Registered Psychotherapist
Art Psychotherapist Memberships: College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario ( Registration Number 004552) Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Canadian Art Therapy Association Education: Counselling Psychology (M.Ed) Post-graduate specialization in Art Therapy (D:VATI) Intercultural Education & Training (Multicultural Counselling) ( Dip. IET) Other Training: *Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy *Multicultural Counselling *Narrative Therapy *Solution Focused Therapy * Art Therapy * Play Therapy *Sandtray Therapy |
I believe that every person has the capacity to change and grow. People experience difficulties or traumas that create a sense of "stuckness" or get in the way of them building the lives they want. Relationships can present challenges. Losses can create what can feel like unbearable grief. Life can throw us into sadness and fear and make it difficult to reconnect with joy and happiness. Sometimes we simply lose our way and need help finding our path or need guidance in forging a new one. Therapy can be a place to spread your wings and free yourself from old burdens and fears.
The therapeutic relationship provides a safe space in which you can share and have your story heard; develop awareness and skills needed to recognize unhealthy thoughts and patterns; strengthen your sense of self; and explore and find the things that bring you a sense of passion and joy. Therapy offers the opportunity to “step outside” of the current world you live in and look at it from other perspectives; to uncover or rediscover your strengths and resources; and helps you to develop the skills needed to cope with or overcome those things that are keeping you from living the life that you want. My therapy experience and approach: I have been working with children, youth, adults and families for over25 years, providing counselling and psychotherapy, both individually and in groups. My psychotherapy approach is client-centered, collaborative, holistic and integrative. My work is grounded in developmental and attachment theory. It is focused on bringing together and reconnecting a person's thoughts, emotions, body and behaviors. Through this integration, it becomes possible for people to face each moment with curiosity and flexibility, try out new ways of being, and make choices that move them forward. An Integrative approach takes into account many theoretical views of human functioning and recognizes the value of each in understanding each unique person as a whole. On a personal note: Outside of my professional work, I spend my time playing with paints, canoes and cats. I am passionate about the healing potential of the expressive arts, as I have experienced it within my own life and have been privileged to witness the part that creative expression has played in the healing journey of many of my clients. Play is not only essential and therapeutic for children, but also for adults - both as a way to make sense of our world and as a way of removing ourselves, if only momentarily, from what can seem like problem-saturated lives. Play provides us with an opportunity to imagine and step into a new possible world. It is only in knowing what is possible that we can choose to create it for ourselves. |
Cancellation Policy
Your appointment is reserved exclusively for you. If you know in advance that you will need to cancel a session, a 48 hour cancellation notice would be appreciated.
A 24 hour notice is required. If you need to cancel an appointment please contact me at least 24 hours in advance by telephone at 613-702-5728 or by email at [email protected] as I often have clients who are waiting urgently for appointments. If I am able to reschedule your appointment within the same week no fee will apply. This however cannot be promised or expected.
Cancellations less than 24 hours in advance will be billed at the full rate ($160+HST) will be billed thereafter. All No Show appointments (without any cancellation notice) are billed at the full cost of the scheduled appointment ($160 +HST). Fees for missed or cancelled appointments are not usually covered by extended health benefits plans. A receipt for payment of any cancelled or missed therapy appointment will be provided, but can only be denoted as a “Missed Appointment” on the receipt.
Cancellation fees will only be waived on compassionate grounds, such as in the event of a medical emergency involving incapacitation or requiring urgent professional treatment, death in the family, dangerous weather conditions (e.g., freezing rain or extreme snowfall), or in the event of an accident or natural disaster.
My top priority is to be fair, reasonable and effective in all dealings with clients (this is certainly how I would want to be treated). All clients are likely to be experiencing and managing demands and obligations both in their personal and professional lives that could potentially interfere with attending a therapy appointment. As such, the threshold for cancelling a therapy appointment with less than 24hrs notice needs to be sufficiently high to ensure some reasonable amount of certainty with respect to both the scheduling and attendance of clients. This helps to both facilitate the effectiveness of the treatment offered as well as the sustainability of my practice.
