I am honoured to go on this journey in therapy with you. On this journey we will explore your hopes, dreams, preferences and commitments. I will walk with you during moments of discomfort, I will share your moments of joy and discovery, and I will be the audience to your courage and resilience.
What to expect in therapy.
The decision to begin therapy can be a difficult one. It is a big commitment to an often unknown experience. You might feel uncomfortable, awkward, or nervous when you first meet with a therapist. You might be unsure of what to say and worried what your therapist will think. This is not uncommon and with the help of your therapist the feeling will ease over time.
Therapy is a partnership between you and your therapist. It is a collaborative process where you will play a significant part in determining the direction the conversations will take and ensuring that your journey in therapy is moving forward as you choose. You will find courage and resilience within you to be able to sit with the difficult stories, experiences, emotions, and thoughts that surface.
When we first meet I will to get to know you as more than just the problem you are seeking therapy for. Problems tend to hide your abilities, values, desires, talents, and many other qualities that are important for me to know about. Problems can be sneaky that way. I will work hard to see these parts of you that are in the shadows of the problem as we work toward reducing its impact in your life. As your therapist I will maintain a stance of curiousity as I get to know you. I will ask many questions as I seek to understand your hopes and preferences for your life. I will be transparent with my thoughts and ideas about our conversations so that you will never be left wondering about what I am thinking. I will stand with you against the weight of the problem’s influence in your life and I will guide you and support you in this process as I make it a safe place for you to embark on your therapy journey.
Therapy services include:
Individual Therapy
You don’t have to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder to seek individual therapy. Engaging in one-on-one therapy can also be an opportunity to address issues that come up in your day-to-day life that leave you feeling upset, frustrated, stressed, or worried. Common concerns I can help you overcome include unhealthy relationships with yourself or others, experiences of sadness or depression, worry or anxiety, self-criticism, grief and loss, past or current trauma, and difficulty adjusting to life transitions. In sessions with just you we can develop a meaningful connection where I will show up without assumptions and listen without judgments. Collaboratively we will explore what may be underlying your concerns and I will offer you new perspectives to help you change the relationship you are having with the problem and improve your ability to cope with the challenges that brought you to therapy.
Child and Youth Therapy
Family Therapy
Issues that bring families to therapy often center on conflict between parents, between parents and youth, and between siblings. At times one or more members of the family may be experiencing significant mental health issues that are impacting the family. In family therapy problems are understood in the context of the system of the family where problems are addressed with the whole family rather than with one individual. In my work with families, sessions are sometimes with the whole family present, other times sessions are with just several members of the family, and sometimes separate sessions with individual family members are helpful as we move toward healing the whole family. As your therapist I will offer unbiased, objective observations and insights in a calm and neutral space. We will work together to explore what each family member may be communicating through their behavior and emotional responses as we move toward developing healthy boundaries, enhancing your communication, and increasing your understanding and empathy for each other.
Parent and Caregiver Support
Parenting is difficult. Plain and simple. As a parent myself, I understand that it is one of the hardest jobs we have in our lifetime and yet we find ourselves in the role of a parent without formal training. How did we get here? What do we do? Without judgment or evaluation, I will curiously explore your experience and allow you to share the joys and challenges, the times you feel good and the times you feel unsure about your parenting. Together we will explore and make sense of the interactions between you and your child, and I will gently offer alternative ideas that may help you move closer to being the parent you hope to be.
Connect with me for a free, no obligation 15-minute conversation where you can get to know me and I can answer any questions you may have.