Alexandria Butterfield

My Values as a Counsellor: 

Collaboration 

“Will you tell me what to do?” - I’ll give you a couple of ideas, and then I’ll ask you what you think.

I see myself coming in with a lot of skills related to psychology, and my clients coming in with skills I don’t have, and I’m excited to learn about. I work with clients so they are involved in their own problem-solving and working through thoughts. This makes therapy more comfortable, helps me know my clients better, and is “practice” for doing this on your own outside of the therapy room. 

Collaboration also models having respectful boundaries - I don’t push if clients say they don’t want to talk about a subject. We move on, and clients can always bring things up in the future when they are ready. 

 Kindness

The biggest feedback I get from people on why they liked working with me is my ability to accept them, see their strengths, and offer a lot of compassion and validation. So many of my clients struggle with their thoughts, saying things to themselves they would never say to someone else. I help clients make changes and work towards their goals where they feel accountable but not mean or overly critical. 

What inspired me to become a therapist was the desire to help others and provide support as people work through internal and external challenges. 

I can separate a person from thoughts they have that don’t align with their values, and I can separate them from a mistake they made and regret. A lot of people need to hear that to work through their shame. 

 Reliability 

Part of the reason I love having a private practice is that it allows me to run a schedule and work with a lot of people without having to squeeze people in. 

I keep my schedule so that if clients have the option of a ‘standing appointment’, meaning we meet at the same time weekly, biweekly, or monthly. I never want my clients to have to wait too long in between appointments and lack consistency in their care. I also have flexibility so that clients who have shift work or have to move a session due to an exam or a doctor's appointment have some options. 

I also communicate through emails about upcoming times off and additional support (if requested). I let clients and their loved ones know what I can or can’t do in terms of communication, confidentiality, and availability so that there is no vagueness in my role. 

Dedication

I continue learning through trainings, readings, and research to provide the best information for my clients. If a client is feeling stuck, I will brainstorm in between sessions and bring in a new ‘tool’ to try something new. I am committed to de-stigmatizing mental health and the ways people cope when the world feels like too much, both in my work as a therapist and in my everyday life. 

Creativity

Creativity makes therapy more individual. Many people I work with express themselves best through their creative side, or want to develop creativity in their lives. Both are welcome and celebrated in the therapy space. My office includes art supplies, magazines for collage, and sandtray materials. Creativity also goes beyond artistic means - I have been impressed by how a client will bring in creativity to budgeting, or how a teenager and their family will find ways to still have good quality time even when there is fighting. 

 Humor 

It’s ok to laugh in therapy. Dark, sarcastic, silly - all types of humor are welcome!