My Approach

As a therapist

My style is non-judgemental, compassionate and collaborative. I draw from several different schools of practice, but all of them have a central tenet of placing importance on our relationship: on connecting with you, creating a space where you feel safe enough to explore and process what may be inaccessible or overwhelming to do alone. 

One of the more unique aspects of my practice is my somatic approach to healing of trauma and other stress disorders.

Trauma is anything that is too much, too fast, and overwhelms our capacity to cope and respond. The impact of trauma can originate from a single life-threatening event but can also result from the chronic experience of being threatened or unsafe. The sources of trauma are wide-ranging; these can include natural disasters, childhood neglect or abuse, exposure to violence, accidents, falls, serious illness, sudden loss of a loved one, surgeries, medical and dental procedures, difficult births, and even high levels of stress and toxicity during gestation in the womb. What is traumatic is based on the individual’s perception of threat and their capacity to deal with it as influenced by their age and life circumstances. 

Commonly, people understand deeply distressing experiences through the mind. In somatic psychotherapy we turn our attention towards our bodies for insight and wisdom. We work with how overwhelm shows up in your nervous system. Together, we explore its impacts and cultivate conditions that can support your resilience. 

Psychotherapy can offer an incredible opportunity to grow. Some of the growth in therapy is quick and immediate. However, much of the lasting growth happens slowly, over time. Throughout our sessions I will share with you the theoretical and practical underpinnings of my work so you have additional skills and ways of thinking about things that extend beyond sessions.

My approach is holistic, mind-body oriented, trauma-informed and recognizes that the conditions of our suffering are often, although not always, complex and can begin in our early development and early relations with others. I believe the experiences we have shape us in many different ways. I honour individuals’ history and the benefits gained from sharing one’s story. However, my approach does not require an individual to recount their detailed biography. I have seen and experienced the significant benefits of instead working with what shows up in the present moment through the body, thoughts and emotions. 

In therapy, I can be directive or receptive, depending on what makes you comfortable and what will most support your desired outcomes. For most people, this involves exploring how our thoughts, feelings, body sensations and behaviours are connected. We will learn techniques and tools to help reduce experienced symptoms, meanwhile, staying curious as to what might lie behind the curtain of those symptoms. In so doing, we can bring unwanted patterns into consciousness and thereby facilitate a more intentional and fulfilled life in the present.