Practice information:

I am a Registered Social Worker and a Registered Clinical Counsellor.  I have a Master's degree in Social Work.  I offer virtual and in person sessions in my Burnaby location.

I have been a therapist since 1988 with experience working with PTSD, depression/anxiety, self-esteem, domestic abuse, workplace challenges, crisis management, relationship concerns, chronic pain, the emotional impact of automobile accidents, addictions, complex grief and stress management. I have specialized training treating PTSD and recent trauma, including complicated grief. I am able to deal with most presenting concerns. I am particularly skilled in addressing trauma, anxiety/panic and relationship concerns.

• By trauma I refer to experiences that have created a level of distress that doesn't seem to go away. This can be with regard to any difficult experience that continues to haunt you even when you think you should be over the event (car accident, being bullied, abuse, relationship ending, losses, and even witnessing events). These experiences can be dealt with using techniques successful in resolving the trauma (such as EMDR).
• Anxiety and panic attacks are sometimes hard to identify the "why" so we can assess and strategize around how to manage these experiences.
• Relationship concerns refers to challenges within intimate, family, friendships, and work relationships. These can all make a difference in how you feel about yourself and your world.

Counselling is a personal process and is based upon a relationship of trust. You will set the pace of the process and we will explore your understanding and perspective of the issues you face. From here we we will consider how to build your personal resources and to make choices about how to integrate the changes to resolve these challenges. In this process I will ensure that your confidentiality, choices, and values will be respected.

I use a variety of treatment strategies to facilitate the counselling process.

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) a trauma technique that rapidly reprocessess difficult experiences and eliminates the symptoms of distress.
• TFT (Thought Field Therapy) (also called Emotional Freedome Technique) a trauma technique used to clear the thought fields which are surrounded by distress.
• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) useful in correcting thought and behaviors that create anxiety and depression. 
• Family Systems Therapy - helpful in understanding how the system in which you have lived and do live impacts your functioning today.
• Stress Management Therapy - I use a variety of breathing, visualization to assist teaching people how to manage stress and anxiety.
• Relationship Counselling Techniques - a variety of approaches to facilitate couples in changing patterns and emotional connections.
• Mindfulness Therapy - an approach used to manage depression and anxiety.