Counselling


Synopsis of Areas Covered

ABUSE – Abuse of any kind ultimately diminishes our sense of self. I offer counselling for emotional, physical, sexual, religious and self abuse. These are sensitive topics and it is of utmost importance that clients feel as safe as possible in the therapeutic setting.

ADDICTIONS – My experience and training from The Meadows Treatment Centre in Arizona enable me to deal effectively with the following addictions: drug, alcohol, shopping, eating, religion, work, exercise, sex, gambling, T.V., computer/internet.

ANGER MANAGEMENT – Strategies to deal with out of control feelings will aid those who struggle with anger. We often tend to repeat what we have seen modelled during our childhood years. Anger management is re-learning new patterns and responses to pressure and situations that cannot be controlled.

ANXIETY – Panic attacks and phobias of any kind inhibit our quality of life. Often our very breath can be the tool to bring us the calm we need in tense situations. Additionally, coping skills and strategies to manage anxiety can help us to live each day with less fear and worry.

BI-SEXUALITY – Discovering your sexual preference, sexual orientation, or ‘coming out’ are frequently difficult times for individuals and their families and friends. Counselling often helps the transition process. Issues of homophobia can also be effectively dealt with in the therapeutic setting.

CANCER – Living with cancer affects everyone. As a cancer survivor, I have personally encountered this challenge. Family and friends as well as the individual who lives with cancer each day need help to deal with the uncertainty and the often harsh realities that accompany the cancer experience.

CHILDREN – Children are great teachers for our personal growth. They can also be exasperating! Children will ‘act out’ their emotional questions and issues. Separation, divorce, relocation, ADHD, anxiety, grief and depression are often difficulties many children experience. It is important to pay attention to the presenting behavioural problem and even more essential, is to address the inner distress of the child.

CODEPENDENCY – Counselling offers help for the person who is largely defined by others’ opinions. Usually people who are codependent have difficulty establishing boundaries. They need help to understand what boundaries are and how to effectively create and maintain them in their relationships.

COPING – We all need support at various occasions in our lives. Sometimes we are overwhelmed with the reality of life. Illness, unemployment, losses of any kind, family difficulties…these can render us ineffective at times. Counselling can help us get back on our feet during these times of crisis.

DEPRESSION – Psychotherapy can be like a light shining onto the dark night of depression. Specific situations may cause us to feel sad and lethargic. Sometimes our feelings are ’stuck’ and need to be expressed. Depression can also be organic in nature and may need to be supported by medical interventions such as anti-depressants. Both of these treatments can be effective in the healing process of depression.

DIVORCE – Rebuilding your life when your relationship ends is not easy. Often, our entire world is turned upside down and inside out. If children are involved, it’s usually even more complicated, making the transition to single parenting or co-parenting very difficult. Psychotherapy can facilitate and help the ‘letting go’ and rebuilding process that is essential in moving ahead.

EATING DISORDERS – This process addiction is presented in anorexia, bulimia, overeating, body image challenges and eating disordered behaviour. Help is available for the person suffering from an eating disorder as well as their family members. Psychotherapy can assist with the understanding of eating issues and to facilitate alternate ways of dealing with emotions.

FAMILY – Home isn’t always ‘home sweet home’. Family members bring out the best and the worst in each of us. Counselling can support the challenge of the relationships that often mean the most and cause us the most grief. New tools can be learned by each family member to enable respect and communication to thrive within the family unit. Special attention is usually needed in blended families, and those affected by separation and divorce.

FEAR – Fear, panic attacks and phobias of any kind inhibit our quality of life. Often our very breath can be the tool to bring us the calm we need in tense situations. Additionally, coping skills and strategies to manage anxiety can help us to live each day with less fear and worry.

FOOD ADDICTION – This process addiction is presented in anorexia, bulimia, overeating, body image challenges and eating disordered behaviour. Help is available for the person suffering from an eating disorder as well as their family members. Psychotherapy can assist with the understanding of eating issues and to facilitate alternate ways of dealing with emotions.

GAY – Discovering your sexual preference, sexual orientation, or ‘coming out’ are frequently difficult times for individuals and their families and friends. Counselling often helps the transition process. Issues of homophobia can also be effectively dealt with in the therapeutic setting.

GRIEF – Grief affects us all. The death of a loved one or someone we idolize, a miscarriage, a relationship loss through separation and divorce, life losses such as a job or moving, coming to terms with one’s sexuality…these realities can be supported with counselling. A psychotherapist can be a companion on the journey.

HOMOSEXUALITY – Discovering your sexual preference, sexual orientation, or ‘coming out’ are frequently difficult times for individuals and their families and friends. Counselling often helps the transition process. Issues of homophobia can also be effectively dealt with in the therapeutic setting.

LESBIAN – Discovering your sexual preference, sexual orientation, or ‘coming out’ are frequently difficult times for individuals and their families and friends. Counselling often helps the transition process. Issues of homophobia can also be effectively dealt with in the therapeutic setting.

PARENTING SKILLS – None of us received a manual for our child. We are doing our very best and still, we run into problems. They don’t listen. They don’t do their homework. They have problems at school. They can’t get along with their brothers and sisters. Psychotherapy can help parents learn new skills and tools to deal more effectively with the difficulties of parenting. Sometimes, we need to let go of our previously learned habits and attitudes which diminish the self-esteem of our child. Counselling can identify and clarify the issues which impact the family and are in need of resolution.

RELATIONSHIP ISSUES – Relationships are complex. Psychotherapy can help support healthy relationships with our intimate partner, our family, our friends or our colleagues at work.

RELIGIOUS ISSUES – Religious addiction and spiritual abuse are issues that are becoming prevalent. Many people use religious activities to escape dealing with their own emotions. Others are victims of a religious leader or church which imparts unattainable standards of conduct. In this sense, they are led to believe that they must fulfill these requirements in order to be a ‘good’ Christian or believer. Their self-esteem often crumbles under the weight of these rules and regulations. Counselling enables these persons to increase their self-esteem, overcome shame and deal with the guilt that usually is associated with religious addiction.

REMARRIAGE / RE-PARTNERING – It’s amazing how we can choose partners who have similar qualities of the one we left, who left us or the one who passed away. We all come with baggage. Often this creates fear and can potentially inhibit the intimacy in the new relationship. Counselling can help sort out these issues, facilitate healing and restore confidence to enable success in subsequent partnerships.

SEPARATION – This is a time of crisis. Emotions are often high and it can be difficult to think clearly and logically. Stress at this time erodes most of our energy and coping from moment to moment can almost be too much to handle. Counselling assists the client as s/he navigates these life changes and can enable a better adjustment to a world which is usually turned inside out.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION – This is an ancient term used to describe the process of having someone accompany us on our spiritual journey. Often those in clerical ministry find this helpful to enable them to be nourished and effective in their spiritual settings.

SPIRITUALITY – Some people want to explore spiritual concerns and ideas in a non religious setting. In my practice, I honour the spirituality of each individual and welcome the client’s spiritual expression.

SUPERVISION – As an approved supervisor with OAMFT/AAMFT I offer clinical supervision to other practitioners. Supervision is often sought out by therapists who wish to deepen and enrich their clinical practice and to provide additional accountability and quality of service to their clients.