My Approach to Helping

I provide one time mental health assessments as well as short term and long term psychotherapy depending on your personal circumstances and goal(s).

Experiencing emotional turmoil and suffering is part of life, but at times we develop unhelpful behaviors, thoughts and feelings. You may find yourself lonely, isolated, exhausted, and down, or on the other hand stressed, panicked, uneasy, and anxious to name a few. These experiences can negatively impact you, people around you and your work. You are, however, wired for healing and growth!

How does therapy work: Psychotherapy is a well researched treatment recognized by many organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a healing process that helps you gain access to essential resources in yourself and in your environment, to better cope with life’s problems, and to move forward. Through therapy you can gain better insight into yourself, identify patterns that are not so useful and develop new ones. You can also experience an alleviation of various psychological and somatic symptoms and experience more calm and joy.

Therapeutic Approach: In my practice I apply various research-based treatment approaches such as Psychodynamic therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Sensorimotor psychotherapy, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This typically involves a combination of talk therapy, coachingteaching new strategies, and experiential practices during session.
I also utilize the use of in-between session exercises (e.g., things to think about or write about, or skills to practice) to keep the momentum of therapy going. We will also periodically revisit goals for therapy to ensure you’re on the right track.

More Info About My Practice

We can schedule an initial session (50 min) so that I can do an assessment to better understand you. I will facilitate a fruitful discussion, you will have an opportunity to experience my style of working, and receive feedback to help you have an idea of what you could expect from working with me. This may be the only time we meet or you may choose to book additional sessions depending on our fit and your feelings about the session.

If you have insurance, sessions will be on a pay and claim basis. Should you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask. Thank you for visiting my page!

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

I work with various presenting difficulties including: adjustment difficulties, anger management, abuse history, anxiety, bereavement, bipolar disorder, depression, emotional turmoil, grief, loneliness, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, relationship problems, stress, and trauma.

Depending on the nature of your particular experiences, we will work through your concerns by prioritizing the most important issues first. We will also identify patterns and themes in your life that may help shed light on why you feel a certain way. We will also explore your relationships and understand what your perceptions and unique relational patterns are. I will teach you various skills and ways of handling your thoughts and feelings that may help relieve distress and increase your sense of well-being.

How Psychotherapy Can Help

Discussing your life in a private and confidential manner can help alleviate distress. Also speaking to a qualified mental health professional can help you talk through problems you may be facing in a constructive, non-biased and judgment-free way. Psychotherapy can also help you deal with your emotions and thoughts in a healthier and more productive fashion.

My Role as a Therapist

My role as a therapist is to help you gain deeper access into your unconscious and increasing your awareness into patterns that make up your behaviors, thoughts and emotions. My role is also to hold your story in great confidence and help you work through difficult experiences in a safe and nonjudgmental space. My role is also to help you gain new skills by offering you some guidance and suggestions that you may want to consider implementing into your life.

What I Usually Need to Know to Help

Your history including:
Your childhood and family background
Your general health and mental health history
Your current life and personal circumstances
Your hopes for therapy

My Guiding Ethical Principles

I follow the ethical standards set by the College of Psychologists of Ontario

What I Say to People Concerned about the Therapy Process

Starting therapy is a huge step, so you might have a range of emotions about it. There are no right or wrong feelings to have about starting therapy and if you have been thinking for some time that you should speak to someone, then you have a good reason to seek therapy. A good fit and rapport between you and your therapist is the most important factor to have a good outcome.

We will discuss different topics relevant to you. All of these discussions will take place only with your consent. Everything we talk about will be confidential and the limits of confidentiality will also be discussed. There will be full transparency from the beginning about all aspects of your therapy. I highly recommend bringing up any concerns you might have about your therapy.

Why Going to Therapy Does Not Mean You are Weak or Flawed

Going to therapy is a testament to your strength, courage and willingness to look at yourself.
Providing therapy is also an honor for me and I do not take this responsibility lightly.

The Duration and Frequency of Therapy

The duration and frequency of therapy will depend on various factors:
- Your personal circumstances (e.g., financial, insurance, time constraints, travel schedule, etc.)
- Your goals for therapy
- Your presenting problem(s)
- Your history and whether you've had any therapy in the past

We will have a discussion about what can be expected in the course of therapy and what sort of frequency and duration would work best in your case.