Find a Therapist in Oakville, Ontario.

My psychotherapy / counselling style is intended to help you better respond to your current life situation and challenges by assisting you as you explore your own thoughts, feelings and behaviours with regards to those issues and challenges. It is also intended to help you develop skills you can use in the future when you run into new difficulties.

People often come to therapy to get rid of painful and difficult feelings. Rather than getting rid of our feelings, therapy is a skilled process of helping us understand ourselves so we can use our feelings to navigate our lives. Even the very painful feelings hold vital information for us to become sure-footed in our life. Just like in martial arts, we use the momentum of the attacker and redirect it to ensure our safety ; in therapy we use the information from the painful feelings to clarify what we need to create more safety in our lives so we can thrive. It is a valuable process of allowing our feelings to work for us to create satisfying joyful lives.

The key is to find the right therapist and psychotherapy ... "what works" for you. Research confirms that a positive alliance between the client and the counsellor is one of the best predictors of outcomes in therapy. I am trained and experienced with numerous models of change. Clients report, however, that they feel the most heard and understood when I help them open up their emotions. John Gottman states that Susan Johnson is "the best couple therapist in the world." I have been trained by Susan Johnson and I highly recommend her book to you, Hold Me Tight, and also my Couples' 12 Emotional Needs Survey.

Psychotherapy is counselling process that delves into deeper and often hidden (subconscious) issues that influence our perceptions and beliefs. In turn this influences our behaviours. Often our patterns originate in our family of origin where we internalize beliefs about self and others. The collaborative process will help you understand your current reality and how to deal with it effectively. Negative beliefs translate into maladapted behaviours that cause distress and anxiety. I will guide you through this process to gain new insights and understanding and learn more effective coping with your current distress.

Most people consider psychotherapy because they are in crisis and seek an intervention that will improve their lives. The issue may involve work or the recognition of recurring, destructive themes that prevent them from living out their dreams. I use a framework called Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, originating from Diana Fosha. It uses a model of attachment to establish a clear, supportive relationship that helps people feel safe enough to explore deeper issues and to know that they are not alone. I aim to help them reach inside themselves to deal with painful feelings, make way for the resilience and wisdom that reside in each of us and find the transformation we seek.

Child and Youth Psychotherapy helps the developing self to overcome those conflicts that arise in the first years which tend to be vital for the future. Through play therapy I provide the therapeutic tools that will assist the young person face life’s challenging situations achieving self-esteem and building strong bases for adulthood. Caring Parenting sessions will give you back your Authority and bolster your confidence to be a positive influence. For the adult client I offer a Psychoanalytical orientation which focuses in analyzing the root of the problem, this, along with CBT techniques will provide you with the psychological resources to cope with stress, anxiety or depression.

The associates at New Leaf Psychology Centre represent a broad range of experiences and expertise. Psychotherapy is offered for clients across the lifespan. Treatment approaches taken are evidence based yet personalized to you. Psychotherapy can be helpful for self-exploration (e.g. identity, anger, procrastination, career options), coping with life stressors (e.g. work, family, children, school, separation, grief), reducing worries, and improving mood.

Psychotherapy is an effective treatment for a variety of mental health concerns. This treatment allows clients to explore their behaviours, thoughts and emotions in a safe and non-judgemental environment. Clients are encouraged to take an expert role in developing clear goals and strategies to overcome the challenges that they are presently experiencing.

Many people feel nervous about going to a psychotherapist. Not knowing what to expect or worrying you'll be told what to do by some know-it-all therapist is enough to keep many people from even making the first phone call. My approach puts you in charge of our sessions. With concrete goals in mind, I ask for specific feedback from you about how you think our sessions are going and the improvements you're seeing, to guide where we go next. We're partners in our work. Whether you want to make changes in a particular aspect of your life or just get more out of life in general, we'll plot a course to get you there, then make it happen together.

Psychotherapy addresses some of the same challenges as counselling does, but aims its focus more deeply on the psychological roots of problems and unhealthy behavior patterns. Some of our belief- and behavior patterns develop in childhood, others evolve through subsequent life experiences. In our sessions, I will gently help you understand your emotions, thoughts and action and where they might originate. We will explore possible sources of your stress, and I will guide and support you to become aware, that you can heal your past and explore ways to effectively cope in the present. 905-842-3626

I am committed to you as a precious and unique individual in need of care. I will help you transform the negative emotions that prevent you from living your life to the full. I use an approach called Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) which focuses on healing past hurts and accessing your inner strengths and resources. During a session we don't just talk about your problems but I help you EXPERIENCE something better! I receive so much joy as a therapist when my clients achieve break throughs and are able to enjoy living again! You don't need to let your past define your future!

My approach to psychotherapy involves working with you to assess what challenges you are facing, and establishing a therapeutic plan to help address these challenges in the way that makes most sense for you. I am certified in Solution Focused Therapy, which is the foundation of my therapeutic approach. I have also completed some specialized training in other therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Based Practice, Motivational Interviewing, and Life/leadership coaching.

Consciously or not, every one of us wonders, "Who am I and what is the world about?" Our response to this question shapes the quality of our lives. An individual seeks Psychotherapy when life isn't working and emotional, spiritual or physical pain becomes too much to bear. The relationship with me as your therapist can help you live a more fulfilling and joyful life, as you discover your own power and autonomy.