I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor with Masters degrees in philosophy and in counselling psychology. I have been a registered member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association since 2008.
My career as a therapist is built on thirteen years of teaching in international schools. I have had the privilege of working with and learning from children from dozens of cultures from around the world. That experience was followed by eleven years of service as a school counsellor in British Columbia and in Dubai. Together, these experiences have left me with a deep understanding of child development, social-emotional wellness, and parenting dynamics, especially as they relate to the school experience.
My journey into private practice work with adults begin in 2014. It grew from the work I did in schools. Many times parents would seek me out wanting to discuss concerns about their childrens’ emotional well-being and development. Discussions would, however, often shift to things they were struggling with in their own personal lives. I discovered I enjoyed helping them as much as their children, and so went on to pursue more more specialized training to work with adults in private practice settings.
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
I help my clients using a blend of cognitive-behavioural, solution-focused, narrative and attachment-based approaches. I custom-tailor my approach according to the specific needs of each client, and will often add poetry or mindfulness exercises to trail sessions outdoors. I pursue additional training regularly as part of my ongoing professional development in the field.
I have a special interest in working with people who are engaged in exploring career and life transitions. For this purpose I have organized and led several lodge-based hiking retreats in the Sea to Sky region since 2012. I am also a filmmaker who produces work regularly in this domain.
Some of my additional training and experience includes:
Certification with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (#1143)
Masters degree in philosophy
Compassionate Inquiry Training with Dr. Gabor Maté
Training in attachment theory with Dr. Gordon Neufeld
Level I training intensive, Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy
Trauma Recovery: EMDR level I and II training
Guest lecturer on the topic of school anxiety at the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia
Publications in BC School Counsellor magazine and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Blog
Presenter on the theme of nature, metaphor, and life transition at Whistler and Squamish public libraries
Past retreat leader and guest faculty member at The Haven on Gabriola Island, BC
Past presenter, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association conference
