Humanness and stories have always moved me. I’ve been curious about the stories we tell ourselves and how they shape who we are, the choices we make, and how we live our lives. These stories play a huge part in defining us, and can impact all aspects of our lives. I chose to be a counsellor to be able to offer a safe space where people can understand and share their stories, in the safety of the client-counsellor relationship. Change can happen when we feel heard without judgment. Supporting people in letting go of limiting stories and finding their way ahead is incredibly meaningful to me.

The possibility of giving someone the space to be themselves and get to witness them as they are. Connecting with people, hearing their stories, and seeing them take charge of their lives is very fulfilling.

I’d hope for client to feel safe and heard, and I’d want them to experience a non-judgmental space where they can rant/laugh/cry/express and even just be still. I’d also want them to know that I’m not an expert in their life, and while this is a professional relationship, its also a human connection.

It takes a lot of courage to start therapy. Your decision to begin therapy is rooted in something meaningful, and together, we will explore and address these reasons. This may bring up emotions of all kinds, the light and cheery ones, the heavy and difficult ones as well. Progress might take time, and growth might not seem linear. Why should you opt for this then? Because you’re making a commitment to yourself and your journey of finding the way ahead. Be assured that we will work together to help you set goals, and you have a compassionate witness in me when it comes to feeling the feelings.

I would want to create the kind of therapeutic relationship where a client feels safe enough to cry about their feelings, crack silly jokes, and have tough conversations when required. I encourage this by being receptive to any feedback given (and jokes cracked), acknowledging resistance if any, and reminding clients that they are the experts in their lives.

The client-therapist connection is so much stronger when you’re sitting next to clients and not across them. It can be important to remind clients that you’re on their team, and try to understand how they exist in teams.

My ability to connect with people; whether that means finding a door through the walls created by resistant clients, or just meeting them where they are. Humor, empathy, and patience help in building these connections. I’m open to whatever approach feels right for clients. If they want to sit in silence for an hour, we can. If they’d prefer to create a PowerPoint presentation of their life experiences and concerns, I’m game!

In my free time I play music, watch horror films and comfort sitcoms, cafe hop with a book, and play a sport!

I use relational and narrative lenses in my work. Taking a relational approach in therapy will involve focus on your relationships with people around and how that may be impacting your relationship with yourself (including things like self esteem, confidence etc) There’s also some focus on early childhood relationships and how they may be impacting your relationships as an adult. Narrative approach focuses on the stories you may have created about the world, yourself, and others, and we may work on reframing the stories in a healthier way for you. We would also explore how different systems impact these stories and your life.

I have lived experience as a queer person that informs my work. Further, I keep up with queer & trans narratives in literature and media. I also acknowledge that a client’s experience of queerness can be very different from mine or people around me, and I focus on understanding the client’s unique life stressors.