I work from an eclectic perspective and aim to provide personalized and tailored support to help you achieve your goals and live a healthier life. I believe counselling in a collaboration between the client and the therapist where we work together to overcome the challenges you are facing; we face the problem as a team. My approach is based in client-centered (link 2) therapy, and I combine elements of other therapy approaches such as existential, psychodynamic, and solution-focused and acceptance-based models of therapy. I believe that using a combination of approaches gives the best possible outcomes.
I work with clients from a wide variety of backgrounds and life experiences. I have experience working with clients who are facing stress, life transitions (e.g., graduating university, entering the workforce, career transitions), self-injury, depression, anxiety, strategies for managing ADHD, suicide, and men’s issues.
I also have special interests in working with individuals who work in high-stress professions such as physicians, physician residents, and veterinarians.
Counselling is $110.00 per counselling hour. Each session is comprised of 55 minutes of therapy and 5 minutes reserved for clinical documentation. The fee is the same for in-person and virtual appointments. As a courtesy to other clients and to maintain the integrity of the therapeutic process, it is requested that clients arrive on time for appointments. In the event of late arrival or early departure, the full fee for the session will still apply. Additional services such as consultations, reports, and letter writing, are invoiced at the same hourly rate.
Payment is due either prior to or immediately following each scheduled appointment. A full payment of fees must be received before scheduling another appointment, unless alternative arrangements have been agreed upon.
Missed appointments are charged at half the scheduled appointment fee and must be paid in full prior to scheduling another appointment. Please note that insurance regulations require missed appointments to be clearly indicated on receipts, and such appointments may not be covered by insurance.
All therapy sessions are recorded for clinical and note-taking purposes, and to help keep track of progress made over time. These audio recordings are a valuable tool for your therapist and are kept secure with the same care as your clinical file. They are password protected and encrypted to ensure the confidentiality of your information. If you have any concerns or questions about the recording and storage process, feel free to discuss them with your therapist. I am dedicated to making sure you feel secure and comfortable in your therapy experience.
Clients are not permitted to record appointments without permission from the Counsellor.
Video appointments are available and are conducted via Zoom with a business associate agreement (BAA) for healthcare practitioners, as required by federal and provincial law.
Here are a few tips to make your video sessions go as smooth as possible.
Find a quiet, private location to attend your appointment. A bedroom, living room, or home office works best. Minimize distractions and external noises such as a radio, television, or music playing as these noises can interfere with the audio of the session.
Public spaces such as libraries, bus rides, or lunch rooms at work are not appropriate for video appointments as they are not confidential.
Keep your camera steady and free from obstructions. Connecting through video sessions can be difficult, but by keeping your camera or device in a steady location such as on the table or in a holder can make things go smoothly. This also helps minimize 'wind noise' in our speakers.
Minimize distractions for your appointment. You may wish to have a fan going for air circulation, but try to keep it pointed away from the microphone to avoid 'wind noises'.
Please refrain from doing housework or other activities during your appointment.
As your counsellor, I want you to make sure you are getting the most out of therapy. We will regularly review progress, check in on goals, and make sure you are making the progress you want to see. If you do not feel like you are making progress, or we are not talking about the things you want to talk about in therapy, please bring this to my attention.
Building a positive therapeutic relationship is important for successful counselling. If at any time you feel like the connection with your counsellor isn’t quite right, or if you’re not seeing the progress you had hoped for, please don’t hesitate to bring this up with them. They are here to support you, and together you can explore options such as readjusting your therapy goals, assessing your progress, or finding a referral to another professional that may be better suited to your needs.