Connecting with family and friends, walking in the woods, and reading for pleasure and professional development are among my favourite ways to stay mentally balanced. 

Working in education and reflecting on my own struggles as a youth encouraged me to shift my professional direction and support youth and adults with mental health challenges through the counselling realm.  The importance of feeling supported and being heard has been a calling for me, and the gratitude and honour I feel whilst supporting others is rewarding and fills up my own bucket.

I am proud of the resilience that I have attained over a lifetime of personal struggles and afflictions.  Adversity is a part of life, and I believe that we all have the capacity to overcome our challenges with the right combination of support, encouragement and determination. The answers are within.

When I was small, I was just busy surviving, so the luxury of wanting to be anything other than an emotionally competent and thriving adult was outside of my wheelhouse.  As a young adult, I found the intrinsic desire to support children and youth, so teaching became my early focus. As a counsellor, I love to work with young adults and adults to support the desire for wellness. 

I’m spending time with my retired husband at Cultus Lake, where we moved almost two years ago.  We love boating in the summer, and enjoy living in the woods year-round.  It is so good for my soul, and having any one of my 7 grandchildren under the age of 6 years old over for sleepovers fills up the rest of my bucket!

Counselling is not a directive approach that involves “telling” or “advising.”  Counselling is a relational experience where, working together collaboratively, the client and therapist move toward goals that reflect the client’s needs.  The more energy a client puts into the work, the more movement and success can be achieved.  

Connecting with clients in a way that feels incredibly rewarding, and I am always so honoured to share space with someone who expresses a genuine desire for growth. I know how intimidating it can be to become vulnerable, and I love the relationship that develops with clients as he/she feels heard and safe enough to explore their own personal story. Gaining perspective and seeing the light in a client’s eyes when he/she feels heard, sometimes for the first time, is truly heart-warming to me.

Comforting, compassionate, non-judgmental, and supportive.  People see me as a guiding hand on their individual journeys.

“To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.” Criss Jami