I have expertise helping adults with the following issues:
• Anxiety
• Attachment-related issues
• Bipolar Disorder
• Borderline Personality
• Depression
• Emotional disturbance
• Grief and Loss
• Identity Discovery
• Life Transitions
• Low Self-Esteem
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Panic
• Phobias
• Postpartum mood disorders
• Relationship Issues
• Self-Esteem
• Self-Harming
• Separation and Divorce
• Social Anxiety
• Suicidal Ideation
• Work Stress
• Work/Life Balance
My specialty is treating adults who have experienced trauma and abuse, including
• Emotional, verbal, sexual and/or physical abuse
• Accidents and personal tragedy
• Work-related trauma
• Bullying
• Childhood abuse and neglect
• Developmental trauma
• Insecure or disrupted attachment to caregivers or primary relationships
Therapeutic Perspective
My therapeutic perspective is based on my training and experience with the process of psychological change. Our minds have an innate capacity to change, adapt, grow, and heal, but this natural process often gets interrupted. My approach in therapy is to create the conditions that remove barriers and allow the process of growth and healing to proceed and even flourish. There are several essential conditions that promote psychological growth and healing which include the therapeutic relationship, exploring challenges, identifying strengths, and utilizing evidence-based modalities.
Therapeutic Relationship. In order to heal, we need to be able to share our experience in a place where we feel safe and supported. We need a trusting connection with someone who openheartedly accepts us just as we are; someone who listens with empathy and compassion. We need to be heard and understood by someone who is fully present with us, validates our thoughts and feelings without judgement, and welcomes us with warmth and kindness. This is the experience that I strive to provide for you in our sessions together.
Exploring Challenges. Another important aspect of the healing process is being able to accurately identify areas of distress in our mind and body. Psychological issues often affect us in multiple ways that are interwoven, and these include cognition, emotion, behavior, and somatic sensation. Cognitively, we may experience distressing and recurring thoughts, images and memories. Emotionally, we may have intensely painful feelings of depression, anxiety, grief, shame, anger and much more. Behaviorally, we may engage in impulsive or compulsive activities that may provide short-term relief but only exacerbate long-term distress. Somatically, we may experience disturbing aches, pains and sensations almost anywhere in our body. By identifying areas of difficulty and discovering how they are interconnected, we can gain insight into the sources of distress and find ways to promote resolution and healing.
Identifying Strengths. The healing process also relies on reconnecting with our inner strengths and resources. There is more that is right with us than is wrong with us, but we can easily get stuck in our distress and dysfunction by overlooking or disregarding our core supports and innate abilities. Our strengths may be latent, waiting to be discovered, or they may be undeveloped and ready to be bolstered. They may be in the form of cognitive, emotional, or somatic resources; all are available to us in the healing process. My aim in our sessions together is to help you reconnect with your inner strength, access your inner wisdom, rediscover your inner capacities, build resilience, and gain insight into resources that are available to you.
Utilizing Evidence-based treatments. Scientific research into the healing process has discovered and developed numerous evidence-based therapeutic treatments that work, resulting in lasting positive change. Several mainstream therapies have long established histories of demonstrated success in producing significant improvement in the areas of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and somatic experience. I have extensive training and experience in effective therapeutic methods that can be individually tailored to address specific psychological issues and facilitate healing. I have observed first-hand in working with my clients how evidence-based treatments lead to successful outcomes.
Types of Therapy offered
Over the past eight years, I have developed expertise in several evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye-movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety, depression, and many other mental health concerns. It focuses on developing new ways to understand and manage thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
One of the primary goals of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is to “Create a Life Worth Living” by bringing our life into balance. It offers ways to bring balance to our emotions, thoughts, activities, and relationships.
Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been proven effective for the treatment of trauma and psychological stress.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a manualized therapy for PTSD that focuses on evaluating and challenging distressing thoughts and beliefs tied to traumatic events. It follows a structured 12-session protocol including homework that leads to new ways of thinking and feeling about traumatic experiences.