What to expect. 

Often times clients come in and it takes them a few minutes to settle into the room. Maybe they have rushed to our appointment on a lunch break, or they needed to get a child down for a nap in order to zip out of the house last minute. 

When you show up to our appointment, you can expect that I will meet you where you are at and provide the structure needed to get the most out of our appointment together. 

The therapy process looks different for each client. As we begin our sessions, I will ask questions to get an idea of what your expectations are and what you're looking to gain out of the therapy process. We will create some goals for therapy, and then make a plan together to address immediate concerns, as well to begin grappling with the deeper, longer term stuff. 

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Some clients begin by contacting me by email to set up a complimentary phone consultation. This optional first step allows us both to gather some information and to determine if we are a good match to work together. Some clients skip this step and we head straight into a first appointment. 

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In our first meeting I will focus on getting to know you (or you and your parter), and what has prompted you to book an appointment. I will take the time to really listen to you and understand your unique needs and concerns. This will allow me to gain insight into your life and how we can work together effectively in our meetings to get the desired results. Providing a space where we can develop safety and trust is my top priority. 

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Over the course of the first few sessions, we will develop a flexible plan for our sessions so that you can feel like we are moving in a direction. Often times we begin with working on self-awareness and understanding of your nervous system. We will get curious about your current patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving and where these patterns stem from. We will explore relationship dynamics, your environment, life circumstances, and personal history to gain insight about why things are happening the way they are, and how we can begin to shift things that aren't working well. 

As we move through therapy sessions, we will go at your pace and work together to develop new skills and tools, insight, and self-awareness. We will practice skills and tools in our sessions so that you can better integrate them in your life. Counselling sessions are always fluid, addressing immediate concerns or distress, but always keeping in mind the bigger picture, so that you continue to make progress in the areas that brought you into the therapy process. ​

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I work with an eclectic approach:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Parts Work 

• Attachment Theory

• Polyvagal Theory 

• Mindfulness

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) 

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(Ask me about any of these in a consult call!)

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Attachment Theory and Polyvagal Theory

These concepts create a foundation to my approach. After we are born, our survival depends on whether we can seek and maintain proximity and connection with our caregiver(s). This is where our nervous system begins to actively develop in response to co-regulation, seeking reassurance and closeness with our primary caregiver. Babies and toddlers need help from adults to self-regulate and to feel safe. These first relationships form the basis of what will become our "attachment style," serving as templates for all other relationships to come. The dynamics within these early relationships contribute to our patterns of nervous system activation as we grow up and move through life. This is why early life experiences are so important. Therapeutic intervention is one effective way to influence positive change in the engrained patterns we have that are no longer working for us. 

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When working with me, you will learn about attachment and get to know your own unique nervous system, and, if applicable, the nervous system of your partner and/or child. Developing this insight and new language enhances the therapy work we will do together, as you develop flexibility and begin to shine a light on whatever problematic patterns we are exploring.

You will never be pushed into anything you are not comfortable with. I will always ask for your input and collaboration, respect your wishes, and explain to you what we're doing and why. At the end of the day, it's up to you what we spend our time doing during sessions!

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​I take great care to ensure that my services are trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. I am welcoming of all genders and sexual orientations. There is no judgement here. Come as you are. 

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