My counselling with individuals is in the areas of creating stronger self worth, dealing with anxiety, reducing reactivity and helping people feel more in control of themselves, making changes to destructive and harmful patterns and resolving past harm and abuse. You may be aware that your personal issues are getting in the way of living the kind of life you want. It is not that uncommon for people to have difficulty reaching out for help. Having to go to counselling may feel like a sign of weakness, but it is a truly brave person who can admit they don’t have it all together and ask for outside help.
I bring a family systems approach to individual counselling. It is not my goal to give you advice on specific issues. Rather my approach in counselling is to explore with you, through questions, many of which you have never considered, that which is keeping you stuck. My goal is to show you new and healthier patterns and support you as you learn to implement these throughout different areas of your life. The final result will give you the tools to solve a variety of issues on your own, once you are no longer in counselling.
Repeat A Pattern of Unfulfilling Relationships...
- Do you lose yourself... or give up yourself in intimate relationships?
- Do you find that despite your best efforts you keeping picking (or being picked by) partners that treat you very badly? Partners that cheat on you, call you names, control you by isolating you, belittling you, threatening you and withholding financial resources. Or alternately, partners that use you for your financial resources.
Struggle with A Sense that You're Not Good Enough
- Do you live your life seeking out admiration, respect and approval of others?
- Do you have difficulties making up your mind for yourself, figuring out what it is that you need and want?
A Caretaker...
- Someone who is juggling a great number of commitments and responsibilities?
- Someone who seldom if ever manages to do the kind of things that give you great personal pleasure?
- Do you feel good about yourself when you are caring for others, but secretly over time you begrudge other's lack of appreciate or acknowledgement?
Someone Who Uses Substances to Help You Forget, Cope or Escape...
- Do you use these substances at the end of a particularly long or stressful work day/week, before you have to spend time with someone you don’t enjoy or on most social occasions?
- Do you tell yourself that your substance use only gets out of hand on the rare occasion or that you could quit… so you’re not an addict.