Therapy

I offer psychotherapy to individuals with a variety of presenting symptoms including anxiety, depression, trauma, obsessive compulsive disorder, grief, disordered eating, in addition to behavioural and adjustment disorders for adults and children.

Trauma is defined as any event that overwhelms your nervous system. Depending on your age and choices at the time, many experiences can be traumatic because they cause similar effects on your nervous system where we feel powerless, overwhelmed, or confused. Many people recover from traumatic events without needing professional support.

However, sometimes, a person may continue to be very distressed by the event(s), even many years later. People may notice that they are “jumpy,” or seem to be ‘on high alert’ all of the time. They may experience upsetting nightmares or flashbacks (feeling like the event is happening ‘right now’ or that vivid memories of the event are occurring and are distressing for the person). They may avoid thinking about certain things, being around certain people or certain places, as a way to avoid reminders of the traumatic event. They may have difficulty remembering parts of the trauma, have unduly negative perceptions of themselves, have a great deal of difficulty experiencing positive emotions, and feel detached or estranged from others. People may also experience changes in their mood (e.g., feel more sad, worried, angry and/or irritable than before), and may have trouble with concentration or difficulties sleeping.

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a form of trauma therapy. It is believed to work on the brain’s limbic system (where emotions are processed). It has been utilized with many different kinds of trauma, including for soldiers of war and veterans, survivors of war or of natural disasters, survivors of sexual abuse, first responders (police, fire, ambulance), and motor vehicle accidents. It has also been used to treat other kinds of mental health challenges such as anxiety, phobias, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

EMDR is not a magical fix. It is not a one-session cure. It is an 8-phase therapy, and some preparation is typically required before an individual is ready to start processing trauma or other mental health concerns. However, many people find it beneficial – that it changes not only how they view and experience their trauma, but how they view and feel about themselves! Please feel free to ask for more information.

I have become a certified EMDR therapist. This means that not only have I completed the basic training; I have also engaged in supervision and consultation regarding my provision of EMDR to clients. That helps me get feedback and suggestions when I get ‘stuck’ with clients, and helps me keep learning and growing. Certification also means I have participated regularly in advanced EMDR training.