How I work
For you to make an informed decision as to whether we will be a good fit for each other, you need information. The best way to get that information is to start with a free 20-minute consultation.
Until we meet, I have prepared some thoughts on growth, change and curiosity, as well as some background information on how I approach therapeutic work.
I work from a client-centered, strength-based, collaborative framework that integrates a variety of approaches & techniques including the Safe & Sound Protocol, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, Transpersonal Psychology, Family Systems Theory, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness-based, Narrative, Person Centered, Gestalt, Trauma Informed, and Positive Psychology.
Patterns. Life is full of them, and we are constantly surrounded by them. The patterns that are of greatest interest to me are our patterns of behaviour. There are many types of behaviours: Overt, Covert, Conscious, Unconscious, Rational, Irrational, Voluntary, and Involuntary.
Throughout our lifetime we have adopted, and continue to adopt, many patterns of behaviour – most we are not aware of on a conscious level. Each pattern serving a specific adaptive purpose at the time it is adopted. It was the best that we could do to keep us safe in that moment. Over time, as we learn and grow, situations and circumstances change, these patterns that once kept us safe may become maladaptive, preventing us from achieving our goals, or cause disruptions in our relationships. They no longer have the desired effect.
We often can recognize patterns of behaviour in others with much greater ease than seeing our own patterns. Developing that conscious awareness of our own patterns is an important step in creating positive change in our own lives.
Change begins with choice, and choice begins with an invitation. During therapy I will invite you to explore…
Resources. During therapy I will invite you to explore your current resources and how they can be expanded upon and help you to develop new resources both within yourself, and in your surroundings. Having a strong connection to our resources fosters a sense of safety. From the vantage of safety it is easier for us to get un-stuck, to explore possibilities and create positive change in our lives. Change can be scary. Much less so, when we are well resourced.
Family System. During therapy I will invite curiosity as we explore your family of origin and the patterns that were learned there and passed down to you through the family system. Each family has its own unique ancestral history which creates familial patterns of behaviour and beliefs that help to shape and guide us. Exploring these family system patters invites a compassionate understanding of our family of origin. Compassion for self and your family system can reduce self-recriminations, self-hatred, or self-judgement and lead to increased self-confidence, self-love, and stronger connections.
Nervous System. Most behaviour patterns are subconscious and are driven by our nervous system. During therapy I invite a deeper understanding of the relationship between your nervous system and your state of mind. To be curious about how the one affects the other on this two-way street. Learning and gaining an awareness of the subtle cues that our body is giving us can help us understand the driving force behind our thoughts and behaviours.
Over time, developing an appreciation of how our nervous system, body felt state, and emotions interact and effect one another can help us to become more resilient to stressors, more flexible and adaptive in our responses, and make us more able to embody positive change. All of this leads to less anxiety, depression, and shutdown, with greater clarity of thought, and deeper social connections.
Personal Values. I will invite an exploration of your own personal values. As we gain a more conscious awareness and understanding of what our values are, we open ourselves to the possibility of responding to situations from a place that is in alignment with our values rather than from a place of reaction or fear.
