Couples Therapy
Feeling stuck in your relationship? Are you and your partner in a “rut” and can’t seem to get out of it? Are you and your partner fighting and don’t know how to stop? I work with couples to understand individual emotional responses in the relationship, understand the cycles of interaction between partners and ultimately, create NEW cycles of interaction by securing the relationship bond. For more information on the type of couples therapy I utilize, you can visit: International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Family Therapy and Parenting Support
Do you want to decrease conflict in your family? Do you want to strengthen your family relationships? I approach my work with families from an attachment oriented perspective. This means that I believe the parent/caregiver – child relationship is of the utmost importance! I work with parents and children to understand their individual needs and from that, develop collaborative goals designed to help strengthen this relationship.
Individual Therapy
Individuals seek therapy for a variety of reasons – help navigating a major life change, help sorting through relationship challenges, experience symptoms of anxiety or depression – the list can go on and on! I work to promote a sense of security and warmth in the therapy room for my clients. This sense of security will result in the development of a healing relationship.
I am trained in EMDR – a trauma processing therapy. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from many different treatment approaches. For more information about EMDR, visit: EMDR International Association.
Play Therapy
Play is a child’s primary language! Play is a fun, enjoyable activity that elevates our spirits and brightens our outlook on life. It expands self-expression, self-knowledge, self-actualization and self-efficacy. Play relieves feelings of stress and boredom, connects us to people in a positive way, stimulates creative thinking and exploration, regulates our emotions, and boosts our ego (Landreth, 2002). In addition, play allows us to practice skills and roles needed for survival. Learning and development are best fostered through play (Russ, 2004).
The Association for Play Therapy defines play therapy as “the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.”
I utilize both direct and non-direct play techniques to help children prevent or resolve difficulties with which they are struggling. I believe in the healing power of play and the tremendous benefits it brings to children in therapy.