About Me as Counsellor

I became a counsellor because life can be hard, and the state of the world makes it that much harder. While I can’t do much about “life” or the state of the world, I can provide support and tools to help people make their own lives better and easier.

The key to this is agency. The essence of successful therapy is to enable you to do things you were not able to do before. This can look like:

Getting better at communication or emotional regulation.
Getting a better handle on your grief.
Dealing with traumatic experiences and getting back to living in the present.
Gaining self-understanding.
Learning how to set and maintain boundaries.
Finding strategies to get things done (that work for you).
Getting clarity about a big decision.
Processing past hurts so they no longer cause pain in the present.
Getting closure after a failed relationship or big disappointment and being able to look forward to the future.

I don’t subscribe to the belief that anyone can do anything they set their minds to – sometimes people have limits that make some goals unattainable for them. A “you-can-do-anything-you-set-your-mind-to” approach does not help if you want to figure out how to make your life better and maximize your well-being while also working within and accepting the reality of your constraints.

I do believe that people thrive when they get to shape their lives according to their own needs, values, and preferences. Sometimes people need help figuring out what those are; at other times, they need skills, tools, or coping mechanisms. I will work with you to find solutions that work for you.

Therapeutic spaces often fail those who fall outside a narrow idea of what is thought of as “normal”. People are sometimes met with judgement and ignorance instead of acceptance and support. I am dedicated to personal agency and self-determination, and I believe that people have the right to live, work, and love in a way that works for them, without disrespecting the agency of others.

I work well with those who, through circumstances, identity, or by choice, find themselves living in unconventional situations, as well as people who may not lead overtly “different” lives, but who feel as if they live on the edges of society/mainstream culture in some way.

My clients have expressed appreciation for the following:

Feeling supported and accepted, and not being judged.
Being given enough time to say what they need to say and not being limited to one-hour sessions.
My ability to listen through a complex situation and identify and summarize the core issue or pattern.
The use of structured, targeted techniques is particularly appreciated by clients who have difficulty identifying or verbalizing feelings and those who process verbally.
Flexibility to reschedule sessions at short notice.
My transparency about my level of experience with different issues.
That I do not over-share or make the session about my experiences. (I’m happy to disclose some personal information if a client asks, and if having an answer will help them feel safer or guide their decision on whether they want to work with me. I do not share personal stories to make myself seem more relatable).

Personal agency and self-determination are core values in my work. My practice is inclusive
and affirming of those who identify as or practice
LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent, CNM/Polyamory/Swingers, Kinksters, & Sex Workers.

This is a secular practice. While people of all faiths are welcome and respected, and I am experienced at working with people in their own spiritual paradigm, I offer a non-religious space designed to support atheists, agnostics, and others who prefer a non-spiritual approach.