Individual Counselling
“The mistake most of us make is that we build our homes in other people in the hope that they will deem us worthy of being welcomed inside. We feel so abandoned and empty when people leave, because we’ve invested so much of ourselves in them.”
– Najwa Zebian
Relationship with Self
Within our cultural narratives, we are not taught that the most important relationship is the one we have with ourselves. Instead, we tend to look outside ourselves and rely on our relationships with others as a guide. How we treat ourselves often mirrors how we treat others and how we allow them to treat us. It is crucial to understand that the way we treat ourselves directly affects how we feel about ourselves. I help people strengthen their relationships with themselves so that they can better understand and meet their needs more effectively. The way forward is to practice not turning away from ourselves. At times when we require support the most it is vital to practice radical self-acceptance, something we can work on together in session. Radical self-acceptance involves acknowledging that even if the people we care about the most don't always accept us, it is up to us to accept ourselves. If we cannot embrace ourselves, no one will be able to truly understand or accept us for who we are.
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Strengthening self-worth
Overcoming self-abandonment
Building confidence
Managing the negative inner critic
Fostering self-compassion
Cultivating a healthy inner dialogue
Developing emotional regulation
Identifying your needs
Managing your triggers
Addressing people-pleasing tendencies
Achieving work/life balance
“Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
– Leonard Cohen
Depression
It's common to experience feelings of sadness, loneliness, or depression. Feeling sad, lonely, or depressed at times is normal. The experience of depression can be profoundly overwhelming and debilitating, often leaving you with a sense of powerlessness and a loss of control over your own life. Even though you may have a strong desire to make progress or achieve the goals you've set for yourself, the grip of depression can be like a heavy anchor, making it challenging to move forward. It may cause you to feel tired constantly, become withdrawn, and struggle with daily activities. Other symptoms of depression may feel like prolonged sadness, an apathetic numbness, noticeable changes in weight or appetite, alterations in sleeping patterns, shifts in speech or movement, fatigue, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, and contemplation of suicide or death. If these feelings become too overwhelming and persist for more than two weeks, seeking help is essential.
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Processing repressed or suppressed anger
Healing from childhood trauma
Managing Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD)
Addressing perfectionism
Navigating major life transitions
Coping with sadness
Resolving relationship conflicts
Grieving and loss support
Dealing with unresolved loss
Providing help for suicidal ideation
“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.”
– Soren Kierkegaard
Anxiety
Feeling anxious happens when you experience mental distress due to psychological fears, even if there is no immediate danger around you. Anxiety can be triggered by stress, fear, or worry, among other factors, and the severity of anxiety can vary from person to person. Our perceptions of what we see and experience can lead to fear and worry, and our brains can unconsciously retain even the smallest details of a situation. Anxiety can have multiple causes, including life, relationships, work, activities, personality, medical conditions, and the environment. Traumatic experiences can also trigger anxiety, causing both emotional and physical reactions. Identifying the triggers that activate anxiety are crucial to understanding it. Some anxiety is normal, but if we notice it is in excess and is getting in the way of healthy functioning, it might be time to get some help.
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Perfectionism
Worry (Past or Future Focused)
Negative Self-Talk
Negative Thinking Patterns
Negative Core Beliefs
Implicit and Explicit Messaging
Rumination and Catastrophizing
Stress
Panic Attacks
Social Anxiety
Generalized Anxiety
PTSD
“The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your relationships.”
– Esther Perel
Relationships
Relationships are incredibly powerful and impactful experiences in our lives. The issues people commonly seek therapy for invariably connect, in one way or another, to some relationship or relational dynamic they are in. Whether with our romantic partners, friends, colleagues or family members, we are wired to connect with others. However, relationships can also be complicated and unhealthy and cause frustration and conflict. In therapy, we will discuss the intricacies of your connections, disconnections, losses, and desires within the context of your relationships. How do you show up in your relationships? How do you want others to show up for you? How do you attach to people? My work with people often surrounds processing the intricacies of these connections or disconnections to uncover new meanings and perspectives that may offer you more insight into the relationships you have or want. Understanding the relational dynamics in our lives can help us to find tools and strategies to take action or set better boundaries.
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Navigating separation and divorce
Coping with the aftermath of infidelity
Healing from break-ups
Developing healthy communication skills
Building assertiveness
Addressing people-pleasing tendencies
Boosting self-esteem
Managing social anxiety
Establishing clear boundaries
Resolving family conflict
Overcoming couple conflict and disharmony
Understanding attachment tendencies
“Grief isn’t a problem to be solved; it’s an experience to be carried. If you are going to survive grief, you’ll need to find ways to inhabit grief- to live between those two extremes of “all better” and “hopelessly doomed”. You need tools to build a life alongside your loss, not make that loss disappear.”
– Megan Devine
Grief and Loss
Experiencing grief and loss can be a complicated journey that requires various methods of coping. Both can feel like an all-encompassing storm, with emotional and physical pain that can make it challenging to carry out even the simplest daily tasks. Grief is often associated with the aftermath of losing a loved one, but it can also manifest in response to any event that disrupts your life or sense of self.
It's completely understandable to feel overwhelmed by the weight of grief. In our sessions together, we will focus on learning how to bear and navigate the grief you are experiencing. As we process your grief, we'll emphasize the importance of cultivating self-compassion and kindness. This approach will help you not only cope with your grief but also foster healing and personal growth during this challenging time.
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Coping with the loss of a loved one
Navigating major life transitions
Understanding Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)
Dealing with the loss of a relationship
Adapting to changes in health
Addressing unfulfilled dreams and expectations
Grieving the loss of a pet
Coping with the loss of a home
“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it. ”
– Marcus Aurelius
Anger
As part of my work, I focus on the importance of anger - an emotion often misunderstood and unfairly judged. Yes, it can be hard to tolerate feeling anger, but like all our core emotions, anger serves a critical purpose in our lives and bottling up your anger and suppressing it can cause a lot of harm to your mental health. Allowing yourself to sometimes feel anger is essential for your well-being. Anger's primary function is to protect and defend us, providing an adaptive response to threats that aim to keep us safe and alive. It also helps protect our values and beliefs and motivates us to solve problems. Anger can provide a sense of control, rather than feeling helpless - it can reveal our needs and boundaries. It's important to distinguish between healthy and destructive expressions of anger and develop strategies to connect and express your anger in healthier ways. Let's work together to explore your anger.
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Coping with the loss of a loved one
Navigating major life transitions
Understanding Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)
Dealing with the loss of a relationship
Adapting to changes in health
Addressing unfulfilled dreams and expectations
Grieving the loss of a pet
Coping with the loss of a home
