Counselling / Therapy

My office is located at Wellspring Counselling & Consulting, 919 Fort St, Victoria BC. Sessions also are available by phone and skype. I believe the relationship you have with your counselor is very important. A natural trust, comfort and resonance with your consellor will help support the exploration you want to undertake. For this reason I offer a 30-minute no-fee consult which gives us both an opportunity to meet. Sessions are 75 minutes and the fee is $110.00, including HST. Your 10th session is free of charge. Some extended health benefits may be covered. Check with your provider

I have been counselling in private practice part and full time for about 15 years. My clients are individuals, couples and families. I sincerely believe that counselling can make quantitative and qualitative difference for those who seek a better understanding and awareness of their life’s challenges and issues. I believe humans have great capacity, and are innately empowered, to transform. We can let go of patterns and behaviors that are no longer working for us. I strive to help people create the very best life possible given their own unique circumstances.
I offer varied methodologies and approaches when counseling. Each client is unique and I strive to offer approaches that best suit their needs. I value and integrate positive psychology methods. I do not consider focusing on and analyzing pathologies a useful or positive practice for any client.

I believe seeking counselling is an indication of sound judgment and healthy choice. Counselling is valuable because it allows the client to view their issues and challenges from a larger perspective than one can view when  enmeshed and entangled in certain emotions, behaviors and communications.    

I have considerable experience with issues such as:
Depression/ Anxiety/ stress
Grief/ loss
Couples couselling
Life Transitions
Body image/ eating disorders
Sexuality
Trauma
 Addictions
Spiritual Issues

COUPLES COUNSELLING

I have a strong background and many years of experience counselling couples. I have been extremely fortunate to have  had many opportunities to learn from some of the most respected couples’ facilitators. Among them are Gay and Kathryn Hendricks, Harville Hendricks, John Gottman, and Liana Cane and Robert Balliod. Most notably, I have assisted Robert and Judith Gass (www. Sacred Union.com) in their week -long intensive couples retreat, for the last ten years. As well as assisting in the seminars, I counsel the couples individually during the seminar.  Furthemore, over the years I have counselled many couples in private practice. This has enabled me to work with hundreds of couples facing many different issues and challenges.

 Issues that many couples commonly encounter include:

• Creating more intimacy
• Communication (i.e. how to communicate needs and desires in a more loving and conscious matter, how to have difficult conversations successfully)
• Affection, sensuality and sexuality
• Breaking free of on- going negative patterns
• Agreement and consistency regarding parenting
• Being Assertive (rather than passive or aggressive)
• How to move into a more loving, deeper, spiritual connection
• How to deal with chronic health/ pain issues in relationship
• Pornography issues/addictions

PLEASE SEE THE SEMINAR PAGE FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE DESIRE AND INTIMACY PROGRAM MY LIFE PARTNER AND I OFFER 

Professional Credentials, Affiliations and Certificates:

Relevant Degree:
Master of Transpersonal Psychology
Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, CA (www.ITP.edu)

Affiliations:
CCA- Canadian Counselling Association
BCACC- British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (pending)
SDI- Spiritual Directors International (www. SDI.org)
ATP- Association of Transpersonal Psychologist

Long term Certificates and Trainings:
ITP Transpersonal Studies  (one year)
ITP Spiritual Psychology (one year)
Art of Spiritual Guidance (two years)
Spiritual and Psychological Alchemy (eighteen months)

I have also been fortunate enough to attend many week long seminars with the leading psychologists and thinkers of our times.

Professional Credentials, Affiliations and Certificates:

I offer supervision for new counsellors and therapists, as well as for counsellors seeking integration of issues pertaining to spirituality, sexuality or of a transpersonal nature. Also, for counsellors wanting to gain more skills and experience working with couples.

Also, PLEASE SEE SEMINAR PAGE FOR THE DESCRIPTION OF PSYCHE, SOUL AND SPIRIT. THIS TRAINING PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO OFFER PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND INTEGRATION OF PSYCHOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY.
   

Some frequently asked Questions about counselling and my responses:

Q- What is transpersonal psychology?
Transpersonal is a holistic approach to psychology that grew from humanistic psychology (Maslow and May, among others). It is positive psychology rather than emphasizing pathology or analyzing behaviors.
Personally, to me the essence of transpersonal psychology is to understand  and respect  that each aspect of an individual needs to be recognized and valued. When striving to gain self awareness and a greater sense of well being it is important to include the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual qualities of a person in the exploration. Regardless of the issue presented by my client, I believe that beneath the challenges, pain, and real life dilemmas we might encounter, there is a central core being, an essential self that needs to be acknowledged. My experience both personally and professionally is that when one has a healthy and reflective relationship with their essential self-life becomes enriched, more joyous, and deeply meaningful.
 

Q- Do you have a specialization?
 No, I like to work with many different issues and people. I am curious and engaged in the individuals that become clients, the person is always much more than the issue they are facing. I believe that many common issues are interrelated and to limit the scope of the approach might result in limiting the possible ways to resolve the issue.
Although I have many years of experience working with couples and love that work, I also gain much and enjoy the intimacy of one-to-one sessions. A family counselling dynamic is also a rewarding experience for me.

Q- Do you continue learning about new possibilities for assisting your clients?
I feel strongly that those who are fortunate enough to be working with others as counsellors and therapists must continue to pursue their own growth and understanding of how to assist those who trust us for guidance. Presently, I am undertaking a learning path related to exciting new revelations surrounding the field of neuroplasicity. It is exciting to learn new ways of helping people let go of the chronic thoughts and behaviors. We are at a crossroads in history when science and wisdom from many indigenous traditions are beginning to merge, which is very inspiring. As you can see from this website I have undertaken several long-term trainings that have enriched my life. My on going personal development makes it possible for me to offer new insights, practices and ways to facilitate change  for my clients.

Q-Do you have any counselling/psychology experience other than private practice?

My overall counselling experience has been extremely varied. It has ranged from working with autistic children at the May Institute in Chatham MA.,to working with abuse- and domestic violence-related issues from both men and women’s perspective. I bring to my practice of counselling all of my professional experience, as well as the rich and varied life experiences and teachings I have been privileged to have.