Hello there,
In case you'd like to know a little more about the person you're thinking about opening up to, keep reading. I want you to know that I've been somewhere close to where you are now -- feeling like things had become too much for me to manage on my own, and looking for someone who could help me figure out how to move through a, seemingly impossible, life challenge. I understand that it's hard to take this step, and commend you for being here!
How I got here.
After finally becoming a parent myself, I quickly learned that
A) I had no idea what I was doing (I had literally only held a baby five times in my life before being handed my newborn);
B) being a mother felt like far too much, and not enough, all at the same time;
C) I had no clue how on earth I was supposed to figure it all out;
and D) that there is nowhere near enough support for moms.
I had a few amazing caregivers who played significant roles in my reproductive story (and, of course, some terrible ones). Those professionals who showed up for me, in my most vulnerable moments, with their warmth, compassion, and respect, inspired me to change careers, and aspire to be that person for you.
I started my counselling career as a sexual health counsellor in 2008. I then ran support groups for new mothers, worked for a sexual assault crisis centre, and eventually became an international board certified lactation consultant. After experiencing for myself, and witnessing so many other mothers struggle with perinatal mood disorders, I knew that becoming a psychotherapist was the end goal, with the intention of supporting women and moms like you.
I also work with a lot of women who identify as high-achieving perfectionists or "people-pleasers," and provide therapy for emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma, relationship issues, difficult life transitions, chronic pain/medical diagnoses, and insomnia. I integrate different approaches, based on your unique goals, including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), internal family systems (IFS), emotion focused therapy (EFT), mindfulness-based therapy, relational, and psychodynamic therapy.
I have a Master’s in Counselling Psychology & Psychotherapy from the University of Toronto as well as specialized training in trauma therapy, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and perinatal mental health. I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the CRPO and a member of the OAMHP, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, EMDRIA/EMDR Canada, and am a certified EMDR therapist and EMDR Consultant-in-Training.
Values
As a psychotherapist, I believe you have the instincts and capacity to heal yourself. Psychotherapy provides the empathic space for you to discover your path to wellness.
You are the expert on your own life. Psychotherapy is a collaborative process that honours your wisdom and experience.
I work from a client-centred perspective, providing a safe environment for you to make meaning out of your own experiences and define your vision for your future. My background in feminist counselling and social justice work means that our work may consider how your own experiences and behaviour are influenced by the social systems that you exist in and how to address social barriers in order for you to thrive in your environment.
I am committed to inclusion, equity, social justice, LGBTQII2A rights, #blacklivesmatter and #indigenouslivesmatter.
I acknowledge that I am an immigrant settler, living and working on Indigenous lands. The territory of Tkaronto includes the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, and the Wendat. I acknowledge them and any other Nations who care for the land as the past, present and future caretakers of this land. I recognize that I simultaneously participate in and benefit from a system of ongoing colonial oppression, and that I have a responsibility to challenge this system.
Ready to get started?
Let's connect.
Text or email me (or hit the pink button!) to set up a free consultation, and we can talk about how I can support you, and you can start to feel like you're the author of your story once again.