If you are not sure whether you will be able to attend an upcoming appointment (e.g., you are feeling ill a few days before an appointment; possible conflict with your own work schedule; potential childcare difficulties; not sure of appointment time; financial or insurance-related issues etc.) please err on the side of caution and advise me more than 24hrs in advance so that I can troubleshoot with you as necessary and avoid a cancellation or missed appointment fee.
If you are late for an appointment, I am unable to extend the session, which will end as scheduled and be charged at the full rate.
If you have any concerns or questions about the cancellation policy, please do not hesitate to let me know. I would be more than happy to discuss this with you further.
Your appointment is reserved exclusively for you. If you know in advance that you will need to cancel a session, a 48 hour cancellation notice would be appreciated.
A 24 hour notice is required. If you need to cancel an appointment please contact me at least 24 hours in advance by telephone at 613-702-5728 or by email at [email protected] as I often have clients who are waiting urgently for appointments. If I am able to reschedule your appointment within the same week no fee will apply. This however cannot be promised or expected.
Cancellations less than 24 hours in advance will be billed at the full rate ($160+HST) will be billed thereafter. All No Show appointments (without any cancellation notice) are billed at the full cost of the scheduled appointment ($160 +HST). Fees for missed or cancelled appointments are not usually covered by extended health benefits plans. A receipt for payment of any cancelled or missed therapy appointment will be provided, but can only be denoted as a “Missed Appointment” on the receipt.
Cancellation fees will only be waived on compassionate grounds, such as in the event of a medical emergency involving incapacitation or requiring urgent professional treatment, death in the family, dangerous weather conditions (e.g., freezing rain or extreme snowfall), or in the event of an accident or natural disaster.
My top priority is to be fair, reasonable and effective in all dealings with clients (this is certainly how I would want to be treated). All clients are likely to be experiencing and managing demands and obligations both in their personal and professional lives that could potentially interfere with attending a therapy appointment. As such, the threshold for cancelling a therapy appointment with less than 24hrs notice needs to be sufficiently high to ensure some reasonable amount of certainty with respect to both the scheduling and attendance of clients. This helps to both facilitate the effectiveness of the treatment offered as well as the sustainability of my practice.
If you are not sure whether you will be able to attend an upcoming appointment (e.g., you are feeling ill a few days before an appointment; possible conflict with your own work schedule; potential childcare difficulties; not sure of appointment time; financial or insurance-related issues etc.) please err on the side of caution and advise me more than 24hrs in advance so that I can troubleshoot with you as necessary and avoid a cancellation or missed appointment fee.
If you are late for an appointment, I am unable to extend the session, which will end as scheduled and be charged at the full rate.
If you have any concerns or questions about the cancellation policy, please do not hesitate to let me know. I would be more than happy to discuss this with you further.
Professional Policies & Responsibilities
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
In general, the privacy of all communications between a client and psychotherapist is protected and I can only release information about our work together with your written permission. There are, however, exceptions to this rule.
1. Circumstances in which I believe on reasonable grounds that disclosure is necessary to eliminate or reduce significant, imminent risk of serious bodily harm (includes physical or psychological harm) to the client or anyone else, e.g. suicide, or homicide. If I believe a significant, imminent risk of serious bodily harm exists (this includes physical or psychological harm), there may be a professional and legal duty to warn the intended victim, to contact relevant authorities, such as the police, or to inform a physician who is involved in the care of the client.
2. If I have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is in need of protection due to physical harm, neglect or sexual abuse by a person having charge of the child I am required by law to report
3. Where necessary for particular legal proceedings (e.g. when I or my clinical records) are subpoenaed
4. In order to facilitate an investigation or inspection if authorized by warrant or by any provincial or federal law
5. For the purpose of contacting a relative, friend or potential substitute decision-maker, if the you or your child is injured, incapacitated or ill and unable to give consent personally
6. To a college for the purpose of administration or enforcement of the Regulated Health Professions Act, (e.g. I may be required to provide information to the College if a complaint has been made; during assessment of my practice as part of the Quality Assurance Program; mandatory reporting if a client is a regulated health professional and I have reasonable grounds to believe that the client has sexually abused a patient/client).
