– Buddha

I draw from a range of modalities for individual therapy, including CBT, DBT, Psychodynamic, Person-centered, and attachment based. I also like to integrate mindfulness where appropriate, as practicing mindfulness-based techniques can be a very valuable coping mechanism for a number of issues.

I am primarily trained in EFFT, Emotion Focused Family Therapy, but have also received training in Reunification Therapy for families referred by court where the parents are separated and a child has been alienated from one parent but is recommnended to resume contact with that parent.

This is the primary modality that I use with children, generally for those under the age of 12 years. Play therapy can include games, arts and crafts, as well as symbolic play with toys for younger kids. Children tend to respond well to play therapy and after rapport has been built between therapist and child, he or she is more likely to express their thoughts and feelings during sessions.

For clients struggling with anxiety, I find CBT and DBT tend to be the most effective modalities to reach desired outcomes. For children with phobias, exposure and response prevention is an option, and for those with anxiety resulting from trauma, trauma-based CBT as well as psychodynamic therapy are the modalities I would likely choose.

Depression can occur for many different reasons and at many different levels that varies person to person. It could result from a life event such as loss of a loved one or loss of a job, it could be more connected to brain chemistry such as a mental illness, or it could be caused by low self-esteem. If you're struggling with depression, I can help you get to the root cause of the issue and then we can find the best approach for you to start feeling better.

So many different things can cause us stress or trauma, and the severity of this can vary greatly. No stress or trauma is too small or trivial and I would not judge anyone for seeking therapy for whatever level of stress is present. We all have our own difficulties and stressors, and it is a courageous step to share these with a therapist and embark on the journey of self-healing with the support of another.

I strongly believe that neurodivergence is not a disorder or deficiency, but as the name implies, a different or 'divergent' way the brain is wired and functions. It is common however that neurodiergence can cause difficulties and stress for the person since the different ways of thinking, learning, and behaving is often at odds with mainstream society. Therefore these individuals often have to find ways to work around that and accept not being well understood by most people. As therapist for such an individual, I would help support and guide them with this and look at how mental wellbeing can be protected too.