I am a Certified Canadian Counselor (CCC) and I live and work work in Cobourg, Ontario, 1 hour east of Toronto. As a Mental Health Counselor I work with clients on issues such as depression, anxieties, relationship issues, issues relating to menopause, issues relating to major life transitions, and I specialize in clients on the High Functioning Autism spectrum and Asperger Syndrome.
I have a Masters degree in Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy from Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, as well as a Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution, and I am also a certified coach.
I have conducted many mediations to settle family and work conflict situations. I am currently on the team of Spiritual Care Providers at the Northumberland Hospital in Cobourg, Ontario.
My overall approach to mental health is a holistic one. Part of the assessment includes reviewing a client's lifestyle practices such as sleep, nutrition and exercise routines, which need to be considered in order to see the full life picture.
I believe that we all have a set of strengths and gifts which we can draw from in times of stress or grief. I draw from a number of different modalities to support the unique needs of my clients: some stem from from the psychotherapy models (Cognitive-Behavioral Theory CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Family Systems Therapy, Mindfulness, some come from the conflict resolution area and sometimes, if indicated, I use a forward-looking, goal-oriented coaching approach.
I care very much about the well-being of my clients - it is my passion to help people get back to a feeling of well-being in their life, and together we develop concrete markers and goals in our counseling plan. Our therapeutic relationship is made of mutual respect, unconditional regard for my client, and full acceptance for their Being. On the practical side, I offer up a healthy dose of psycho-education for those interested, combined with making available my vast smorgasbord of tools and teachable skills (as indicated) designed to develop healthy ways of coping in a client's life situation.
Entering into counseling takes courage and I admire that in my clients – having gone through it
myself. The beauty of the therapeutic process is that most clients regain hope
in their lives. They often come to see that life has many phases and they
see their current phase as a piece of the larger mosaic of their lives, where they have
the opportunity to learn, stretch and grow, all the while also learning to
tolerate the pain it takes to move within that phase.
I would be very honored to be invited into sharing a part of your journey with you.
If you would like more information or to arrange a complimentary phone
consultation, please contact me at sabine@integraskilllscounselling.com