My philosophy as a psychotherapist has been informed by my own healing journey.  I have learned, in an embodied way, that we are shaped by our relationships and lived experiences, that emotions are part of a wise old information system in our bodies, that vulnerability is hard, that humans naturally want to move towards wholeness, and that telling your story, and claiming it, is essential to finding wholeness.  Becoming a psychotherapist is a second career for me, and a decision I made by listening to my body, sitting with pain, facing unresolved trauma, exploring emotion, and taking risk.  I was a high school teacher for 20 years, which had been a dream of mine, when I began to experience chronic pain in my body that I needed to tend to.  When I surrendered to the resistance and allowed the process to unfold, it brought me here.

 

I grew up with many privileges that I am grateful for, but at a young age I sensed on some level that that the systems (social, political, medical, religious, educational) I was born into were faulty.  By the time I was a teenager I began to question them.  By the time I was a young adult I was beginning to feel the incongruence between my inner truth and the person I needed to be to survive the systems I was a part of.  This eventually resulted in both physical and mental illness that served to reconnect me with my inner compass and a path forward.  Through writing, art, nature connection, body work, yoga, movement, therapy, and community, I learned to flow with the natural processes shared by all beings on this earth, and I found healing.

 

I consider myself a lifelong learner, and have been fortunate to have had access to rich educational experiences in my lifetime. I have a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University.  I have a Specialist in Special Education.  I am a Registered Yoga Teacher, and a Reiki Level 2 practitioner.  I am a Mindfulness Ambassador Council Facilitator, a Drum Circle Facilitator, and a Canoe Trip Leader, Level 2.  I have training in Violent Threat Risk Assessment and Non-violent Crisis Intervention.  I have a Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University.  I am looking forward to continuing my education both formally, in different therapeutic modalities, and informally, by working with clients and listening to their stories.

 

Most importantly, I am a mother and a wife, and my greatest education has been learning to show up fully in my life for my husband and children by doing my own healing work to accept the mirror that they hold up to my vulnerabilities, to disrupt intergenerational patterns, to be honest, and to reach out even when it's scary.  They have taught me about the power of connection and the beauty of turning toward instead of armouring up.  I strive to be a whole, authentic version of me so I can have deep and meaningful relationships with them.

 

I am honoured to have this opportunity to work in a field that aligns with my truth and empowers others to do the same.  Thank you for being here.