Services
Learn More About the Counselling & Mindfulness Services that I Offer
Vipassana
What is Vipassana?
This practice is suitable for both beginners and advanced practitioners.
Vipassana meditation is a form of mindfulness that comes from the original teachings of the Buddha but can be found in all cultures. Vipassana, meaning “to see things as they really are,” like all meditation techniques is open to people of all faiths or none and all nationalities and ethnicities. Vipassana requires no belief system as it’s a non-sectarian practice.
It is a journey of self-discovery, and presents an opportunity to experience for one’s self the truths of ancient teachings. The goal of the practice is the equivalent of a mental detox; and the development of values such as compassion and equanimity, and the increase of empathy. One of the benefits of the day is the opportunity for silent practice under the trees.
What is overtoning?
Overtoning is a practice of chanting or harmonic singing where we make a sound and modulate the voice so that we can produce other sounds or notes simultaneously. This helps the body to resonate the primordial sound of OM. This is applied to the Shakras of the body, and is a helpful way of bringing our attention to the sensations of the body. This helps with grounding and self-regulation.
The benefits of chanting
Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum
This is one of the most important Buddhist mantras. It is very useful both for learners and for the most advanced practitioners. In this mantra the whole universe is like a crystal (in some translations – a pearl), which is inside my heart (or inside a lotus flower – representation of the ‘I’). This mantra is chanted, meditating on the connection between us and the universe, with a sense of altruism, love, and dedication. The main benefits of chanting is that it has a way of detoxing the mind.
Individual Counselling
Do you find yourself struggling to trust others and are holding back from meaningful connections? These concerns may be the result of unresolved trauma.
What is Trauma?
Trauma occurs precisely when an event is overwhelming to a point where a person is unable to rationalize, defend, process or accept what is happening to them or someone close to them. Trauma fragments the brain’s ability to make sense and therefore move on from the onslaught. The event when it occurs overwhelms and drives us to our basic survival responses.
When the traumatic incident occurred did you find yourself unable to move? You may even find yourself tensing up or being easily startled throughout your day. After a traumatic event, you may develop an exaggerated stress response. It involves a recurrent pattern of reactions related to the initial event. You aren’t alone in experiencing this, it is actually one of the most common signs of having been traumatized.
Other signs include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability
- Panic Attacks
- Numbing
- Insomnia
- Flashbacks
- Hopelessness
- Loss of a sense of self
What is Complex Trauma?
Complex trauma arises from exposure to multiple traumatic events which often occur during childhood. Emotional, physical and sexual abuse, exploitation or bullying, and even being trafficked are the most common root causes. Sometimes a parent or person caring for a child has their own trauma experiences, and their child inevitably is adversely affected.
Complex trauma is not always the result of childhood trauma. It can also occur as a result of adults’ experience of violence in the home, university, neighbourhood and workplace. The abuse could be physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, financial or spiritual-PTSD, which if left untreated can develop into Complex Trauma. The long-term effects of this exposure should be assessed by a mental health professional as soon as possible.
Some indications that may be experiencing complex trauma are:
- Persistent unresolved guilt
- Constant feelings of shame and worthlessness
- Trouble feeling “safe” within your own body
- Deep distrust of authority figures
- Anxiety around intimacy/ aversion to close relationships
- Being easily startled
- Self-harming behaviours
- Chronic pain
- Using food or substances to cope with strong emotions
Healing is Possible
While these “symptoms” may become the focus of treatment, it is also important to consider the root cause and address the whole person and the experiences that brought up these concerns. A trauma sensitive approach to therapy allows you to explore your current difficulties while keeping in mind that we are complex beings with histories that impact us. We look to understand how we survived our most difficult experiences and how to utilize those strengths while learning new tools to continue to thrive.
The world of therapy has come a long way in the treatment of trauma and PTSD. There is a greater understanding of how trauma is held within the body and manifests symptoms. Through trauma-focused therapy, you can learn to understand not only the circumstances that led to the trauma but also uncover your strengths and utilize them to shift the patterns that are keeping you stuck.
Sessions structure.
Body-centered (somatic) therapy links the healing elements of verbal sharing with the power of bodily relief. It allows you to work through not only the thoughts and underlying beliefs that have resulted from the trauma, but accesses the healing capacity of the brain and body to develop a deeper, more felt sense of internal safety. The goal of somatic therapy is not only to cultivate a deep level of healing, but to bring forward your intuition and inner capacity to better manage stress and maintain a healthy mind-body connection. A commitment to trauma sensitive counselling leads to a renewed commitment to yourself through which you can master methods to self-soothe, feel grounded, and connect with your spiritual self as well.
I prioritize creating a safe, inclusive space that provides culturally competent and trauma informed counselling. I utilize somatic modalities of therapy to harness the body’s innate wisdom and movement towards healing and growth. Our diverse team of therapists strive to create an authentic relationship with every client and believe in the holistic nature of the mind, body, and soul. We recognize the challenges and hesitations of our clients as part of the process of growth and do not view people as needing to be fixed.
Getting help.
In the course of life, you will experience traumatic events that are emotionally painful. If not treated, these events may result in mental and even physical effects. A trauma specialist is a licensed mental health therapist specializing in trauma. They have extensive training and clinical experience working directly with trauma victims.
Going through difficult times may be a normal part of every family’s journey, however dysfunction does not have to be. How we cope with difficulties determines the mental health and happiness of those most beloved to us. Respect, tolerance, and unconditional acceptance are not inherent but rather skills that can be taught and improved upon.
Couples Counselling & Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT)
Therapy Can Make a Difference to Your Life
Couples counselling and relationship education have been proven to be effective in improving communication between couples, addressing difficult problems in the relationship, and providing couples with the tools to move forward together or break up on the best terms. Whether you are in the process of separating or want to strengthen your relationship going forward, couples counselling can help you and your partner make the best choices for you and your family.
Our session will be a collaborative process of understating communication patters, unpinning needs and expectations. This helps us to better understand the root cause, as well as to see how it induces distress and disruption in your life currently. Here are just some of the issues we can help you to explore in couples counselling.
- Anger management
- Emotional abuse
- Parenting
- Loss or grief
- Divorce and relationships
- Anxiety or Fears
- Premarital issues
- Relationship enrichment
- Communication and skills building
- “Last shot” couples counselling
- Affair recovery
- Discernment counselling for those considering divorce
There are a number of benefits that couples and families can gain from EFT. Some of these include:
Better emotional functioning: EFT provides a language for healthy dependency between partners and looks at key moves and moments that define an adult love relationship. The primary goal of the model is to expand and re-organize the emotional responses of the couple.
Stronger bonds: EFT is based on attachment theory, which suggests that attachments between people typically provide a safe haven—a retreat from the world and a way to obtain comfort, security, and a buffer against stress.
Improved interpersonal understanding: EFT helps people become more aware of their partner’s needs. Because of this awareness, they are also able to listen and discuss problems from a place of empathy instead of a place of defensiveness or anger.Emotionally focused therapy can unwind automatic, counter-productive reactions that threaten relationships.
During an EFT session, a therapist observes the dynamics between a couple and then acts as a collaborator to coach and direct new ways of interacting. Unlike some other forms of therapy where the therapist is more of a passive listener, EFT therapists take an active role in guiding the conversation. The therapeutic approach also focuses on addressing emotions and interactions within the session rather than focusing on things like worksheets and homework.
Therapists are empathetic and help couples recognize their emotions as valid. They help couples and individuals recognize behaviours and patterns that they may not even be aware of and see how these actions contribute to conflict in a relationship.