How I Work

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Safety, Understanding & Respect

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My approach prioritizes safety, curiosity, and understanding. Rather than focusing on what’s “wrong,” therapy is grounded in making sense of how your experiences, relationships, and environments have shaped the way you respond to the world.

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Many of the patterns people struggle with—such as anxiety, reactivity, shutdown, overwhelm, or disconnection—are not flaws or failures, but understandable responses developed over time. Our work focuses on increasing awareness, reducing self-judgment, and creating space for new, more supportive ways of relating to yourself and others.

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This perspective informs all aspects of my practice and allows therapy to unfold in a way that feels respectful, validating, and responsive to your unique nervous system.

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This work is inherently trauma-informed, prioritizing safety, choice, and understanding lived experience rather than pathologizing symptoms.

 

Attachment-Focused

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Attachment theory is central to my approach. In our earliest years, we develop an internal understanding of ourselves in relation to others—how safe connection feels, what to expect in relationships, and how closeness or conflict is navigated.

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These early experiences shape patterns that often continue into adulthood, influencing how we parent, relate to ourselves and others. Therapy offers a space to bring these patterns into awareness and to develop new ways of relating that feel more secure, flexible, and supportive over time.

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A Grounded, Integrative Approach

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I take an integrative approach that blends cognitive, somatic, and experiential work, with psycho-education as a consistent backbone. Understanding why we are doing what we’re doing helps create safety, clarity, and trust in the therapeutic process.

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• Cognitive approaches (mindfulness, CBT, psychodynamic insight) support awareness and shifts in unhelpful thought and relational patterns

• Somatic work, including somatic attachment psychotherapy, supports nervous system awareness, regulation, and embodied processing

• Integrative approaches such as parts work and EMDR allow for deeper integration of past experiences and the development of internal safety and coherence

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Somatic tools are used intentionally and are always grounded in psycho-education and evidence-informed frameworks.

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While insight matters, lasting change occurs when the nervous system begins to experience safety in new ways. Our work often involves tuning in to the body, recognizing patterns of activation or shutdown, and building the capacity to respond with greater intention rather than automatic survival responses.

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Polyvagal & Nervous-System-Informed

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My practice is informed by polyvagal theory, which understands many symptoms not as pathology, but as adaptive nervous system responses shaped by life experiences and relationships.

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Together, we build awareness of your nervous system, strengthen self-regulation skills, and gently shift long-standing emotional and relational patterns over time. This work is collaborative, paced, and tailored to your unique system.

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Working with Individuals & Couples

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Our work is guided by what you bring into the room. Sessions are collaborative and responsive, shaped by your goals, concerns, and current life context.

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In individual therapy, we focus on increasing awareness of thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and relational patterns. From this awareness, we work to shift long-standing patterns, develop nervous system regulation, and learn how to respond to yourself and others in more intentional and supportive ways—supporting meaningful relational change over time.

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My approach to couples therapy is emotionally focused and attachment-based, with attention to nervous system dynamics. We work with the patterns that show up between you—exploring how each partner’s responses are shaped, what gets triggered in moments of disconnection, and how new ways of engaging can be practiced to foster safety, connection, and attunement.

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Beginning Therapy

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Beginning counselling can feel vulnerable, especially when you’re unsure where to start. It’s my role to help you feel comfortable, supported, and guided through the process. All you need to do is show up.

It’s not always easy to know whether a therapist is the right fit based on written descriptions alone.

 

A complimentary consultation allows you to ask questions, get a sense of my approach, and decide whether working together feels right for you.

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