LIMITS OF SERVICE
As your therapist, I am ethically bound to work within the limits of my training and expertise. It is also important to identify that my services may not be extensive enough to meet every client’s needs. As such, it may be necessary to refer to another therapist /service for client’s presenting with difficulties or issues that require more intensive support. For example those who are actively suicidal or self-harming, client’s who are engaged in a custody dispute or court proceedings; or client’s with a serious mental illness and/or addiction that require more intensive treatment.
CLINICAL SUPERVISION:
In order to provide the most effective and ethical service, it is may be necessary for me to engage in supervision with a clinical supervisor.
RE-CONTRACTING:
It is hoped (and intended) that our therapeutic relationship will have helped to overcome the presenting difficulties that you identified and to have eliminated the need for the continuation of further psychotherapy. Of course this is something that cannot be predicted, as each individual client brings into the therapeutic work, present day behaviors, childhood traumas, patterns of relating, coping mechanisms, and particular perspectives and expectations from their unique life experience. Often during the psychotherapy process, other emotional material arises, beyond the identified issue that you initially hoped to resolve. You may choose to end the psychotherapy without addressing the new issue or you may choose to continue with another set of psychotherapy sessions. At the end of our contracted time, we will discuss whether or not you wish to re-contract.
REFERRALS:
It may also be possible that our work together may highlight the need for me to recommend a referral to another psychotherapist/ service for some form of specialist therapy, which is beyond the scope of my professional training and experience. I cannot guarantee that another therapist/service has immediate availability or speak to the quality of their service. I will however make every effort to assist you in finding the most appropriate service provider.
CANCELLATIONS:
All missed appointments are payable at the regular fee. Depending on availability, a session may be able to be rescheduled for the same week, however this cannot be expected or guaranteed.
LATE ARRIVAL:
It is expected that the session will begin at the agreed time. Any session that begins after this time due to late arrival, for whatever reason, cannot be extended beyond the agreed finish time.
TERMINATION:
As you participate in the process of psychotherapy, you and I will develop a therapeutic relationship. Within this relationship you will likely share some of your most deeply held beliefs, past experiences and emotions. As with any relationship in which we share parts of ourselves, an abrupt ending to the relationship often leaves us feeling unsettled and anxious. It is very important, that when you choose to end the therapeutic relationship - early or not - that we have a session to review the psychotherapy process, explore what your next steps are, ensure that supports are in place if needed, and to say goodbye.
It is a normal and common experience for people to disengage from psychotherapy if they are starting to feel overwhelmed by what they are working on or feel anxious about making changes. Often this can lead to people “dropping out” of psychotherapy and not allowing for an “ending” session. While this might in the short term alleviate anxiety around not wanting to talk about leaving psychotherapy or not wanting to say goodbye, in the long-term there can be more anxiety if there is no opportunity for closure and a positive ending.
BENEFITS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY
Research has shown that most of the common approaches to psychotherapy are about equally successful ( with the exception of very specific treatments for specific psychiatric diagnoses). Research also highlights that generally developing a solid therapeutic relationship with your therapist is more predictive of a positive outcome than is the specific type of psychotherapy engaged in. For example, if you do not feel understood or safe with your therapist, regardless of the type of therapy being used, you would be less likely to have a positive outcome.
In general, psychotherapy clients report feeling better and having fewer symptoms after psychotherapy than they felt before it, and they are better off after psychotherapy than untreated clients. .
Psychotherapy can be very helpful for people who can talk and listen reasonably well, who are comfortable being alone with another person, and who are interested in and willing to pay attention to their own feelings, thoughts, behaviors and motivations. In cases of anxiety and depression, research has shown that medication and psychotherapy together predict the best outcome for treatment.
COMMON RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY
There are potential risks to psychotherapy. People may initially feel worse as the psychotherapy progresses. In rare cases, psychotherapy may even trigger some people to have thoughts about wanting to hurt themselves or end their lives. It is always important that you tell me if you are having any frightening or dangerous thoughts or feelings, or if you are considering harming yourself or someone else. Together we will work on a plan to ensure your safety and find you additional support.
