​“You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn’t mean you’re defective – it just means you’re human.”
David Mitchell
“What we don’t need in the midst of struggle is shame for being human.”
Brene Brown
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Anxiety Treatment
Anxiety happens when the alarm center of our brain senses danger or unpredictability and releases chemicals in our body that ramps us up to keep us hypervigilant; this results in possible physiological symptoms such as increased heart rate, tense muscles, and difficulty with focus, concentration and memory, and a sense of fear/doom. The purpose of anxiety is to keep us safe.
Anxiety is also a part of being human. We all experience it and often it can be appropriate in the right circumstances; when we experience something new or novel, when we are actually in a dangerous situation, when we have a deadline or project to complete, or perhaps when public speaking. Normal anxiety is typically short lived and when the task is completed and the situation is resolved, your anxiety decreases and returns to your normal. Your alarm center is no longer sensing danger.
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Anxiety becomes a problem when it is more chronic and is experienced for a longer period of time. This can have significant negative impacts on both your physical and mental health. Often as a therapist I am asked at what point someone should seek professional help to better manage and cope with their anxiety. The typical answer is, when anxiety and the related symptoms are having a significant negative impact on your daily living and negatively impacting your meaningful relationships, then it's probably time to reach out for support.
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I use evidenced based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness strategies, and EMDR to assist clients to better manage and cope with anxiety and live more meaningful lives. The goal isn't to eliminate anxiety, but to reduce it and manage it so you can live a life of value and purpose.
Depression Therapy
According to the World Health Organization, "Depression is the presence of persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks. It is different from the usual mood fluctuations or temporary sadness in response to challenges in everyday life." Symptoms of depression may include: decreased motivation, fatigue, loss of enjoyment of usually pleasant activities, isolation, decreased libido, and intrusive negative thinking. Depression often involves persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood; feelings of hopelessness or pessimism; and feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.
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Such symptoms are often normal or typical reactions to difficult life situations, and often the symptoms will return to your normal once the situation has resolved or we have adapted.
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Depression becomes an issue when it becomes more long-term and persistent. If you are struggling with such symptoms, and they are negatively impacting your daily functioning and impacting meaningful relationships, it's likely time to reach out for support. The good news is that depression is treatable. I am trained in evidence based therapies such as CBT, ACT, and EMDR to assist clients to manage their symptoms and return to a greater sense of wellbeing.
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Couples Therapy
I utilize Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in my work with couples. EFT is a type of therapy based on attachment theory. According to Sue Johnson PhD who developed EFT, “Emotional responsiveness—tuning into and supporting the other—is the key defining element of love,” This theory suggests that when couples are experiencing relational distress, the negative emotions they are experiencing are the result of unmet needs and the loss of contact and responsiveness of a partner. All humans have built-in needs for healthy relationships; the needs to feel safe, loved, supported, needed, and important in their relationships. When such needs aren't met, as humans we 'protest' that our needs aren't being attended too, and this 'protest' is experienced often in the form of fighting, arguing, avoidance, and isolation.
The goal of EFT, is to assist couples to discover the unmet needs of their partners and attend to such needs in a loving and supportive way. We want to create safety in their relationships so couples can be safe to be vulnerable and real with each other being able to express needs freely. The result can be restored connection and mutual comfort, which can buffer many life difficulties.
If your are feeling disconnected from your partner, or feeling like roommates and not partners at all, it may be time to reach out for support.
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Trauma Counseling
According to Psychology Today, "The word “trauma” literally means wound, shock, or injury. Psychological trauma is a person’s experience of emotional distress resulting from an event that overwhelms the capacity to emotionally digest it. The precipitating event may be a one-time occurrence or a series of occurrences perceived as seriously harmful or life-threatening to oneself or loved ones." Traumatic events negatively impact a person's sense of safety in the world often resulting in regular increased hypervigilance and a sense that disaster could strike at any time. The survival brain (Amygdala) has difficulty differentiating between a real threat and a perceived threat, often sensing danger when there is actually no danger present at all. And when the survival brain senses danger, it triggers a fear response (fight, flight, freeze) resulting in physiological changes such as racing heart, quickening breath, sweating, surging energy, etc.
So the main takeaway from the above information is: ITS NOT YOUR FAULT if and when you are experiencing the fear response (fight, flight, freeze) and the related hypervigilance. This reaction is just your brain trying to keep you safe and comes from the subconscious part of your brain. You didn't premeditate this or cause this to happen, it is simply a response to a perceived or real threat.
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If trauma related symptoms are having a significant negative impact on your daily living and negatively impacting your meaningful relationships, then it's probably time to reach out for support.
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The good news is that there are many evidenced based treatments to treat trauma. I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in combination with CBT and other modalities to treat trauma. I have had the great privilege to walk alongside clients, helping them to process their trauma, learn skills to cope with the related symptoms and lead purposeful and valued lives.
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Other Areas:​
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Impacts of Trauma and PTSD
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Depression and Mood
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Anxiety and Panic Attacks
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Life Stressors
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Life Transitions and Grief
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Chronic pain
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Managing Relationships and Boundary Setting
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Assertiveness Training
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Specialized in supporting CAF and VAC members, and their spouses
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Modalities:
I use various approaches including:
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
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Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT)
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Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
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Mindfulness
Services:
I offer 50 minute sessions in person in Trenton, Ontario, and also offer virtual counselling using a safe and secure online platform. Virtual sessions allow you to engage in counselling from the comfort of your home, although for trauma counselling I prefer in-person sessions in my office as I find it's more personable and effective.
I work with adults 18 and older and have significant experience working with military members and veterans.
Rates:
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My rate is $195 per session.
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Social work services do not require HST and can be claimed by most insurance providers. For Miliatry members and Veterans fees are paid by direct billing through Medavie Bluecross.