Specialized counselling for relationships, anxiety and destructive behaviours. Build a better relationship with yourself and others.
Therapy Specialities
ANXIETY
We often think the opposite of anxiety is calm, but it is actually trust. Building trust in yourself is what will help you the most in weathering life’s storms, and I believe in the process of Acceptance and Commitment therapy to help you get there. Anxiety is a huge reason people come to therapy. In general, people tend to come to therapy because they do not want to feel the way they are feeling full stop.
Learning tools to manage anxiety and dysregulation are very helpful and at times necessary, but I have found that combining acceptance tools with self-compassion to be the most effective long-term. This sends a message to the brain that these feelings are not dangerous and that you are safe even in their presence. I intend to support people in identifying what may be holding them back from not only going forward with their goals, but also look at what coping strategies may be getting in the way and are actually being more distracting from fully being able to accept their experience and themselves.
RELATIONSHIPS
What is happening (or not happening) in our relationships is usually one of the first tellers that something is not quite right. This will show up differently for different folks, but ultimately the desire is the same goal – for the relationships to feel and be more authentic. Counseling can help you identify the common patterns you are experiencing vs what your relationship values truly are and help you move forward in that direction. Maybe you want to set more boundaries or let people in more, different goals, but the work will be around connecting more to the authentic you and what is getting in the way of being able to be authentic.
COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOUR
This is anything someone does in an attempt to feel better, that at one time was a conscious choice, but now feels out of control and possibly distressing if the compulsion is not carried out. Compulsive behaviors can be both internal and external. Examples of internal compulsive behaviours could be overanalyzing and ruminating, external compulsions can include body preoccupation behaviours, physically checking that a device is on or off, overuse of phones, etc.
The crux of behaviour change is getting clear around your motivation for change and the values underpinning that for you, identifying the barriers that are getting in the way, and practicing urge surfing (again, and again, and again) with a large dose of self-compassion.
LIFE TRANSITIONS
Life transitions, whether chosen or unexpected, can be exciting but also bring significant distress. Even positive changes, like becoming a parent or overcoming an addiction, can lead to vulnerability and the need for new coping strategies. Therapy can be incredibly helpful during these times, guiding you through the discomfort of letting go of the old and embracing the new. This period may involve grief, self-doubt, and shame, but acknowledging these emotions is key to moving forward and fully embracing the change.
BODY IMAGE
Body dissatisfaction and unhealthy relationships with food have sadly become normalized in society. Many people, even if they don’t meet the criteria for Body Dysmorphia or an eating disorder, still suffer from these issues, impacting their well-being. With extensive experience in these areas, I aim to create a space for those who are struggling but feel they aren’t “sick enough” to seek help.
Body image concerns often stem from unmet needs and past experiences, not just surface-level issues. Therapy can help uncover the root cause of this pain and foster self-compassion, allowing for healthier ways of meeting those needs. It’s not wrong to want to improve fitness or appearance, but it should come from a place of self-love, not shame or fear.
Although it can be scary to change the way you relate to food and your body, fear of letting go is what keeps you stuck. An integrated approach combining process-based therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help address these issues by connecting past experiences with future goals, allowing for growth and healing.