Dealing with difficult, negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours and managing relationship issues can be overwhelming.  I applaud you in taking the first step toward getting the help that you need.   Below I provide you with more details and information about my practice and how I can support you in your journey of healing and growth. 

In my individual practice, I work with individuals who are experiencing depression, different types of anxiety, and who are grappling with difficult emotional experiences involving grief, sadness, anger, shame, guilt or pain as a result of difficult life experiences. I can accompany you in your journey to make sense of these debilitating emotions and experiences and guide you to address what’s at the root of these difficulties.   I also work with clients who have faced traumatic childhood experiences (e.g., emotional, physical deprivation and abuse, sexual abuse) and attachment trauma which has left an imprint on your sense of self and relationship to others.  Working with neurodivergent clients is also an area in which I have vast experience.  

For the past 25 years, I have worked in the field of psychology, including work as a neuroscientist, a consultant for different populations facing mental and emotional vulnerabilities, and now as a psychotherapist. In my past and current clinical work, I have been trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities to address your concerns and meet your needs in therapy.  In my clinical work, I utilize an integrative approach to therapy, which allows me to tailor my therapeutic style to best fit you and your goals.I bring together a variety evidence-based approaches like CBT, psychodynamic, attachment-based, emotion-focused and trauma-informed approaches (e.g., Polyvagal-Informed, Somatic Experiencing, Parts-based work, Narrative). 

I also bring forward knowledge from neuroscience to understand the neurophysiological aspects of your current struggles, including the impact of difficult life experiences, such as early attachment or relational trauma, on your nervous system.  I will support your healing process by including an understanding of how our brain and central nervous system underlie our mental health and how resolution of our issues involves a reconnection to our self through building a more resilient, flexible, authentic self and healthier relationships.

In my couple therapy practice, I support couples to deal with a wide range of relationship issues, including couple partners who are struggling with emotional, physical, and sexual intimacy.  I support couple partners to improve emotional communication, and repair the emotional injuries and relational wounds that underlie their negative, escalating conflict cycles.  Repairing attachment bonds after infidelities, betrayal or other interpersonal injuries is also a focus of my practice.  I work with couple partners where both partners have experienced previous attachment trauma in their early years, or in subsequent relationships to manage and contain the impact of these earlier experiences on their couple relationship. I support partners to manage conflicts related to a wide range of issues, including finances, parenting, and extended family dynamics (e.g., navigating difficult in-laws). Topics such as non-monogamy, relationship diversity, and family planning decisions can also be explored within the context of our work together. 

In my couple therapy work, I integrate emotionally-focused, psychodynamic, and attachment-based modalities to support you to strengthen your relationship bond.  I will support you and your relationship partner with skills and capacities to support both you and your relationship partner to have a strong, secure resilient sense of self and a more connected relationship.  I will support you to learn how to emotionally engage by helping you learn how to experience and express emotions in a manner that feels safe and connected. The wisdom provided by neuroscience in supporting partners to create a stronger connection will also be integrated in our work together.

How I Work: Throughout our journey together, I provide a confidential therapeutic relationship characterized by compassion, empathy, genuineness, and authentic engagement.  Whether you are seeking individual or couple therapy, I provide a therapeutic space that is non-judgemental, and one in which you can feel safe, seen and heard.  Before our first meeting, I will gather information through various questionnaires to better understand your current distress. This assessment process involves utilizing scientific, evidence-based measures, along with taking an in-depth personal history and accounting for your life and relationship experiences. This process will provide insights into your current self and relational difficulties.  In the first session, I will invite you to share what has brought you to seek help and what changes you’d like to make. We will collaboratively establish your therapy goals and set out to address those goals in our therapy together. 

In my practice, I work with all adults and couples regardless of social identity.  As such, my practice is open to individuals and relationship partners from diverse communities and social identity groups (e.g., straight/heterosexual, bipoc, white, indigenous among others, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, neurodiverse communities, and people in non-monogamous relationships etc).

Who I am:  In addition to my doctorate in neuroscience from Oregon Health Sciences University, I have also earned a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University. I am a member of the College of Psychotherapists of Ontario and a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and am currently working as an associate at the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships (St. Catharines), under the supervision of Whitney Reinhart M.A., R.P.