Here to Help

​​My approach is eclectic, pulling from a deep base of training in different methods and from research in treatment that works.  I do my best to bring my whole self to the work we do and I value being real. My goal is to collaborate; together we'll build a treatment plan that considers your unique history and takes advantage of your strengths. 

I believe that you already have most of the answers to what you need within. 

Check out the different treatment approaches I offer below. If you still have questions about what therapy is, how it can help, and the details of working together, you can find answers in the FAQ section, or GET IN TOUCH directly. 

Be Still. The quieter you become, the more you can hear.  -  Ram Dass

Getting Help

I can help you reach your goals and feel better. 

My intention is to give people a safe, nonjudgmental space to work through what you need to in any chapter of life.  Whether it's grief, relationship difficulties, life transitions, parenting concerns or generally not feeling as effective as you'd like to be in sport, work or life. ​

I have particular expertise in the treatment of mood, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, obsessive compulsive, and eating disorders. I also have specialized training and experience in supporting individuals in high performance roles such as musicians, stage performers, dancers, and competitive athletes of all levels.
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​Find more information on treatment tailored to athletes & performers HERE.

assessment

Psychological assessment is a technical term used to describe the in-depth process that is used by psychologists to determine the nature of a cognitive, emotional, behavioural, interpersonal or personality difficulty. 

The training for registered psychologists includes a deep understanding of human nature, development, the brain and behaviour, mind-body links, family dynamics, and relationships. 

I am trained in providing and communicating mental health diagnoses using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). An understanding of the continuum of mental illness and the complicated overlap between different diagnoses is required to make decisions about what someone may be dealing with in terms of their mental health. 

I also take an ecological and developmental approach to understanding one's difficulties. This means that I take into consideration the contextual, cultural, and lifespan influences on the development and maintenance of the difficulty at hand; and also attend to these these in treatment. 

As part of the assessment, I use questionnaires as well as input from supportive others, where relevant. The results of the assessment may or may not include communicating a formal mental health diagnosis. 

CBT

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that has been shown in controlled research studies to be an effective way to overcome a variety of problems, including Eating Disorders, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Phobias, Worry, Social anxiety, Panic, Obsessions and Compulsions and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

In some cases, CBT is as effective as medication and often tends to be more effective in the long term. In CBT, problems are seen as being maintained by a person’s maladaptive beliefs and behaviours. For instance, Anxiety is most often perpetuated by avoidance behaviour that needs to be reversed through exposure to, or re-acquaintance with, the feared situation.  In Depression, we often stop doing what makes us happy or at peace with ourselves, get stuck in the negatives, and develop a variety of maladaptive coping strategies in our attempt to feel better. With proper treatment, we can not only return to normal functioning but even develop a new more balanced approach to life in order to prevent relapse. 

CBT provides you with awareness, education, and skills that help you identify and change your daily beliefs and behaviours.  My CBT approach is trauma-informed and supported by dialectical and emotion-focused skills.  It also includes a wider focus on relationships and underlying beliefs or identity issues. 

Regardless of the therapy approach, many people come for help because the behaviours you are doing are not in line with your values and intentions and you feel "lost" or disconnected from yourself. CBT, along with some mindfulness and identifying your true values, can help you redefine how and who you want to be in your life.

For instance, often times people with severe Eating Disorders have come to a point where they are not even in touch with who they are and/or want to be. In line with my PhD research that linked identity concerns with disordered eating, one of my goals in this case is to help people figure out the answer to the question "who am I?" without defining oneself by body shape or weight. 

MBCT

Mindfulness meditation is a well-known means of changing the brain’s ability to respond effectively to stress, unpleasant emotions, environmental triggers, and to pain. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an evidence-based treatment for preventing relapse in Depression and is also an effective way of managing pain, anxiety and disordered eating. 

Mindfulness allows us to be more present and aware in our lives, to live life more joyfully, and with less judgment and self-criticism.  Mindfulness reduces our reactivity to our own emotions, to stressful life situations, and to other people. It helps us lead a life of intention and value. Through mindfulness we can develop self-compassion and compassion for others.

Mindfulness meditation also improves focus and concentration. Whether formally or informally, mindfulness is seen as a crucial skill for high performance athletes, performers, and business professionals alike. 


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Everything changes once we identify with being the witness to the story, instead of the actor in it. ― ​Ram dass

Don't turn away. Keep your gaze on the bandaged place.
​That's where the light enters you.  - Rumi