Life CAN get better!
We will work together to instil hope back into your life. Taking the first step towards healing is an act of bravery, and you can be confident you will be met with support.
We will be a good fit if…
- You’re seeking a relatable, genuine, and non-judgmental space for you to be you, cultivating a safe place for change and growth to occur
- You’re looking to build insights into your own behaviour and experiences; understand root causes to address challenges and create new opportunities
- You’ve experienced trauma or loss and would like to integrate healing by learning coping strategies, mindfulness and grounding techniques
- You would like to live your best life in alignment of your personal goals and values
Therapy Offerings
Walk & Talk Therapy
This non-traditional form of therapy is exactly what it sounds like, therapy while walking. This alternative to talk therapy involves you and your therapist bringing in movement, mindfulness and nature to your work together. We know that there are many benefits to involvement as well as to time spent outdoors, these sessions have the opportunity to bring in experiences that regulate your nervous system.
Walking while processing can deepen processing and at times allow us to access emotions, thoughts and memories in a different way. Not only does nature provide a different container for therapy but clients might find themselves drawn to or impacted by things in nature that they would not normally be exposed to within the normal four walls of a therapy office.
Somatic Experience Therapy
SE holds the attitude that the body-mind is designed to heal intense and extreme experiences, in contrast with common belief that the effects of trauma are permanent. SE works within the client’s range of resiliency to facilitate the most efficient healing recovery, instead of pushing through “resistance”, or promoting emotional catharsis or painful physical discomfort.
SE works predominantly with the “felt sense”, accessing physical sensations, imagery and motor patterns, with less emphasis on cognitive and emotional processes. SE helps the client to recognize and expand the internal, external and missing resources to aid in the healing of the traumatic event.
SE works in the here and now and focuses on the sensations and body memories and resources occurring in the present. Expanding a person’s tolerance of their bodily sensations helps them to trust in the innate wisdom of the body, and begins to uncouple, or separate out, the fear and terror experienced during the event.
EMDR
Our brains are beautifully designed to allow us to recover from all kinds of traumatic and stressful events. The EMDR process involves communication between the amygdala (the alarm signal for stressful events), the hippocampus (which assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger), and the prefrontal cortex (which analyses and controls behaviour and emotion).
While many times traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, sometimes our brains need a bit of help. EMDR therapy helps the brain process memories, and allows normal healing to resume.
Originally designed to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), EMDR is now being used to effectively treat depression, anxiety, shame, traumatic grief and loss, substance misuse, performance enhancement and much more! EMDR allows you to feel at peace with the past, empowered in the present and able to make intentional choices in the future.
CBT Therapy
CBT, one of the most researched and validated forms of therapy, owes its popularity to its common sense and clear principles. CBT takes a structured approach to exploring the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It has been proven to be effective in increasing self-awareness and helping people cope with a variety of psychological issues, like depression, anxiety and many of the tangles we find ourselves in in relationships.
Cognitive strategies aim to disrupt the automatic, self-critical way we tend to talk to ourselves, whereas behavioural strategies strive to bring more intentional action to habitual patterns that may not be working well (or even reinforcing negative beliefs!)
While CBT has been the gold standard approach for decades, it does have its limitations. Many of my clients have found CBT to be very helpful in better understanding themselves and their situations, some, especially those who have experienced trauma, require a broader approach to shift their affect or physiological responses. But don't worry, I've got you covered there too. Together we will look at how changing your mindset and your habits can have a positive impact on your life.
Therapy Fees: $175 for 60 min and $260 for 90 min
Many insurance and benefit plans cover the costs for counselling and psychotherapy provided by a Registered Social Worker (RSW). It is advised to check with your benefits provider to understand the exact details of your coverage.
Psychotherapy services provided by Registered Social Workers (RSWs) can be claimed as a medical expense tax deduction when you file your income tax return. In other words, Registered Social Workers are now authorized “medical practitioners” for the purpose of claiming medical expenses (OASW, 2012).