Individual
In Individual Counselling, I will integrate a variety of approaches to assist you. Our first couple of appointments will usually be me assessing the best way to help. I might use a variety of counselling techniques including cognitive behavioural therapy, somatic approaches, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
I believe that our problems in the world do not occur in isolation and are reflections of broader social structures and family systems. As we seek solutions to your problems, we will explore your place in those broader social systems.
Much of my work is trauma informed and nurtured by Attachment Theories. Every single individual has an attachment style, learned in their early years in their own families. These attachment styles are labeled as Ambivalent Attachment, Avoidant Attachment, Disorganized Attachment, Insecure Attachment, and Secure Attachment. We strive to have secure attachments and to learn to be securely attached. But how we are raised in our formative years most significantly impacts the types of ways that we attach as adults.
David J. Wallin suggests that when therapists have good self-awareness and are clear about their own attachment styles, they are better able to serve their clients, who respond based upon their own attachment styles. Dysfunctional attachment styles can be healed if one works consciously on those, usually through some therapeutic process. A healthy therapist can help clients to attach to the therapist in a healthy manner, thus learning about secure attachments. This creates a cascading effect of bringing healthier attachments in to the client’s life. A good question to ask any therapist is if they have had their own therapy to address their own issues.
During your first appointment with me, we will spend about 30 to 40 minutes talking about what your identified problem is. We’ll then talk about whether you think I’m the correct therapist for you and I’ll share whether I think I can help you with your difficulty. If I think I can’t help you, I’ll help you find someone who can. Most people attend a minimum of ten sessions with a therapist. Usually, clients know when they are feeling better and when they no longer need to attend counselling. We will continue to discuss whether we are working on the correct goals, or whether we need to re-focus the work we’re doing together.
To book a session: