Welcome. I am grateful you are here to explore your options for counselling and to learn a little more about the therapy experience we can create together. You may be feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or quietly exhausted by life transitions, chronic stress, grief, loss, relationship strain, or questions of identity and purpose. Counselling can offer a place to slow down, make sense of what you are carrying, and feel more grounded, supported, and aligned.

My style is warm, calm, and compassionate, while my approach is collaborative, honest, reflective, and trauma-informed. I believe clients know themselves and their stories best, and I deeply value the courage it takes to share those stories. Grounded in person-centred and strengths-based care, our work will be tailored to your goals, lived experiences, values, and pace. I integrate approaches such as acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, emotion-focused therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused therapy to support insight, coping, emotional resilience, skill development, and meaningful change.

You do not need certainty or a clear path forward to begin. Together, we can create a space where truth, vulnerability, and what you are carrying can safely land. I believe meaningful change begins through connection and I hold the counselling relationship as a place of empowerment, healing, and repair. I would be honoured to support you as you move toward greater clarity, stability, self-compassion, and hope.

Building on my Honours Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, and Special Education Specialist qualifications, I also hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) in Ontario and the founder and Clinical Director of Bridge to Hope Incorporated in Oshawa.

For nearly 30 years, I have worked in education, leadership, and mental health across mainstream and alternative secondary school settings, including 13 years as a principal. Throughout my career, my work has centred on helping people recognize their strengths, navigate challenges, and experience a greater sense of belonging within safe, inclusive communities of care.

My professional experience also includes teaching Mental Health First Aid for Adults Who Interact with Youth through the Mental Health Commission of Canada and teaching college courses in adolescent development and education for youth at-risk. My additional training includes crisis intervention and response, trauma-informed care, suicide intervention, risk assessment, restorative practices, interpersonal neurobiology, youth mental health, culturally responsive practice, truth and reconciliation-informed practice, and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. Additionally, I am a First Degree Reiki practitioner.

Committed to lifelong learning and reflective practice, I look forward to continuing my psychotherapy professional development journey through advanced trainings in narrative therapy, couples counselling, polyvagal and somatic theories and approaches.

I support adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, chronic stress, burnout and overwhelm, depression, grief and loss, life transitions, relationship and family concerns, parenting and caregiving challenges, workplace stress, perfectionism, self-esteem, self-compassion, emotional regulation, and identity or self-discovery. I also have experience supporting individuals affected by chronic illness, separation and divorce, trauma, high-pressure environments, and sports-performance demands. I continue to be curious about the connection between the nervous system, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.

Outside the therapy room, I am happiest near the water, especially at my cottage, with sunshine, a good book, a garden to tend, and a campfire at the end of the day. I also enjoy basketball, board games, hot yoga, intuitive journaling, and hosting lively gatherings where family and friends can connect.

Much of my joy comes from spending time with my adult sons, affectionately known as “my giants,” and with the people and animals I love. I value warmth, humour, connection, curiosity, and lifelong growth. Like many, I aim to make improved space for movement, nourishment, rest, and activities that fill my cup. With each passing year, I am increasingly grateful for life’s lessons in slowing down, leaning into the present, and becoming more comfortable with simply being still.