Therapeutic Approach
“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there…”
— Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne
My approach to therapy is focused on building a strong relationship and creating a safe space that allows for trust, open communication, and an honest partnership. I gather much of my inspiration from nature, which not only teaches us so many important lessons but also helps us to feel calm. Research shows that even looking at photos of nature can help us to feel calmer, happier, and other awesome stuff (e.g. van den Berg et al., 2015) - so I’ve scattered some nature photos around this site as a start!
I love using analogies and humour to overcome barriers and facilitate the exploration of thoughts and emotions towards therapeutic goals. I believe in building resiliency and developing tools and strategies to harness the personal strengths that are unique to each person. Through my years of experience working with individuals, families, schools, and the local community, I aim to create a network of support and positivity to effect lasting change.
I integrate Attachment-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (AF-EMDR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassionate Inquiry, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT and Somatic and Parts Work therapies into my practice. You can find out more about these therapeutic modalities below, as well as on the Resources page.
EMDR & Attachment-Focused EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective therapy for the treatment of trauma. EMDR therapy incorporates bilateral stimulation (i.e. both sides of the brain and body) into a comprehensive approach that processes and releases information in the mind and body, allowing for the relief of psychological stresses.
Attachment-focused EMDR (AF-EMDR) emphasizes a reparative therapeutic relationship integrating a combination of Resource Tapping™ (Parnell, 2008), EMDR, and talk therapy.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a mindfulness-based therapy that helps clients learn new skills to deal with painful thoughts and feelings in a way that allows them to live a more valued life. ACT is an empirically based intervention with a focus on building psychological flexibility through acceptance of thoughts and feelings and commitment to valued change. Through this intervention, clients can learn to make healthy contact with their internal experiences, gain skills to re-contextualize and accept those experiences, develop greater clarity, and commit to behaviour change. Together we build from there to create important changes and desired outcomes.
Compassionate Inquiry
This approach, developed by Dr. Gabor Mate, uses gentle questioning to identify the roots of the stories we tell ourselves. Clients learn what unconscious beliefs are being held, where those beliefs originated from and how to let go of those beliefs, using compassion and understanding. There is a strong emphasis on somatic (body) listening and respect for the body’s innate knowledge.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CBT is an action-oriented psycho-social modality which focuses on recognizing, challenging and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and improving emotional regulation. CBT emphasizes the development of personal coping strategies that target solving current problems.
Parts Work
We have parts of ourselves - not multiple personalities, just parts, who help us throughout our lives. For example, many of us saying things like, “part of me wants to go and part of me doesn’t” - these our the parts! Trauma is often held within specific parts of ourselves, and this approach to therapy helps to identify these parts, build more nurturing relationships with them and ease the lines between the different parts, leading to reduced psychological distress.