Counselling Practice Website
Practice Information
I work with people experiencing difficult problems. Such problems go by many names, and may be new or old, but all share the common trait of stubbornly obstructing our happiness. You might feel depressed, anxious, or stuck, unable to steer toward a more hopeful future. You might struggle with the overwhelming complexity of your life, or feel paralyzed by the choices it presents. You might find yourself caught in recurring patterns, unable to break free despite the hardship they cause. Other problems I commonly work with include:
- Ongoing unease, sense of dread, despair, or lack of fulfillment in one's pursuits and in life
- Disconnection from oneself, low self-regard or self-worth, feeling lost or aimless in life
- Disconnection from other people, such as feeling alone or lonely, detached, unloved or unlovable
- Reliving the past, feeling trapped by the past, or struggling with fear, guilt, shame or anger about the past
- Difficulty focusing, self-motivating, or sustaining interest in responsibilities and interests
- Difficulty asserting oneself, or having one's needs or preferences met or respected
- Reliance on food, work, shopping, or substances for comfort or contentment
- Preoccupying negative thoughts, intrusive thoughts, or repetitive thoughts
- Intense or persistent inner critics, self-judgments, or harsh storytelling about oneself.
Whatever they do, however they operate, these problems make life needlessly hard.
Yet despite the hardship they cause, I believe our problems also carry essential insight about what is needed for their resolution. I work with you to reveal these insights, to gather their wisdom, and to transform them into opportunities for greater well-being and engagement with life. Ultimately, I believe that true well-being involves more than just quieting problems: it involves restoring the parts of ourselves that enable us to be full participants in this world we share.
My approach can be practical and goal-oriented, or exploratory and supportive. Either way, my emphasis is on helping you realize your vision of a happy, well-crafted life. This looks different for everyone, but people who work with me are usually pursuing one or more of these forms of change or growth:
- Support with difficult experiences and situations
- Tools for managing and handling tough problems
- Treatment for resolution of mental health concerns
- Encouragement and accountability in change journeys
- Assistance with self-growth and self-discovery processes.
Since 2014 I have been privileged to sit and talk with thousands of people, and to accompany them for at least a short distance in their journey. I view these expeditions as essential not just for our individual happiness and well-being, but also for our movement toward a world that is more kind, just, and humane for all.
Prior to private practice I spent fifteen years in the public and non-profit sectors, starting out in frontline care and legal advocacy, before arriving in the field of therapy. Most recently I served for five years as Clinical Lead of BC’s largest mental health and addictions treatment centre, where I led a team of nurses, doctors, counsellors and caseworkers in delivering comprehensive mental healthcare services.
You can click "schedule an appointment" below to easily book a free, unhurried conversation about the problems you're experiencing, and the life you'd like to live. We'll talk about ways to help you move toward that life, using approaches that feel natural, intuitive, and possibly even exciting.