Individuals

I have now been a student of and working in the field of personal growth for 14 years. During this time, I have collaborated with people in a great variety of personal circumstances and varying backgrounds. My experience in the field has taught me that no one style or modality works for everyone. I picture counselling to be like a mosaic design - a balance between variety and structured form. I feel this helps keep open-mindedness and attentiveness at the fore-front of our collaborations together, especially in the beginnings of our work.

Our initial meetings will likely give you the opportunity to inform me about the story or narrative you believe describes your life. Telling your narrative helps us both learn about who you are. In this telling you may wish to inform me about your cultural beliefs or other important details about how you identify as a person. You can also sort through relevant personal history, assign meaning to your experience, as-well-as identify your gifts and on-going dilemmas. Working in this narrative style allows us to be inquisitive about your needs in a collaborative way. Together we will begin to see a framework of how to proceed and what to focus on. I like to keep in mind that there are multiple options to explore. Some people need support in altering the external circumstances they find themselves in, while others decide to enhance or develop practical cognitive skills they feel will assist them. I also find that many people find the processes of re-authoring or re-framing parts of their story to be liberating and empowering.

Beyond this narrative, I am also able to guide you in therapeutic work that asks you to “look within” and explore the emotional experience of your life. These therapeutic endeavours work less with the cognitive mind and more with our feeling or sensing mind & body. Exploring our inner experience is a process that has a long tradition in the field of therapy and is also something that has been part of many cultural traditions for centuries. Inner child / inner family healing are two such process-oriented approaches that people often seek out. I am able to facilitate these and other emotional healing practices, if so desired.

As is always the case, you have the final say on what we will and will not do in our sessions together. I believe in practicing collaboratively with you and that therapy is highly variable and flexible. One basic analogy I often refer to is that people will often see progress if they notice that their problems / life dilemmas lessen in intensity, frequency, and duration. I will do whatever I can, within reason, to support your growth as a person.         

“My teacher is always in front of me.”

 –  Barry, one of my teachers   

I am accountable to clients for practicing inclusively regarding one’s gender & gender expression, race, sexuality, culture, abilities or economic situation.

I specialize in the following areas: