Areas of Specialty
Abuse: Emotional, Physical, Sexual, Abuse and Neglect
Health Issues: Cancer, Chronic Pain, Surgery, Terminal Illness
Loss: Bereavement, Divorce, Foster Care, Adoption, Immigration and Relocation
Trauma: Accidents, Violent Crimes, Domestic Violence
Special Needs: Autism, FAS/FAE, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD
Others: Anxiety, Attachment Disorders, Depression, Existential issues and Life transitions, Selective Mutism, Work related issues.
Cost: $180 per telehealth session via Zoom or phone until safe to meet in person again.
Born and educated in France, I am an adult/child/youth and family therapist and a clinical consultant in private practice. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), a Registered Art Therapist (ATR and BCATR), a Registered and Certified Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S, CPT-S) with 48 years of experience.
I founded The Centre For Expressive Therapy in 1990 to provide counselling and psychotherapy for children, youth and adults as well as training for health care professionals in a setting that reflects and supports my approach to healing , Holistic Expressive Therapy, and the methods I have developed as a result. Healing Retreats and services for therapists including therapy for therapists are offered.
Holistic Expressive Therapy is an integrative approach that takes into consideration the physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual needs of the client. I developed this approach to help individuals of all ages to cope with their challenges and to also learn and grow from them. In a warm, nurturing atmosphere that speaks to all the senses, I creatively integrate: verbal counselling, imagery and visualization, art therapy, play therapy, sand play therapy, storytelling, writing, music, movement, photography, sewing, fibre arts and family of origin work.
Expressive Therapy has proven to be particularly helpful to children and adults experiencing the consequences of a variety of stresses and traumatic experiences and is highly effective in promoting healing.
Although verbal counseling is the usual primary mode of therapy used with adults, expressive therapies can help them further explore difficult issues that words sometimes cannot reach. Within the safety of the therapeutic relationship, images are created through drawing, painting, collage, sewing, photography, writing, working in clay or sand play. These images are then reflected upon for the purpose of finding solutions to underlying issues. Body-centered guided imagery is also used when appropriate.
The younger children are, the more limited is their ability to express themselves verbally; but through play they can show what they think, feel and how they experience and understand the world in which they live. Just as adults talk things out, children play things out. Since play is the natural means of expression for children, the most effective mode of therapy for them is play therapy.
The Centre for Expressive Therapy is an accredited facility offering unique learning opportunities that may earn professionals credit toward their educational goals (registration as a play therapist with APT, certification as a child and play therapist with CACPT). Training options include: Intensive Seminars , Individualized Seminars , Personal/Professional Development Retreats , Consultation and Supervision , Self-Care for Therapists as well as Workshops in other locations .
I have been teaching for 35 years at the Justice Institute Of British Columbia, (JIBC) in British Columbia, Canada, where a Certificate on Expressive Play Therapy is offered.