Your journey may have you delving into the deeper questions of life; trying to understand who you are, what you want in life, finding a sense of meaning, and what steps you want to take moving forward.

Are you feeling like you are struggling with setting boundaries with others, or feeling deprived in your relationships? Are you wanting to feel more wholeness or a sense of empowerment within yourself?

Maybe you have had experiences in your levels of stress, self esteem, or motivation that are negatively impacting your day to day life? Are you left wondering how to work through them? Perhaps you are experiencing emotional distress and would appreciate some support at this time.

These are all different types of what’s sometimes called a “dark night,” or a challenging life experience. These are highly connected to certain areas in mental health I have had experience in treating for over 9 years:

• Anxiety/depression/trauma
• Navigating relationship issues
• Women’s issues/experiences

More specifically, some of these above areas may include the treatment of anxiety disorders, panic attacks, phobias, ocd, and generalized anxiety. As well as working with anxious or insecure attachment styles in relationships, family stress, struggles at the workplace, internal feelings of emptiness, feelings of neglect, anger, personal boundary concerns, burnout, enhancing assertiveness, body image, low mood, self-soothing challenges, misuse of alcohol or substances, and low self esteem. This is not an exhaustive list but covers several of the areas I have supported clients around.

I provide a variety of different approaches to help clients face their challenges in their own unique way.

I am honoured your journey has brought you to Smart Therapy. I am excited to learn about you, to hear your story, and to support you in taking healing steps to move forward.

The therapeutic approach I specialize in offering is depth psychotherapy. This has a therapeutic style that includes:

• Several evidence-based therapeutic methods (see below)
• Exploration of conscious and unconscious aspects of the Self
• Supporting you in working towards self-empathy & feelings of wholeness

I aim to create a safe and comfortable environment for you to explore your thoughts and feelings freely, while also using depth therapies to work towards healing.

My use of depth psychotherapy includes offering:

• Emotion-Focused Therapy
• Psychoanalytic Approaches
• Cognitive Behavioural Treatment
• Mindfulness-based Therapy Approaches
• Exploration of Archetypes
• Dream Analysis

I use these approaches to help guide clients through their own personal therapeutic transformation.

In addition to traditional talk therapy I offer additional (and totally optional) therapeutic treatments including:

• Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapy
• Art-based therapeutic activities for in between our therapy sessions

Feel free to reach out or let me know during a session if you would like to explore these other treatment options

My qualifications are that I am a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist; I am a trauma-informed therapist based in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario and use an anti-oppressive approach with clients. I am passionate about therapy, healing, health, and empowerment. I pursue these passions by continually taking a variety of specialty courses allowing me to provide clients with a uniquely informed and highly personalized treatment.

For over 9 years I have been a therapist, and have two masters degrees in the counselling field (MA & MSW). I have a special interest and experience in helping women reclaim a felt sense of wholeness and empowerment. I understand the challenges women face in society, and strive to help women of all ages, orientations, cultures, and stages of life awaken to their authentic self. I help clients overcome anxiety/depression/trauma, develop self compassion, better navigate family and relationship dynamics, establish boundaries, and reclaim their personal power like never before. This allows clients to have the relationships with others and themself they’ve been hoping for.

I also believe in the the reality that you have wisdom of your own, and that is something that I will work toward drawing out in our sessions together.

Tapping into this is empowering and can give you the ability to deal with anything that comes your way in life.

A client-centered approach where we explore what events, thoughts, or feelings have, or will transpire-either past, present, or what is on the horizon. This includes the encouragement of non-judgemental awareness and acceptance of yourself; to quote Jim Carrey, “Your need for acceptance can make you invisible in this world.”

Our meetings work toward exploration of and making personal shifts with respect to the following aspects of your life:

Cognitive Tendencies/Thinking Patterns

• Understanding how to manage and overcome catastrophizing thoughts, reducing obsessive thinking, improving self-esteem, body image

Emotional Processing & Regulation

• Processing emotionally difficult experiences, learning how to work through painful emotions and begin to learn how to self-soothe

Behavioural Changes

• Shifting impulsive tendencies, tackling procrastination, addressing alcohol/substance concerns, learning to set boundaries

Existential Exploration

• Exploring worldviews and beliefs, identify personally meaningful areas of life and how these areas can be amplified for you

I offer an advanced hypnotherapy treatment that incorporates Emotion-Focused Therapy interventions and which is trauma informed. This extended 80-minute therapy session can help with:

• Healing from difficult childhood experiences
• Getting in touch with inner resources and the “wise self”
• Developing more compassionate inner-dialogue
• Journeying on a healing process that helps to resolve past experiences and challenging relationships

This treatment is currently available through Smart Therapy as a specialty treatment. Contact us to find out more information.

My practice is currently based in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Smart Therapy’s services are being offered solely over video and phone.

Studies have shown there are benefits to distance and virtual therapy that in-person does not offer. One of the benefits is called the “Disinhibition Effect,” meaning people feel more comfortable talking over video or phone about things they otherwise might not have brought up in person. Many people have also  found distance therapy to be more comfortable since they can do it from their own home or space.