Training.

I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). I adhere to the Professional Practice and Jurisprudence Standards of the CRPO. I am a Clinical Member of the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists, a Full Member of the Canadian Association for Psychodynamic Therapy. I have an MA from the European Graduate School, which offers master’s level psychotherapy training. I have been practicing since 1998.

Certain clinical theories inform my approach: relational therapy, trauma theory, such as structural dissociation and theories of attachment, psychodynamic therapy, object relations, self-psychology, somatic therapy, and cognitive behavioural therapy. Empathic attunement underlies my work with clients. I know that the client and I are in this together and that together we create a relationship of trust, safety and hope.

I have extensive experience working with psychiatrists and other physicians, managing diverse client needs with clients from varied backgrounds, and in applying anti-oppression theory. I believe that it is important to work with a psychotherapist who has had deep experience in supervision, which I have had, and has done her own personal psychotherapy work, which I have done and learned much from.

In addition to working predominantly in private practice, I worked at CAMH (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), which offers treatment for issues related to drug and alcohol use, and concurrent disorders (meaning simply that addiction is not an isolated event but is accompanied by underlying problems). My previous hospital experience involved working as a full time therapist in a private fee for service residential addiction treatment centre, where I facilitated group therapy, did individual, couple and family sessions with clients who were struggling with alcohol and drug use, sexual addiction, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and eating disorders. This is where I learned, because I worked with so many clients over many years, that our bodies store the problems of childhood and that changing thoughts is not enough to heal well. I pay attention to clients’ feelings, thoughts, sensations and symptoms – all the ways in which the body lets us know that there is emotional pain.

I have professional profiles, also, on the websites for the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists, Canadian Association for Psychodynamic Therapy, Psychology Today, and Theravive.