FAQs

I believe that everyone can benefit from counselling at different periods in their life. That’s not to say talk therapy is the solution to all of your problems or that you want counselling forever, but counselling can offer support and guidance in many situations that we all face. Whether you’re struggling with your mood, behaviours, relationship conflicts, life transitions, stress, trauma, or grief, counselling can help. Counselling is also beneficial if you’re seeking increased self-awareness, improved coping mechanisms, or general personal development. Counselling provides a safe space to explore your feelings, explore relationship dynamics, understand yourself better, and develop strategies to manage the things that life throws at you.

Check out my Services page, but long story short I offer one-on-one talk therapy. Currently I offer services online throughout all of BC and if you’re in the Penticton area, I also offer Walk + Talk sessions.

Walk + Talk therapy is just what it sounds like - we combine the talk therapy aspect of counselling with an outdoor walk. I’ve taken specific training in facilitating walking therapy and the idea is that the movement and connection with nature can help stimulate conversation and promote relaxation. Some people find it easier to open up and express themselves while engaging in physical activity or walking side by side. There are a few things to know before deciding whether a Walk + Talk session is a good fit for you - particularly around privacy and safety for yourself. I ask that all clients interested in walking therapy book a consultation session beforehand.

Beyond the Walk + Talk sessions in the Penticton area, I don’t offer in-person or in-office sessions at this time.

Over the past few years, online counselling has really been legitimized as an effective and convenient way of accessing mental health support. Studies have shown that client satisfaction and therapeutic outcomes are similar for both in-person and online therapy, and that the flexibility and accessibility of online counselling can actually help to increase engagement and consistency on the client’s part. That said, what we gain in accessibility and convenience, we may lose in little bits of nuance or non-verbal communication - we can bridge this gap by working towards clear and open communication with each other throughout each session.

Logistically there are a few things to consider with online therapy:

• Technical Requirements - Spoiler alert - in order to do online therapy you need to be able to be online! You can join sessions from your phone, computer, or tablet - whatever works best for you. To make the most of our time together it’s good to ensure your internet connection is decent and your camera and microphone are working properly before the session begins.

• Privacy - On my end, all sessions are conducted in a private space with no one in the same room or within earshot of our sessions. To ensure privacy and confidentiality on your end you’ll want to consider the same. It’s important that you feel you can talk openly and freely without concerns that your partner, parents, roommates, friends, etc. will overhear you.

• Focus - There are so many areas and so much time in our lives where our focus and attention is in demand. It is important that therapy is able to contrast this and remain a dedicated time for you. As much as it’s great that online therapy increases ease of access, sometimes we’re pulled in other directions and tempted to multitask. It’s in your best interest not to be trying to do other things at the same time as attending counselling. For some, things like doodling, knitting, having a pet present, holding a fidget toy, etc. can actually help with staying present and engaging more actively in the session - this is totally fine! Things like having to parent little ones while in session, looking at things on the internet, checking emails, etc. will pull you away from the session and potentially reduce the benefits of counselling. Recognizing it can be a bit different than how you may be used to operating - I don’t expect perfection on this at all! We can touch base and talk about it as you need.

• Safety - For safety reasons it’s important that I’m able to know where you are located during the session in case of an emergency. I don’t always need to know specifics, but it’s helpful when you let me know if you’re not in your usual spot during a session, and sometimes I may ask more directly around where you are. Another consideration around safety is that I ask that you do not drive while we are in session. If we do begin the session and you’re driving, I’ll ask that we hang up and try again when you’re able to pull over.

I hold a Master of Education in Counselling (MEd) degree from the University of Northern BC (UNBC), and have designations from both the BCACC and CCPA. I am a lifelong learner and continually take advantage of professional development opportunities and access clinical supervision. If you have any questions or would like more details around specific coursework or training, don’t hesitate to ask.

I don’t. My training around couples or families has been fairly minimal and I am careful to work within my scope. I therefore do not work outside of individual counselling at this time.

You totally can, but I limit text and email communication to administrative purposes like booking and canceling appointments, or forwarding links to articles, resources etc. I have a Communication Policy as part of my consent process, so we can discuss the intricacies a bit more in session or during a consultation. The important thing to know off the bat is that texting and emailing is not secure so I cannot fully guarantee confidentiality when those methods of communication are used - so it’s a bit of a “use at your own risk” kind of situation.