Some clients develop strong feelings about their therapists. This is especially true in longer therapies. Such feelings are normal, even if sometimes uncomfortable or confusing. Any feelings are possible, and the rule for them all is to talk them over in psychotherapy. I am experienced with this and will help you understand how this is part of your progress.
Psychotherapy can complicate your life as it is often about making changes or about looking at yourself differently. Psychotherapy can change how you live, and it can change how you feel about your relationships. I will do my best to help you to anticipate these changes and will let you decide what changes are best for you.
Some research suggests that when one spouse or partner meets alone with a therapist to discuss problems involving the other partner, there is a chance that this could increase tension for a couple. For this reason, many marital or relationship problems are best addressed with both individuals attending psychotherapy together. As I am not trained to offer couple or marital therapy, if this becomes evident I will gladly refer you to a qualified couples therapist.
Lastly, not all psychotherapy is effective. If you have been in psychotherapy for several weeks or months, and it does not feel like you are making progress, we will need to discuss options that might be better for you. This may mean using a different approach to psychotherapy or a referral to a different therapist. No one therapist can be everything to everybody, and I am comfortable helping you make a change if needed. My goal is to ensure that you find the support and help that you need to help resolve whatever difficulties you are experiencing.
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
In general, the privacy of all communications between a client and psychotherapist is protected and I can only release information about our work together with your written permission. There are, however, exceptions to this rule.
1. Circumstances in which I believe on reasonable grounds that disclosure is necessary to eliminate or reduce significant, imminent risk of serious bodily harm (includes physical or psychological harm) to the client or anyone else, e.g. suicide, or homicide. If I believe a significant, imminent risk of serious bodily harm exists (this includes physical or psychological harm), there may be a professional and legal duty to warn the intended victim, to contact relevant authorities, such as the police, or to inform a physician who is involved in the care of the client.
2. If I have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is in need of protection due to physical harm, neglect or sexual abuse by a person having charge of the child I am required by law to report
3. Where necessary for particular legal proceedings (e.g. when I or my clinical records) are subpoenaed
4. In order to facilitate an investigation or inspection if authorized by warrant or by any provincial or federal law
5. For the purpose of contacting a relative, friend or potential substitute decision-maker, if the you or your child is injured, incapacitated or ill and unable to give consent personally
6. To a college for the purpose of administration or enforcement of the Regulated Health Professions Act, (e.g. I may be required to provide information to the College if a complaint has been made; during assessment of my practice as part of the Quality Assurance Program; mandatory reporting if a client is a regulated health professional and I have reasonable grounds to believe that the client has sexually abused a patient/client).
LIMITS OF SERVICE
As your therapist, I am ethically bound to work within the limits of my training and expertise. It is also important to identify that my services may not be extensive enough to meet every client’s needs. As such, it may be necessary to refer to another therapist /service for client’s presenting with difficulties or issues that require more intensive support. For example those who are actively suicidal or self-harming, client’s who are engaged in a custody dispute or court proceedings; or client’s with a serious mental illness and/or addiction that require more intensive treatment.
CLINICAL SUPERVISION:
In order to provide the most effective and ethical service, it is may be necessary for me to engage in supervision with a clinical supervisor.
RE-CONTRACTING:
It is hoped (and intended) that our therapeutic relationship will have helped to overcome the presenting difficulties that you identified and to have eliminated the need for the continuation of further psychotherapy. Of course this is something that cannot be predicted, as each individual client brings into the therapeutic work, present day behaviors, childhood traumas, patterns of relating, coping mechanisms, and particular perspectives and expectations from their unique life experience. Often during the psychotherapy process, other emotional material arises, beyond the identified issue that you initially hoped to resolve. You may choose to end the psychotherapy without addressing the new issue or you may choose to continue with another set of psychotherapy sessions. At the end of our contracted time, we will discuss whether or not you wish to re-contract.
