counselling services
Adolescent Counselling
Adolescent counselling aims to prevent and treat challenges facing young folks during a complex and influential stage of development. Issues facing adolescents today are often complicated by issues their parents did not face – their world is not as our world was. and this requires intentional efforts to offer non-judgmental spaces, an educated understanding of their social climate and the methods and modes they use to create strong and meaningful connections.
When working with adolescents, I often recommend parenting or family counselling as a way to enhance support. Adolescent counselling may include:
Identify, self-confidence and self-worth
Friendships and social challenges
Transition to high school and post-secondary institutions – fears & insecurities
Uncoupling – transitions, parental conflict, creating connections with step-parents
Questioning sexual orientation and gender identity
Anxiety and school refusal
Perfectionism and performance
Healthy use of technology
Individual Counselling
Individual counselling is self-care. Often, we are the last ones we offer care to in our lives. I invite you to show up with intention for you: to offer time for your mental health and space for your well-being. Together, we can start asking and answering the tough questions so that we can actively co-create your life design. Individual counselling may include:
Self-worth, confidence, and courage
Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries in personal and professional relationships
Women in the workplace – leadership and knowing your value
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Inner child trauma – honouring your little
Anxiety
Grief and loss
Who are you, what lights you up, and how do you want to show up in your world?
Relationship, family and parenting counselling
Relationships and families are complicated. Together, let’s explore how to honour and support our partners in relationship and how we show up for the young ones in our lives, and continue to be present for them, especially when they say they don’t want us to! Relationship, family and parenting counselling may include:
Communication barriers – being seen and feeling heard
Uncoupling and co-parenting – from conflict to parenting as partners
Creating strong connections, spaces of belonging and maintaining trust in relationships
2SLGBTQIA+ relationships/partnerships/parenting
Family structures – family of origin/blended families
Cross-cultural barriers in relationships and parenting
Positive parenting and positive discipline strategies
Setting reasonable relationship or family goals to meet the needs of all
2SLGBTQIA+ folks and
families counselling
It can be especially challenging for folks who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ or who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity to trust that they are safe to show up authentically and feel held and cared for in therapy. As a queer-identifying counsellor, I offer an inclusive and affirming space where 2SLGBTQIA+ identifying folks and families can be present and share without cis or heteronormative presumptions. 2SLGBTQIA+ counselling may include:
Questioning your sexual orientation or gender identify
Trauma and/or anxiety present in your coming out journey
Supporting your child or family member in their coming out journey
Coming out later in life – family, friends, community, career
Familial and community response, acceptance or loss
Trauma associated with systemic oppression and personal discrimination
Intersecting of identities – 2SLGBTQIA+/religion/race/ethnicity
2SLGBTQIA+ relationships/partnerships/parenting
“When you put love out in the world it travels, and it can touch people and reach people in ways that we never even expected.”
— Laverne Cox