Find a Therapist in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.

Patterns of self-sabotaging behavioural, disorganized thinking and overwhelming emotion make life very difficult. How can we move forward when our bodies seem to betray us and we just need a break from the buzzing anxiety or the numbing of depression? What you may not know is all these symptoms are the imprint of our unfinished business, stuck in the body and just begging to be seen, cared for and accepted. Working with me means looking with curiosity, compassion and an educated-eye at how old wounds of betrayal, abandonment and rejection show up to block living your best life. You are not alone and there is hope.

I envision psychotherapy as a growth process. I know the medical model well; I just don't center my therapeutic approach on treating diseases. I treat people. Rather than diagnose-treat-cure, my model is connect-interact-become. It's a personal growth model. The willingnesss to permit a professional to facilitate your personal growth is not a disease; it's an accomplishment.

When we work together in psychotherapy, you will have a safe and supportive space to share and explore what is on your mind and heart. I will help you learn tools to manage your emotions, feel more grounded, and improve your overall well-being. If you are open to it, we can also look at the deeper roots of what you are going through to create meaningful, lasting change. My goal is to support you in feeling more balanced, understood, and empowered in your life.

Often times people have expectations with the goal of getting rid of or eliminating symptoms in regards to their mental health. However, you can have far more success when you work toward accepting and managing your symptoms as opposed to trying to get rid of them. In doing so you decrease your negative reactivity and emotional responses and are better able to manage your mental health.

Do you find that certain life circumstances are out of your control? Does this bring up strong negative emotions? Sometimes, we react like a child or a teenager, other times, like a mature adult. What is it within us that brings up these varied responses? Why is it that we at times feel stuck and helpless to bring about any changes? Together, in the process of psychotherapy, we can explore these questions and more, within a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space.

Psychotherapy offers a process in which you are able to develop healthier ways of being in the world. Often through difficult life events you develop beliefs and habitual ways of interacting with others that keep you stuck in old patterns. Psychotherapy enables you to transform physical and emotional blocks that hinder you. You can create healthier beliefs and behaviours that lead to happier and more joyful interactions with yourself and others.

Psychotherapy includes a more long-term exploration into one's inner functioning, in order to make lasting change. While doing psychotherapy, I assist my clients to look into their inner life, which often includes looking back at family of origin issues or past relationships to learn how one has become who they are today, and then identifying areas where they would like to see change. We then work to shift these patterns of being to create a more fulfilling, peaceful life, with healthier choices.

Once we are able to recognize that challenges we are facing are beyond the normal threshold of storm and stress, it is important to talk with someone who can help. Together we will go on a journey where we will try to gain a deeper understanding of the stress and challenges you face. We will learn new strategies and tools that will help you to deal with that stress and challenges.

Our psychotherapy services are effective in helping clients meet their goals and live a happier, more meaningful life. Psychotherapy can be brief and solution focused, or more depth oriented, to help you explore the underlying factors causing distress and unhealthy patterns in your life. We will work with you to find the approach that best suits your needs and personality.

My approach to working with clients is a collaborative, client-centered approach. I use an EMDR therapy model which is an integrative approach to psychotherapy. This model addresses our mental, emotional, and physical experience. It is more widely accepted and understood that our mental health is interconnected with our physical health. It is important that we take a holistic approach to healing in order to be able to truly move forward and feel renewed and empowered. Within a safe and supportive environment, I will support you in a healing process that fits with your life experience and worldview.

Psychotherapy is a broad term to refer to counselling or talk therapy approaches to address any area of pain in our lives. Psychotherapy can include focusing on a specific stressor, like workplace issues or coping with loss, dealing with specific relationships such as couples counselling or learning how to set boundaries with your family of origin, or focus more on enhancing your life if things are feeling not quite right. You can expect to have conversations that include learning new skills and strategies, opportunity to try new skills in the session, and action items to practice in between sessions to support you towards your goals.

Shift’s original psychotherapy for individuals for ages 11 and up. It’s results-driven, structured, and proactive. It is delivered by specially trained psychologists and counsellors, who have invested additional time in becoming exceptional clinicians, despite already having stellar credentials. Non-nurturing element identification Creation of a master psychotherapy progress checklist A “why” session which demonstrates the motivation for all dysfunctional behaviour, emotions, and thoughts Identification of the most active Limiting Beliefs through the creation of a visual neural tree.

I integrate multiple approaches in my practice. Approaches may involve learning practical skills and strategies, experiencing avoided emotions, evaluating and challenging negative thought patterns, processing trauma, or resolving internal conflicts. Treatment types may evolve and shift, and progress is monitored to ensure that your goals are being met.