My Practice

MyPractice

Therapeutic Approach

My perspective is that human beings are complex, multifaceted, and individually unique even though we also may have many things in common. I have great confidence in the power of people to choose, to change, to grow, and to flourish.

As such, I take a non-pathologizing approach to counselling as I work with my clients toward greater integrated health and wholeness. What this means is that I accept you right where you are and I see you as the expert in your own life. You are a valuable person to be honoured with a perspective, culture, and history that is to be respected. I believe that we all desire wellness, are inherently designed to heal, and have the wisdom inside us to progress toward integrated wholeness. As a counsellor, I am committed to walking with you on this sometimes difficult and often very vulnerable growth journey.

In consideration of the highly personal nature of the counselling relationship and the wonderful diversity of culture, beliefs, and worldviews we each possess, I utilize and integrate a variety of counselling theories, perspectives, techniques, and interventions into my practice. There are three primary lenses through which I view people and the world of therapy, as well as some important influences and approaches that help to shape my practice.

My three primary lenses are:

Trauma sensitive, informed, and aware

This is the primary lens that informs all others and means that I recognize the impact that trauma has on a person’s whole being while also being solidly convinced that healing is possible, needed, and wanted.

Person-centered

This is also a primary lens for me and means that I accept each person unconditionally and view all my clients in a positive light as individual people with a unique story, culture, journey, and context to be accepted and embraced as they are.

Existential

This lens means that I am a big believer in personal power and responsibility; I am curious and open to learn about each person’s way of viewing the world, how we each make meaning in our lives, and I have great confidence in each person’s freedom and ability to choose and to take responsibility for their lives.

Some of the influences that inform my integrative counselling practice include perspectives that encourage psychological & spiritual growth and wholeness as well as body wisdom.

The following are a few of the major influences that inform my approach to counselling:

Depth Psychology & Psychodynamic Therapy

A non-pathologizing perspective that takes into consideration consciousness, the unconscious, ego, shadow, persona, projections, developmental experiences, and dreams, among many other things, especially as it relates to the work and teachings of Carl Jung.

Positive Psychology

A strengths based approach that recognizes the amazing, intricate, and unique person each of us is with all good things we bring to the world as well as acknowledging the inherent growth opportunities contained within the challenges of our lives.

Somatic Wisdom

A neurological, biological, and body based perspective that recognizes the innate wisdom of the body, how our brain and nervous system functions, and how this knowledge can be used in healing from trauma and releasing trauma from the body, especially the work of Pat Ogden, Peter Levine, Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, and Dan Siegel.

Developmental Models

Theories or models that focus on how we develop through life, and the needs that we have at different stages of development as well as what happens when trauma occurs, development is interrupted, or those needs are not met, especially:

Attachment theory – a well-researched and supported theory of developmental connection based on the work of John Bowlby
Neurosequential Model of Trauma (NMT) – a developmental and neurobiological perspective created by Bruce Perry that includes consideration of in utero and early childhood developmental experiences on current functioning
Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development – a theory that outlines the needs and tasks of each of us throughout our lifetime and how the navigation of these tasks affects us as we progress in life

Internal Family Systems

A framework developed by Richard Schwartz that gives attention to our relationship with the community of self which integrates well with a psychodynamic therapeutic approach.

Emotionally Focused Therapy

Therapy that goes to the heart of the emotional tone of the relationship in order to help strengthen the relationship through emotional attachment, often used within couples therapy.

Spiritual Direction

A general perspective of companioning another person on their healing journey, which I view as a spiritual journey, to be an anam cara (soul friend) along the way.