Practice information:

The Japanese tradition of repairing broken pottery with gold is done with wisdom, knowledge, patience and skill. Once restored, the item will become more beautiful and valuable then the original piece. That is what I do as a psychotherapist.

In this time of your "dark night of the soul," you may be feeling depressed, anxious, lost, ashamed, angry, frightened, fearful, lonely, isolated, etc. Perhaps you have encountered a side of yourself once hidden, now revealed, that frightens, shocks or shames you. You may have hurt or deceived loved others, even put them at risk. Maybe someone has left you. In these situations we live isolated, with a deep loneliness. Perhaps to escape the despair, the hollowness and lack of self worth, we may escape with alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, food, shopping, work or love addiction, etc., hoping it will fix what ails us. We may hide behind a wall by becoming successful, highly educated, an expert in our field yet still feel empty. Tara Brach calls it "the  trance of unworthiness". I know that place well, that is what took me to therapy many years ago, seeking a safe place where I could bring my shattered, lonely, lost soul and place it in the hands of a kind, knowledgeable, experienced and safe therapist.  I knew when I became a therapist that I too would provide a safe place for individuals like me.  I like many others entered "the dark night of the soul". A term relevant to modern times referring to those times of loss, suffering, bleakness, darkness, depression...We do not know how to cure the ailments of our soul, nor do we know how to embrace the pain, fear and anxieties. "We have to face the pain we have been running from. In fact we need to learn to rest in it and let it's searing power transform us." Charlotte Joka Beck.

Thirty years ago, I obtained my Masters Degree in Education (Counselling Psychology) at U.B.C., followed with a 3 year certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Vancouver. Level I and II of EMDR enabled me to work efficiently and therapeutically with traumatized clients. I trained with the Gottmans', Level I and II, Couples Counselling, tools my husband and I use, intermingled with the training of Harville Hendrix (Imago Therapy). These trainings prepared to me to do initial work with couples struggling with sex addiction/sexual compulsion. My learning curve became steep when I trained with Patrick Carnes of IITAP in order to become a skilled Certified Sex Addiction Therapist

I have remained committed to training professionally in my field, acquiring new knowledge and skills which increase through the experience of having a full time private practice. My original intention remains the same to provide a safe environment while working skillfully and professionally with clients, where we work together to restore, piece by piece their shattered life, filling in the cracks with gold, a life restored, more beautiful and valuable then the original one.

 On Break: Back Sept. 01/20