COUNSELLING FOR MIDLIFE CRISES - RELATIONSHIP ISSUES - GRIEF AND LOSS
Demographics
I’m a middle-aged, (relatively) able-bodied, cis-gendered heterosexual white woman who grew up middle class in Victoria, BC. I have two adult daughters and have experienced both divorce and widowhood. I do not take the privilege of my particular social location lightly; I not only welcome, but encourage conversations about how your experience of the world may be different than mine, and how your own social location has contributed to the state of your mental health.
Education and Careers
· Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP)
· Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS)
· Bachelor of Humanities
I’ve had several different careers in my lifetime. I graduated with a degree in humanities (focusing mostly on English Literature) from the University of Victoria and then promptly got pregnant. I was a stay-at-home mom for a few years until I got accepted to McGill’s Master of Library and information Studies (MLIS). I spent over a decade in Montreal as a youth librarian both in the public system and then at an all-girls private high school. Books are an important of my life and my practice—if you’re a reader, be warned: there will be book recommendations!
When I moved back to Victoria, I began working for the provincial government, eventually finding my way to the position of senior policy analyst. This analytical, evidence-based spirit is how I show up as a counsellor— I support clients by guiding people in their own inner detective work, always with compassion and without judgement and at their own pace.
Though I enjoyed the work I did with the government, I wanted work that spoke to my soul, that fascinated me and that made me want to keep learning. So, in my late forties I embarked on my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP).
Fellow Traveler
A big part of my decision to become a counsellor is my own personal experience with divorce, death and the consequent loss of identity, purpose and dreams for the future. I want to do this work with others because my personal journey into these dark, shadowy places has been and continues to be so transformative. I cannot imagine a better vocation than helping others navigate their way through their own darkness to finally claim agency over their own lives.
I can help with:
· Relationship issues (spouses, parents, children, friends, etc.)
· Relationship loss (divorce, separation, break-ups, death)
· Loss in general (this could be loss of physical capacity, empty nest, loss of an old dream that didn’t come true, or even loss of a clear concept of who you are)
· Grief and regret about life choices
· Career dissatisfaction/changes
· Work/life balance
· Feeling like you’re not in control of your own life
· Identity and confidence crisis
· Finding meaning in your story
· Support for caregivers
Benefits of Compassionate self-Exploration
· Rediscovering your purpose
· Finding new meaning and perspectives in old stories
· Increased sense of agency
· Improved ability to set healthy boundaries
· Improved relationships
· A sense of empowerment
· Greater self-acceptance and self-compassion
My Approach
I believe everyone is the expert on their own experience: I take a collaborative, creative, human-centered approach that includes concepts from internal family systems (IFS), narrative, and psychodynamic therapy. I have a strong interest in existential therapy as a beginning framework for understanding the areas human beings struggle with most and am passionate about helping clients develop the self-awareness necessary to effect the change they want to see in their lives.
In a nutshell, it means I approach all my clients through the lens of our shared , flawed humanity and try to create a space framed by compassion, respect, curiosity and non-judgement where change can occur.
Cost:
$140 per 60 minute session for individuals
$160 per 60 minute session for couples
Location
· Online
· In-person counselling Wednesday and Saturday