It can be a difficult decision to come to therapy. To acknowledge there is something in our lives that might not be working for us is uncomfortable. But whatever you are going through, and whatever you have been through, you are capable of change and healing. Together, we can explore how.

I graduated from the University of Calgary with a Master of Social Work. How does social work fit with mental health therapy? Social workers are found in a number of different roles, and at the bachelor’s degree level can work at a wide variety of community and government agencies. At the master’s level, they’re qualified to provide therapy, just like psychologists.

My own life experiences fueled my desire to go into social work. I struggled with mental health challenges as a teen, but, growing up in rural communities in the 90s and early 2000s, those challenges weren’t well understood in my environment. I often felt alone, and as a young adult I spent a lot of time trying to be ok without knowing how to actually do that. My motivation for being in this field has always been to help others know they are not alone and there is hope. On my way to becoming a therapist, I spent five years working as a probation officer, and I loved working in corrections and learning the ins and outs of the justice system. At the same time, I wanted to do more clinical work to address the issues I saw. Now, I specialize in trauma therapy.

I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, having completed three years of training in the Somatic Experiencing approach, which aims to support trauma recovery. In your therapy sessions, we may spend time exploring the impacts of your history on your body and nervous system. I believe that healing requires us to listen not only to the story you are telling, but to the story your body is telling. Emotional pain and trauma affect not only our minds, but our physical being as well. The body provides valuable clues that, if we recognize and work with them, can lead us to a place of greater health.

My work is also influenced by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the mindfulness techniques it includes. ACT encourages us to reject the conditioning many of us have received that tells us some feelings are bad and should be avoided at all costs. It challenges us to embrace our inner emotional landscape, and by doing so invite peace into our lives.

Ultimately, I will tailor my approach to your own unique needs. In the meantime, I honour your bravery in considering therapy.

A bit about me:

• I love animals, and I used to volunteer as a cat cuddler and a dog walker at the Edmonton Humane Society (my current walking buddy is a chocolate lab named Rafa)
• My perfect weekend is staying inside with a novel
• I like watching stand-up comedy; the darker the humour, the better
• My dream alternative career is being a writer (who lives by the ocean!)