Feeling stuck?

Counselling can help you understand the patterns that are no longer serving you well. 

Welcome! 

Since 2009, I have provided therapy to families, adults and folks in intimate relationships in New Westminster, Vancouver and the Tri-Cities area. I work most often with concerns stemming from anxiety, current and historical trauma, and challenging patterns in relationships. 

My training and approach is informed by both a neurobiological and attachment lens. This means I am attuned to how both you and your nervous system have adapted to the things that have happened to you in your life. At one time, these adaptations wisely helped you survive, but they may no longer be serving you as well. Operating on auto-pilot or in ways you don't quite understand can impact your present life and connections with others. This is how trauma affects our current functioning. Your head knows something, but the rest of you is stuck. 

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Instead, you may find yourself feeling reactive or triggered in ways that almost feel involuntary. This can be a cue that past trauma is fuelling the intensity of your current experiences. In session, we will learn to slow down, together - and I will directly support you in investigating what is happening inside of you. The goal is to develop the capacity to better understand the parts of yourself involved and to shift your reactions in real time, outside of session.

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Still not sure what to expect from our counselling relationship?  As a client, you are in the driver's seat. You are the expert on your own life. And I work alongside you! It is my job to ensure we stay on track, to assist with navigation, and to introduce ideas and practices to support you in driving more intentionally. Essentially, we work together to help you get out of the "grooves in the road" that are no longer working for you and your relationships.

It's hard to describe the complexity and nuance of a therapy session. What is it like?

When we're in session, I am really with you - my primary muscles are relational. I've been told I'm relatable, human and attuned. But I'm not "just" listening, I'm an active therapist who is both curious and involved. At the start of session, I don't tend to start with "how are you?"  Instead, I show up with awareness of what we've been working on. I open by locating us in our process, and then inviting you back into our work given "how you are".  I track our counselling in themes based on what has come up in past sessions, and I connect that to the present session. This is my job! Together, we build on deepening your awareness and understanding of what's no longer working, while trusting that what feels "maladaptive" was once adaptive. Change need not be punitive or harsh.

My overall goal is to create a space that is safe and appropriately paced, so that change that translates into your real life is possible for you. 

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I look forward to working with you.