The Therapies I Use

I’ve been a counsellor more than two decades, and in that time I’ve studied many different approaches. All the great knowledge I’ve gained influence my work, and I am dedicated to staying current with new research. As a result, I keep adding to my toolbox of effective strategies. Below are short descriptions of the therapies I use most often in my practice, having found them to be exceedingly successful with a wide variety of people and issues.

Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS):

I am a Certified IFS therapist and an approved IFS Consultant. This is the primary framework for my therapeutic approach—it makes a lot of sense to me, and it is by far the most effective modality I have ever used.

IFS, an evidence based therapy, acknowledges how all of us experience inherent ambivalence—we are not single-minded about most anything. This can make life a challenge if our mixed feelings are so strong they work at cross-purposes, making us feel anxious, overwhelmed, frustrated, indecisive or stuck. Resolving that ambivalence is central in allowing us to move ahead with clarity and focus.

In IFS, that ambivalence comes from the actions of different parts or aspects of ourselves, dedicated to protecting us from harm, or carrying much pain As we connect with these parts, we discover their positive intention and lift their burden of pain. In this process we also discover that beneath the turmoil we all have a stable essence --- a Self--- filled with calm, joy, kindness, and courage. IFS has many strategies to help us get more strongly connected to that Self, with the ultimate goal of acting more often from that perspective in our everyday choices and challenges.

Trauma Resolution Strategies:

When we have experienced trauma, those traumatic memories are stored differently in our nervous system. Because the trauma was so hurtful, our brain wants to make sure we never really forget, but instead remain on high alert. The trauma recollections remain “frozen in time”--- new information such as that you are now grown up, or have a lot more skills and resources available don’t automatically modify the high alert status. And, simply saying “you are safe” or “it wasn’t your fault” doesn’t really make much difference.

IFS Therapy and EMDR are both highly effective approaches to“thaw” these recollections. This shifts the memories from “high alert” to “something that happened in the past”. Sometimes I blend both approaches, or incorporate EMDR strategies into the IFS framework. Renewed feelings of calm and relief often result.

Somatic Therapy:

The impact of difficult experiences, trauma and hard choices remain in our nervous system and our bodies. Proven somatic therapies such as Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi are excellent resources to restore balance to the nervous system, and release feelings and experiences stored in our bodies.

As you feel supported and safe, somatic therapies allow you to slowly let go of tension, release trauma, restore your natural rhythm, and tap into your innate resilience and strength. I find these approaches are very effective when people are not able to talk about their negative experiences, when the trauma happened early, or was prolonged. I blend somatic awareness with IFS therapy.

Attachment Repair Therapy:

Sometimes, it is hard to accept how much our first relationships shape who we are today. We come into the world soaking up everything we can about who we are, who we can trust, and how to behave in the world from our mom, our dad, and others we depend on.

Often inadvertently (although sometimes intentionally) we receive hurtful messages about not being good enough, needing to perform to be accepted, needing to hide our needs, and so on. These kinds of injuries are called attachment wounds and the effects tend to be felt throughout our lives. They colour our choices of work, our relationships, our sense of self, and how we raise our own children. I use a blend of proven attachment repair approaches drawn from IFS, Dyadic Developmental Therapy, Circle of Security parenting, and Dynamic Attachment Re-Patterning Experience to help heal these early injuries, allowing people to feel more connected to themselves and others.

You Can Find Calm and Joy

I invite you to call/text me at 250 515 2123 or contact me to learn more about IFS Consultation, online counselling, PTSD treatment, and trauma therapy and how I can help. Currently, I have limited space available for indivudual counselling, individual IFS consultation, and group IFS consultation.