Adolescent / Teen
The teenage years are a time of significant upheaval in the adolescent’s life: emotionally, socially, physiologically, and developmentally. This can lead to many challenges as questions of identity arise, stressors overwhelm, or words seem inadequate to express what is happening inside. This can be a time of uncertainty for parents as well, as they seek new ways to connect and communicate in the midst of these many changes. I will work with you and your teen to explore the landscape of their experience and identity; to build communication skills so they can talk about their feelings and needs; to strengthen their self-confidence and access self-compassion; and to provide healthy coping skills and resources. I will also provide parenting support to help you nurture a secure attachment with your teen so that your relationship can weather tumultuous times ahead.
Couples
Working from an Internal Family Systems and Emotionally Focused Therapy approach, I aim to provide a neutral, compassionate, and hopeful presence to support you and your partner through changes and challenges in your relationship. My goal is to help you build a safe and secure attachment with your partner as well as with yourself, so that you can turn to each other in times of vulnerability and pain, and receive understanding and comfort from your partner. While we do the deeper work of exploring emotions, unpacking old stories, and renegotiating unhelpful patterns, I’ll also provide you with practical supports along the way to help you build safety and connection from one session to the next.Parent Consultations
Parenting can be both wonderful and fulfilling – and hard and exhausting! Together we’ll honour the both-and aspects of your parenting journey. We’ll broaden the conversation to explore your needs as a parent as well as your identity and meaning-making process as you traverse the ideals and realities of this decades-long adventure. We’ll get curious about the childlike parts of you that show up in your parenting, so that you can bring your good parenting energy to them, too! I can support you in building connection, communication, and compassion with your kiddos, with your partner or co-parent(s), and yourself!Trauma/PTSD
Trauma affects every aspect of our being and functioning: our brains shut down, our bodies react, our emotions take on a life of their own - or disappear altogether. Our work will start with grounding you and your body in safety, and building awareness and appreciation for the ways our bodies hold trauma for us. Once you have enough safety in your body, we can begin offering curiosity to the parts of you that have learned to protect you with varying coping and survival skills. This is tender work, and we'll take it as slowly as your system needs it to go.Pre-Marriage Counselling
You’ve found love! In pre-marriage counselling, I will help you and your partner learn how to make it last through a strong and healthy partnership. I will support both of you in increasing self awareness; building healthy communication patterns; identifying needs, values, and potential conflict areas; and supporting you in nurturing a secure attachment from which to face the joys and challenges of your future life together.Grief
Grief can be one of the loneliest experiences we face, as only the griever knows the full impact of their loss. Meanwhile, others may unwittingly isolate grieving people even further, by talking about "moving on," "bright sides," and "heaven getting another angel." I will hold a space for YOUR grief journey, just as it is - messy, painful, hopeless, angry, sobbing, numb, reflective, and back again. I will support and validate your "good grief" - which simply means giving yourself permission to feel what you feel without judgment, on your own timeline. We'll honour the relationship, the love, the loss, and the ways these can be carried forward as you learn to move forward with your grief in a way that makes room for surviving, thriving, and flourishing - when you are ready.Spirituality
Spirituality - I believe that we are all ultimately spiritual beings, which means that we are more than our bodies, minds, and emotions. This means that I am always attuned to the deeper realities of meaning-making, identity, and purpose that are woven through your stories and experience, and curious about how these are resources for you - or perhaps sources of trauma. I am here to explore, celebrate, deepen, and grieve - as you have need. I specialize in working with spiritual and religious trauma, and can support you from a spiritually-resourced, agenda-free, and compassionate place as you wrestle with your own questions of faith and doubt, belonging and unbelonging, harm and longing, deconstruction and disorientation, or spiritual integration. I am here to hold sacred space as a companion and co-explorer of mystery as you blaze your own trail on your spiritual path.
