Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

After we have introduced ourselves you can expect me to explain my background, qualifications and the type of therapy I practice. I like to cover confidentiality early on, including its limits (for example if there's a risk of harm to yourself or others, or if records are subpoenaed by a court). Once we have covered confidentiality I will begin to understand the core reason why you are seeking therapy and what's currently on your mind. You can expect questions about your current symptoms (anxiety, sadness, stress, etc.) and how long you've been experiencing them. We will also talk about recent life events or stressors (e.g., job changes, relationship issues, loss). We will also cover your personal history, including childhood, family dynamics, relationships, education, and career. Any past therapy experiences and what was helpful or unhelpful about them. Another important topic is what a typical day looks like for you. You are in control of what you share and at what pace. Don't feel pressured to reveal everything in the first session, especially deeply personal or traumatic experiences. It's okay to say you're not ready to discuss something yet. Goal Setting: The therapist will likely ask about your goals for therapy – what you hope to achieve or what "doing better" would look like for you. These can be specific (e.g., reduce panic attacks) or more general (e.g., improve relationships, better understand myself). This helps the therapist start to formulate a potential treatment plan tailored to your needs. There will be time for you to ask me any questions you have. This is your opportunity to assess if I am a good fit for you.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

I am proud to say that I have received excellent feedback and reviews from clients who appreciate my style of therapy. They have said they feel supported every step of the way and have benefitted by how I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help them through their challenges. ACT essentially builds resilience by promoting the idea that we can allow uncomfortable feelings and thoughts to sit with us while assessing our behaviors and making sure they are aligned with our values. Greater resilience and a greater sense of purpose have meant my clients have found ways to find life more meaningful and to explore themselves a lot more than they had before.

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

While I have worked with clients with a wide range of treatment needs, I align well with those experiencing mood dysregulation and a personal history of trauma. Clients who are committed to therapy tend to have the best outcomes, even when it feels tough so I regularly check in to see how they think therapy is going. Ongoing discourse about the therapeutic journey is an important part of the process as adjustments can be made along the way with the treatment plan which is what is going to guide the therapeutic journey.