I work hard to establish and maintain a comfortable environment for all of my clients in therapy. Safety, trust and a solid therapeutic alliance with your clinician are well known to be some of the key foundations for successful outcomes in counselling. They come together and form a base that can give rise to powerful opportunities for reflection. 1.) On how things may have been. 2.) On how things are now. And perhaps most importantly, 3.) On how you would like things to be in the future. This sets the stage for accurately identifying and then eventually starting to act on key pieces necessary to realize desired change.
Often, one of the most difficult steps in the process is finding the courage to take the first step. It is hard to look at (with empathy, self compassion and a refrain on judgement); some of the self limiting habits, beliefs and behaviours that have developed in our lives over time. It is my belief that deep seated behavioural and habitual responses to our circumstances and our understanding of them can lead us gradually over time to various ways and means of coping. Not all of them of course, are healthy or productive. Knowing our thoughts and feelings on important matters and getting back to a place of controlling them (most of the time) is, in very simple terms, what therapy should be all about. This is one of the core things I can help to facilitate.
I have worked in the helping profession for almost 30 years. I have a Masters of Arts Degree in Counselling Psychology, along with extensive post graduate training in a number of evidence based trauma therapy modalities. Evidence Based is just the ‘fancy’ way of stating that; a solid body of independent and thoughtfully constructed scientific research studies have concluded that there is real and measurable substance to these techniques and their positive outcomes. Additionally, that they have been shown to be effective in treating the painful and disruptive symptoms and side-effects of a persons experiences of/with trauma. I have additional training and experience in: Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). I have experience working with adolescents and adults. This includes the full continuum of adulthood, through the lifespan to retirement and later life.
I aspire to be a true ally for my clients and the richness of cultural representations in our community. I work every day toward core principles of respecting and perpetuating diversity and individual expressions of self, family and community. I try diligently to value and honour the unique individuality and identity expressions and aspirations of all individuals I meet. Please expect to be treated with dignity, curiosity and a fundamental respect for everything that makes you, uniquely you.