In my childhood I was always searching for more understanding of myself and others and of my spirituality.   Communication has always been my love and interest, both intellectually and emotionally. Communication , self-reflection and spirituality are the threads that wind through my life experiences and tie them together.

I began my adult career as a speech-language pathologist in 1982, then working with adults in rehabilitation. I went on to complete a degree in teaching and another in environmental education, always seeking a profession that would allow me to share what I was really learning – how to be my authentic self.

I spent time on the self-help path for many years, sought my own therapists, mentors and learned about the indigenous connection to the Earth and the Creator from Mohawk and Ojibwa Elders. I completed my training as a spiritual psychotherapist at St. Stephen’s College in Edmonton. I studied for 13 years with Lennie Tan, an apprentice of both Don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements, Mastery of Love) and Bernadette Vigil (Mastery of Awareness: Living the Agreements). This is where my understanding of self-love, awareness and who I truly am really manifested and has been the catalyst and a culminating factor in my journey. I learned that we are all mirrors for each other and that the stories we tell are not always who we really are, but simply the stories that we tell ourselves. At the core, we are unconditional love. I am grateful for all that I have learned and I am committed to be an open heart and provide a safe, unconditional support for others in their search for a more authentic life, for joy and for happiness.

Another part of my life is interwoven throughout my journey and has impacted my view of the world and of myself in it.  That is my childhood trauma. Trauma can be the lens through which you see the world.  My growth in awareness has led me to understand more and more how I am not the trauma that I incurred. We all have the inner core of love and uniqueness.  I offer a part of the journey to see through a different lens, a more honest and loving lens.

Since almost the beginning of my professional work in psychotherapy ten years ago, I have been drawn to working with trauma.  This journey was supported early on by studying EMDR.  This approach along with parts work from the IFS philosophy, Polyvagal approaches and Mindfulness practice interwoven throughout is a wonderful combination for healing trauma.

My Training:

• EMDR Level 1 and 2, course work in IFS, Mindfulness, Somatic Experiencing, and Polyvagal approaches.
• 13 year Mentorship in Shamanic/Energy work with Lennie Tan, a Toltec teacher and practitioner
• Masters in Psychotherapy and Spirituality; St. Stephen’s College, University of Alberta
• Masters in Health Science (Speech-Language Pathology); Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
• Masters in Environmental Studies; York University
• Bachelor of Arts; University of Guelph; (psychology)
• Bachelor of Education; O.I.S.E.; University of Toronto

Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you – all of the expectations, all of the beliefs – and becoming who you are.