life challenges and obstacles, which can sometimes be excruciatingly difficult and seem almost insurmountable. Someone making the effort to seek counselling services is evidence to me that hope for change exists. Our challenges can change our lives for the better if we can recognize them as springboards for success—change and growth. We are all “works in progress.”
**A note on “Couples Counselling”
If you are finding that your current relationship or marriage could use some guidance and support, please know that Emotionally-Focussed Therapy (EFT) for couples has the power to transform relationships regardless of the level of distress the relationship is in. This short-term (12-30 sessions) approach, developed by Canadian psychologists Dr. Susan Johnson and Dr. Leslie Greenberg, involves identifying negative patterns of interaction, becoming more in tune with one’s own and each other’s emotional trigger points, and creating new ways to communicate with each other that can resolve old issues and bring you closer together. I have witnessed this many times.
If you are considering couples therapy, please also consider getting the book (or audiobook), “Hold Me Tight” by Dr. Sue Johnson. This will only add to the success of working through the EFT process, solidifying the newly discovered ways of connecting and resolving issues, and be a handy resource guide until those old patterns are completely gone. 🙂
And if you can’t make it to counselling just yet, and need a bit of guidance to get you started, remember my favourite quote:
