My approach to counselling and psychotherapy is quite practical. I like to first help people develop better coping strategies to deal with their current life challenges, to calm down and feel more in control. Then I like to address the deeper level, what is creating the current problem in the first place, and how to resolve it for good. This is the deep inner work of releasing old emotional pain, negative thinking and energetic blocks, and replacing them with much more productive and loving ways of dealing with life. You then have a whole new way of being with yourself and in the world. It is my pleasure to act as a guide for both. I have a really positive presence, and am a great problem-solver. I provide a compassionate, safe space for deep inner change, freeing you to move out of the past and into the present and future. This allows you to take back control of your life and move into joy, ease and clarity. I have always been a holistic therapist, helping people heal on the soul level. I have a real understanding of the interplay between emotional, mental, physical and spiritual levels. I am concerned with helping people uncover their true self, and live from their inner core rather than what they were taught or who others want them to be. This allows you to take responsibility for your own life. I also like helping people figure out what their life is really about, their gifts to the world, the overarching themes and lessons, so you can be in alignment with your unique life path and purpose.

Topics normally addressed in therapy include:

My own personal path in life has involved substantial growth in both the psychological and spiritual realms, so I know how interconnected they are. I've always easily sensed beyond the visible and obvious, so as a holistic counselor I see the metaphysical dimension of therapeutic concerns. Regular counselling and psychotherapy addresses life challenges from the perspective of the personality and its thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Spiritual counselling and psychotherapy address life challenges from the perspective of your higher or spirit Self. Therapy that addresses both can cut through long-standing problems, allowing you to understand what is really going on, hear your true voice and step into alignment with your deeper Self, path and purpose in life. Likewise, becoming in touch with your spiritual Self first means doing the therapeutic work of clearing out old thoughts, emotions and behaviours that get in the way of your spiritual path, and your effectiveness in bringing your gifts to the world. I've always worked to marry the psychological and mystical realms in therapy. I find that most practitioners work primarily from one dimension and get to know that dimension in depth. I am more the holistic generalist, interested in the interplay of emotions, thoughts, body and spirit. Since my path in life took me into exploring all four areas deeply, I found I became very aware of how all they are inextricably linked. I'm not sure whether I would be better called a spiritual coach, holistic healer, intuitive counsellor or transpersonal therapist. Ultimately, I find each practitioner brings all of who they are to working with others, holding space for inner change to the degree they have embodied it within themselves. I act as a guide, empowering people to heal themselves, find their own strengths and inner truths, and step forward.

Spiritual Therapy Helps You To:

Couples bring all parts of themselves and their past to their relationships, so counseling people insignificant relationships means looking at each individual person as well as the dynamic playing out between them. People come to marriage counselling because of long-standing blocks in their central relationships. I tend to see the underlying dynamic between people quickly. I find that the two biggest blocks to having the relationships people want are effective communication and problem solving. I've come to realize that neither are easy, because each need a lot of inner awareness to happen well. In my profession we say that relationships are mirrors for ourselves, shining light on our assumptions and expectations, learned behaviour, unconscious reactions and buried emotions. Close relationships can be a crucible for inner growth as well as love, support and enjoyment. This means that marriage counseling involves exploring each person's inner world, and resolving inner conflict in tandem with outer conflict.

All relationship counselling helps you to:

When children, youth and teens exhibit difficulty at home or in school, child and family therapy can help. I have worked as a child and family therapist with a number of organizations devoted to children's mental health, proving to be a positive, energetic and effective child and family counselor. Children and adolescents are emotionally, physically and energetically attached to their parents, so I find it imperative to work with parents as well as children. Helping parents change how they deal with their child in everyday situations is crucial for children to be able to shift to a new dynamic.

Counselling can help children and teens to:

Counselling helps coach parents in:

Hypnotherapy is a gentle, positive and effective counselling technique in helping you move past any blocks that may be keeping you from the life you want. It works by changing the underlying motivation behind the problematic thoughts, feelings or behaviour, so you hardly notice the positive changes you are making daily. Hypnosis works wonderfully as a motivational boost to get past simple problems, and as an adjunct to more traditional talk therapy to resolve deeper ones. It is not a magic wand, but instead acts as a guide to the unconscious, helping you release old patterns and develop new, healthy ones that will work better for you in your life. I only use hypnosis in conjunction with ongoing therapy. In a hypnosis session, you are guided into a state of deep relaxation so that your busy, conscious mind calms down. This allows your deeper, subconscious mind be readily accessible and take in positive suggestion, instruction and inquiry. In this trance state, you are completely aware and in control at all times, I just act as a guide. You are still aware of what goes on around you, but are in a state of focused attention, focused on receiving the positive instructions and affirmations given. Regressions can also be helpful, communicating directly with your deeper mind to guide you back to a problem's source, releasing the energy, decision or experience behind any problematic pattern.

Hypnosis is effective With:

Hypnosis for Children & Teens

Children and adolescents respond well to hypnosis. They like its indirect, imaginative and empowering approach. Hypnotherapy is gentle and non-invasive, so is particularly easy for children to work with. In a session, I will guide a child into relaxation and give positive messages, instructions and images to the deeper, subconscious mind. This allows the child to calm down and easily adopt more effective ways of behaving, thinking and feeling. Rather than sleep, it is a state of focused attention, allowing new decisions to be made at a deep, inner level of being.

Hypnosis with Children is Helpful With:

All styles of hands on energy healing work with your body's energetic system, the vital life force flowing through every alive being. It is a very relaxing and holistic style of therapy that works on all levels - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It is gentle, graceful and profound, transforming yourself beyond regular, conscious awareness. In fact, it is one way people experience deep relaxation and that place of inner balance between mind. body and spirit. As a healer, I allow life energy to flow from the universe through my body and hands to you, the energy going to where it is most needed, to your next step, to whatever level is most appropriate in the present moment, for your next step forward. Everyone can develop this skill, it's just a matter of interest and effort. Like other skills, certain people are more drawn to it, and some learn more easily. I originally learned how to channel healing energy in the Native American tradition. Then I learned Reiki and EMF Balancing Technique to augment those skills. Reiki is an old Japanese form of channeling healing energy that has become popular and known in the West because it is a style easy to learn and teach. I taught Reiki for 10 years, enjoying helping others develop their own hands-on-healing skills. EMF Balancing Technique is a more structured set of energy healing sessions that work on the energy grid surrounding you, bringing you into alignment with the universal life force and an authentic spiritual life. It's definitely sacred work. I now find I'm most effective channeling energy freely, without any limiting style. I only use energy healing in conjunction with ongoing counselling work.