Starting with Me
Reach Out
Consult
Intake forms
Intake Session
Sessions as Needed
Reach Out
When you reach out either by text, email, or phone I’ll ask you if you want to do a 15 minute free consult or if you want to book a full session. If you choose a free consult you can choose a phone call or a video call. If you choose a video call I will ask for your email and send you the link either through Jane App or Zoom.
Consult
A consult is a great way for you to see me, to hear my voice and to ask any questions you have. It also gives you the chance to share a short summary of what you want to get out of counselling and to hear the options I have for you if you were to choose me as your counsellor.
Intake Forms
If you choose to get started with a full session I will send you a an email to set up an account through the booking system called Jane App. In there you can fill in all forms electronically including the informed consent form, confidentiality acknowledgments, tele-psychology consent forms and intake form.
In the intake form my goal is to understand holistically what might be contributing to your struggles. You are free to skip any questions on the form you don’t want to answer and also if you would rather answer the questions verbally in the first session instead of filling in the form, we can do that too.
Intake Session
Once we’ve completed intake, I will provide you with options for what I think might be helpful, you choose and then we get started. Often at the end of a session I will give you information and resources options as well as take home exercises if you want to do work outside of session. I will usually ask you at the end of session what was helpful or not helpful and what you would change next time about the session so that we can adjust and make the sessions the most helpful for you that they can be.
Sessions as Needed
Book follow up sessions as needed. This will be determined by what you want and what will be most effective to achieve your goals in the timeline that you have.
About Me and What I Offer
Counseling is a way in which I can support others in the work of healing, self discovery and change. We need many types of support in life but sometimes just managing this can be overwhelming. I make it easier for clients to plan, navigate, persist, play and take rests on their healing journey.
I am also here to notice and reflect back to you the strengths and the strategies you’ve found to get you this far in life. I know that trauma can impact a person deeply, so I work to create an environment that is compassionate, welcoming, predictable and accepting of whatever strategies you have used to get this far, even when your coping methods have painful side effects. To learn more about Trauma Informed Care go here.
I am a Registered Professional Counsellor with the Canadian Professional Counselors Association 3082. I’m also registered with Alberta Counselling Therapists Association 2095. If you want to know more about my education and credentials go here. I’m also a person who takes play just as seriously as work.
For the last 13 years I’ve been working with people who have had multiple mental health diagnoses, have experienced homelessness, use self harm and addictions to cope and have a history of complex trauma. My work has been with individuals and groups in residential, community and private practice settings. I strive to understand the systems that contribute to the suffering I’ve seen and this is why I also work to change systems that are impacting the health of society at large.
I’ve had to find many tools and strategies to offer clients, especially when so many factors are a part of a clients experience. Because I love learning and being challenged, I use a variety of tools which you can explore here.
Many professionals use the term “Client or Person Centered Care”. For me that means, this is your life, you get to decide the pace, who else you want on your team, what you’re willing to do and what success means to you. I simply offer the support you need when you show up. I will offer the choices I see as available without any expectations or pressure for you to take a certain option.