REFERRALS:
It may also be possible that our work together may highlight the need for me to recommend a referral to another psychotherapist/ service for some form of specialist therapy, which is beyond the scope of my professional training and experience. I cannot guarantee that another therapist/service has immediate availability or speak to the quality of their service. I will however make every effort to assist you in finding the most appropriate service provider.
CANCELLATIONS:
All missed appointments are payable at the regular fee. Depending on availability, a session may be able to be rescheduled for the same week, however this cannot be expected or guaranteed.
LATE ARRIVAL:
It is expected that the session will begin at the agreed time. Any session that begins after this time due to late arrival, for whatever reason, cannot be extended beyond the agreed finish time.
TERMINATION:
As you participate in the process of psychotherapy, you and I will develop a therapeutic relationship. Within this relationship you will likely share some of your most deeply held beliefs, past experiences and emotions. As with any relationship in which we share parts of ourselves, an abrupt ending to the relationship often leaves us feeling unsettled and anxious. It is very important, that when you choose to end the therapeutic relationship - early or not - that we have a session to review the psychotherapy process, explore what your next steps are, ensure that supports are in place if needed, and to say goodbye.
It is a normal and common experience for people to disengage from psychotherapy if they are starting to feel overwhelmed by what they are working on or feel anxious about making changes. Often this can lead to people “dropping out” of psychotherapy and not allowing for an “ending” session. While this might in the short term alleviate anxiety around not wanting to talk about leaving psychotherapy or not wanting to say goodbye, in the long-term there can be more anxiety if there is no opportunity for closure and a positive ending.
BENEFITS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY
Research has shown that most of the common approaches to psychotherapy are about equally successful ( with the exception of very specific treatments for specific psychiatric diagnoses). Research also highlights that generally developing a solid therapeutic relationship with your therapist is more predictive of a positive outcome than is the specific type of psychotherapy engaged in. For example, if you do not feel understood or safe with your therapist, regardless of the type of therapy being used, you would be less likely to have a positive outcome.
In general, psychotherapy clients report feeling better and having fewer symptoms after psychotherapy than they felt before it, and they are better off after psychotherapy than untreated clients. .
Psychotherapy can be very helpful for people who can talk and listen reasonably well, who are comfortable being alone with another person, and who are interested in and willing to pay attention to their own feelings, thoughts, behaviors and motivations. In cases of anxiety and depression, research has shown that medication and psychotherapy together predict the best outcome for treatment.
COMMON RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY
There are potential risks to psychotherapy. People may initially feel worse as the psychotherapy progresses. In rare cases, psychotherapy may even trigger some people to have thoughts about wanting to hurt themselves or end their lives. It is always important that you tell me if you are having any frightening or dangerous thoughts or feelings, or if you are considering harming yourself or someone else. Together we will work on a plan to ensure your safety and find you additional support.
Some clients develop strong feelings about their therapists. This is especially true in longer therapies. Such feelings are normal, even if sometimes uncomfortable or confusing. Any feelings are possible, and the rule for them all is to talk them over in psychotherapy. I am experienced with this and will help you understand how this is part of your progress.
Psychotherapy can complicate your life as it is often about making changes or about looking at yourself differently. Psychotherapy can change how you live, and it can change how you feel about your relationships. I will do my best to help you to anticipate these changes and will let you decide what changes are best for you.
Some research suggests that when one spouse or partner meets alone with a therapist to discuss problems involving the other partner, there is a chance that this could increase tension for a couple. For this reason, many marital or relationship problems are best addressed with both individuals attending psychotherapy together. As I am not trained to offer couple or marital therapy, if this becomes evident I will gladly refer you to a qualified couples therapist.
Lastly, not all psychotherapy is effective. If you have been in psychotherapy for several weeks or months, and it does not feel like you are making progress, we will need to discuss options that might be better for you. This may mean using a different approach to psychotherapy or a referral to a different therapist. No one therapist can be everything to everybody, and I am comfortable helping you make a change if needed. My goal is to ensure that you find the support and help that you need to help resolve whatever difficulties you are experiencing.