Individual Counselling

Individual counselling is an opportunity for you to:

  • explore new insight and new ways of coping

  • discover new ways of being and new connections that are most authentic to you

  • grow your sense of awareness, worth, self-compassion, and empowerment

  • heal from past trauma, loss, and other old wounds

You may find yourself here, unsure of what is missing in your life or what you need from this process, or you may know exactly what you hope to gain; either way, we can work together to help you connect with your truth.

Whether you are looking to heal from past trauma, shift critical thoughts, manage overwhelming emotions, gain new coping strategies, strengthen relationships, or engage in the ongoing process of personal growth, to be accompanied by a trusted and informed other can be a vital part of transformation.

In my practice, I welcome individuals across all ages, cultures, genders, and sexual orientations, and across my experiences in practice, I’ve come to learn some truths:

  • An intuitive wisdom exists within all of us, and sometimes we need a safe and trusted other to join us and undo our sense of aloneness in our challenges so we can make space for our wisdom to emerge. Growth and healing can then occur from this place of wisdom.

  • Feeling safe and connected with your counsellor is vital to this process, as it becomes much easier to sit with the uncomfortable when you feel accompanied there with acceptance and without judgment.

In our work together, my priority will be to create safety and to fully welcome you, so you feel accepted and able to bring forth your most authentic self.

My approach is attachment-focused, trauma-informed, somatic-oriented, and rooted in neuroscience. This means I understand that your current ways of being in relationship with yourself and others is impacted by your past relationships and past traumas. It means my understanding is informed by trauma and neuroscience research, and my approach utilizes the wisdom of both the body and the mind to facilitate deeper exploration, connection, understanding, healing, regulation, and repair. When experienced as safe, congruent, and authentic, the therapeutic relationship acts as a profound agent of change, repair, and healing, and this is the foundation of my work.

Adolescents

Welcome teens and parents/caregivers, I am glad you have found your way here.

Adolescence is a time of rapid development and change that can feel both exciting and challenging. You may be a parent/caregiver searching for the right counsellor that can help support your teen through challenges they may be experiencing. If you are a teenager, you may be experiencing conflict in friend groups and/or with your family, struggling with school, or feeling uncertain about your future. You may be experiencing anxiety, depression, anger, and/or low self-worth/self-esteem. You might be questioning your identity and wanting to understand yourself more. You might want to heal from past trauma (examples of trauma on the children page). You may be engaging in self-harm or having thoughts of suicide. All of these are common in my work with adolescents. I am deeply passionate about working with youth. I feel honoured to be invited into their world and to support them in whatever ways feel meaningful for them.

In my practice, I respect the importance of confidentiality, as it is essential in creating safety and building trust. For counselling to be meaningful and beneficial, trust and safety are required. If an adolescent believes that I am working on behalf of their parent(s)/caregiver(s), or that I will disrespect their privacy and divulge to their parent(s)/caregiver(s), we will not get very far in building a therapeutic relationship or progressing in the therapeutic process. However, if an adolescent, as a minor, has a plan to kill themselves, harm someone else, or is being abused or neglected by another individual then I have a legal and ethical obligation to share with their parent(s)/caregiver(s) to protect their safety. In some cases, I may encourage a teen to share information with their parent(s)/caregiver(s) that does not involve their safety if I think it could be helpful, but ultimately the decision will be their own.

Common themes or areas of concern that emerge in my practice with adults and adolescents are:

  • Anxiety

  • Panic/Fear

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • Coping

  • Self-Regulation

  • Self-Worth

  • Self-Esteem

  • Critical Self-Talk

  • Self-Compassion

  • Life Transitions

  • Grief and Loss

  • Identity issues

  • Childhood Trauma, including neglect and abuse

  • Relationship Issues

  • Family Conflict

  • Sexual Assault

  • Depression

  • Personal Exploration and Growth