My approach to counselling is holistic, trauma-informed, strengths based and systemically aware.

  • Holistic: Including attention to cognitive (thoughts), emotional, somatic (body sensations, posture, interception) and spiritual (values, connection to the world, faith, sense of self) domains of well-being.

  • Trauma Informed: Aware of the impacts of trauma, making all efforts to increase your sense of safety and reduce the likelihood of re-traumatization. Understanding behaviour, challenges and feelings through a trauma-based lens. Providing options and collaborating with you so there is choice at each step. Working in a slow, gentle and phase-based approach.

  • Strengths Based: You already have strengths and resources both within and around you. We can leverage those as we work together.

  • Systemically Aware: We do not live as individuals alone, but in a context of systems such as our intersectional identities, family, work, community and society at large. My approach includes awareness of this reality in your lived experience.

First and foremost, the spirit of the work comes through your lived experience and the process together. We will compassionately reflect on your inner experiences, responses, and desired changes. You have unique creativity and insight that can naturally unfold in a therapeutic and intentional environment. I provide guidance and structure as we embark on this process together.

Second, from my experience and knowledge of mental health, we can incorporate education to help you make sense of what you are going through. This might involve reframing our narratives from a lens of trauma and/or mental health. We can also work on practicing specific skills to support your growing edges. For example, sometimes throughout our sessions clients realize they would like to work on assertiveness skills, emotional regulation, sleep hygiene, stress management, etc.

My approach combines experience and education.

Approach FAQ

  • Currently, the counselling theories that inform my approach the most are Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

    I also find great value in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and Polyvagal Theory.

  • I work with trauma in a phase based approach where we take time to build our relationship and strengthen your resources (regulation skills, coping skills) before delving into processing specific experiences. It is important to go slow when working with trauma, and to bring the work to smaller, more manageable pieces of experience to make all efforts to avoid overwhelm and re-traumatization. Trauma work with me involves authentically connecting with you, addressing how past trauma is impacting you in the present, psychoeducation on the impacts of trauma, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

    Because of the importance of this process, I ask everyone seeking trauma counselling with me to attend a complimentary consultation on zoom or phone before booking an appointment.