I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Psychology at Simon Fraser University and my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Trinity Western University.
My desire to become a counsellor stems from my passion to support, guide, and empower those who need a helping hand as they go through struggles in life. I have always been drawn to the helping professions for as long as I could remember. I began my career in the hospitality industry and spent eight years in various positions, including river guide, concierge, sales and catering manager, hotel duty manager, and college instructor of hotel management, before realizing that while I have a passion for helping people, I wanted to do so in a way that could create meaningful change for them. With this newfound passion, I decided to make a career change and return to school for graduate training to become a registered clinical counsellor. I have always believed that it is never too late to make a change and my own life choices have reflected this belief.
As a therapist, I am relational, experiential, trauma-informed, and attachment-focused. My approach draws out the brain’s natural healing tendencies. I use an integrative approach that draws on Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), body-based therapies, attachment theory, inner child work, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness. I always use client-specific interventions to support healing and growth.
I welcome adolescents (12+) and adults from diverse cultures, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities to my practice. While I have experience with a variety of presenting issues that includes anxiety, depression, and trauma, my passion lies in helping you connect to your authentic self and to embrace your vulnerability and inner strength to live authentic lives free from the constraints of societal or cultural expectations and self-judgment. This process can include helping you explore your own wants and needs (wants and needs that may have been pushed aside at a young age in hopes of fitting in and belonging, of being accepted and loved) and helping you communicate these wants and needs in a way that feels authentic to you. As your counsellor, I am your advocate and am dedicated to helping you become aware of your voice, get connected to it, and express it freely and powerfully.
Given my desire to support people to living authentic lives free from societal or cultural expectations, one of my populations of specialty is single and childless women over the age of 35. This is a population that has been growing rapidly in recent decades in many countries around the world, and a population that has at times been marginalized in our society that values marriage and family. I am passionate about supporting women in this population with their experiences, whatever they may be, and to support them in living a life with vitality and meaning.
