Background

I obtained a Master of Social Work degree in 2013 from Carleton University. I am a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

Since 2013, I have provided various services in the mental health and substance use field, including community-based mental health case management, individual and group therapy in a concurrent disorder program, and my private therapy practice. I have additional experience working in shelters, providing housing and homelessness support, and working in developmental services.

Approach

I use a client-centred, trauma-informed approach with a focus on existing strengths to collaborate with people on their path forward. I strive to help my clients view their situation with self-compassion, connect to their resiliency, and enhance their coping skills. I work with the understanding that individual issues arise in the context of greater social structures such as family, the workplace, intimate relationships, and society in general. Using an anti-oppressive framework, I acknowledge the ways in which gender, race, sexual identity, ability, age, and socioeconomic status influence individuals’ lives and I endeavor to deliver service that reduces the experience of inequality and powerlessness.

I tailor my approach to the needs of each client. My work is guided by therapeutic models including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Polyvagal therapy, Narrative therapy, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), otivational interviewing, and mindfulness-based therapies.

I believe that each of my clients know themselves best and that change and growth are always possible. It is my role to contribute knowledge and skills, facilitate a therapeutic alliance, and continually assess the effectiveness of the therapy.

I have experience helping people with a variety of issues, including the following:

• managing stress

• depression

• excessive worry and anxiety (including health anxiety)

• relationship difficulties

• self-esteem

• difficulties related to work

• substance use issues

• grief and loss

• coping with life transitions

• sleep issues and insomnia

What is a social worker?

Social workers work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, community health centres, community counselling agencies, and private counselling practices. They assist people with problems affecting their daily lives. Social workers help people to identify the source of the problem, to develop coping skills, and to find needed resources in their community.

Social workers provide the majority of counselling and psychotherapy services in Ontario. They have university degrees in social work. The profession is regulated by provincial law and anyone who calls themselves a social worker must be registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

For more information please visit: Ontario Association of Social Workers