Making the decision to reach out for help is not always an easy thing to do. Some people seek therapy because they are eager to find ways to better themselves. Others may do so when feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do next. Through all of this, I am here to walk alongside you. Together we will learn about things that have been holding you back in life and will interrupt old patterns by learning new and adaptive strategies. If you are considering therapy and trying to make a brave decision about your mental health, I encourage you to give this a try. It can be very helpful to have someone safe that you can talk things through with when you struggle, even just for clarity or support.

I provide individual and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults who struggle with trauma-related experiences, anxiety, depression, difficulty adjusting, troubled relationships, or those who are searching for self-growth. The approach I take to therapy is integrative and draws on cognitive, behavioural, client-centred, value-oriented, and skills-based approaches. Within these frameworks I seek to adapt to my client’s needs as they come up. To do so, the specific treatment approaches that I will draw from include: Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT and EFFT), and Psychodynamic Therapy.

I have experience in the assessment of psychological and neuropsychological difficulties based on our most current scientific understanding. I have great interest in exploring emotional patterns that shape our thinking and actions. After once being useful, such patterns can become entrenched and may restrict our relations with others. This can get in the way of us living the types of lives that we want to live; therefore, it can be useful to understand our ways of feeling, thinking, and acting. In addition, I hope to provide you with effective strategies that can be used right away, if you were to see me in a time of crisis. Finally, one of my greatest joys is working with children and adolescents, helping them to understand themselves and their own patterns in a way that makes sense to them and helps them grow.

In our sessions together, we will first work together to develop a comprehensive understanding of what’s going on for you. We will collaboratively identify some goals that align with your values and what you want to get out of therapy. After an initial assessment and based on your specific needs, I will bring in various approaches to therapy that are most suited to help. Alternatively, if you are feeling like something is wrong, but you’re unclear on what it is, I will be pleased for us to explore and figure this out together. At the centre of all of this, we will together work on understanding and clarifying the roots of the complex behaviours, feelings, thoughts, and interpretations that may be causing difficulty. Through my practice, I strive to create a warm and accepting environment where you will feel heard and understood. It is my belief that people are most comfortable fully expressing themselves when they feel they are in a place of psychological safety. This is at the forefront of my mind, and in my presence, I hope for you to know that information shared with me is held with the utmost importance and care.

Before working at CFIR, I provided assessment services at Toronto Western Hospital in the Tourette Syndrome Neurodevelopmental Clinic. I have also provided assessment and therapy at the York University Psychology Clinic. Here, I worked with children, adolescents, and families with various concerns to provide a clearer understanding of the issues they faced. I helped clients to resolve family conflicts and learn to better express their emotions. I also worked with adults with autism in a university setting, helping them to adapt successfully to challenges faced while in school. 

I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Clinical Developmental Psychology at York University, with a specialization in neuropsychology. This training has given me a deeper understanding of fundamental brain-behaviour relationships. My research focuses on the long-term consequences of head injuries on the aging brain, and other factors that contribute to accelerated aging. My work has been presented at national and international conferences and I have produced several publications in scientific journals in recent years. As a therapist at CFIR, I am currently supervised by Dr. Nalini Iype, C. Psych.