FAQs

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If you don’t see your question answered here, please call my confidential office phone at 204-233-9023 or email me using the contact form below. 

Call my confidential voicemail at 204-233-9023 or email me using the contact form below. I typically respond to messages within 24 business hours and will contact you directly to schedule an appointment. 

I have a Master’s Degree in Counseling and am a Certified Professional Counselor with the PACCP (Professional Association of Christian Counselors and Psychotherapists).  I am accountable to their code of ethics and continuing education requirements.

In addition to my core training I am an IFS-informed therapist (IFSCA Stepping Stones, Deepening Your Core IFS Practice and IFS and Spirituality Masterclass with Dick Schwartz).

With a previous Master's Degree from the University of Manitoba in Psychology (Research), my experiences over 30 years include serving in the education, health care, and human resources fields.

Your first visit is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and for you to decide if the working relationship will be a good fit. We will meet and talk about the therapy process and your story, history and goals. We will then focus in on your particular needs and decide on a way forward. Sessions are 55 minutes in length.

Meeting frequency depends on how pressing your situation is. Many individual clients choose to meet weekly or bi-weekly at first until they feel better and more capable of regulating their distress levels. They then move to bi-weekly or monthly appointments. Couples counseling can last from 6-21 sessions, and is best arranged on a regular weekly or biweekly schedule to get the maximum benefit.

Ongoing meeting schedules are as individual as the client desires. Whether you are looking for short-term therapy (6-21 sessions), long-term therapy, require only a few sessions or the occasional follow-up session, we will work collaboratively to find the right frequency for you.

I approach our work together from a compassionate, trauma-informed perspective, taking into account both the body and mind as we explore your areas of concern. Believing that people heal within relationship, I work with clients and tailor my approach to your particular problem and needs. Under the umbrella of Interpersonal Neurobiology, I most commonly use techniques from Attachment, Internal Family Systems, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral, Narrative and Feminist therapies. I also incorporate somatic exercises to help you regulate your nervous system so that you learn to feel calmer.   For couples I primarily use Emotionally Focused Therapy,

Yes, I use a transtheoretical approach to addictions work which has proven to be the best approach for long-term gains.

In couples counseling I use emotionally focused therapy (EFT), an approach that focuses on reconnecting partners and restoring emotional intimacy. In cases where a partner’s commitment to the relationship is in question, we may meet to clarify the situation and explore how to move forward. If your partner does not want to come to couples counseling, you may still benefit from coming on your own.  

Yes, you should continue to work with your physician to take the right medications for you. It is interesting to note that numerous studies have shown that taking medication along with therapy yields better results than taking medication alone.  

Individual sessions are 55 minutes at $115.00. Couple sessions are 55 minutes at $145.00.  IFS sessions for therapists are 55 minutes at $115.00.

Payments are made by cash, cheque, email transfer or debit or credit card at the time of your appointment.  You will then receive a receipt for services. 

Depending upon the insurance package that you or your employer purchased, some plans cover work with a Psychotherapist (please check with your provider to confirm coverage). Blue Cross, Sun Life, Green Shield Canada, MPI Grief counseling and some Health Spending Accounts typically cover my services.  I am also a service provider for Humanacare, and if you have Humanacare coverage they are directly billed for your sessions..  For all other insurers I do not direct bill, but issue you a receipt that you can submit to your insurer for reimbursement.

I request a 24-hour cancellation notice.  Missed sessions with less than 24-hours notice will be billed at 50% of the session fee; no notice will incur a fee of 100%.

It is important that you find the right therapist so that you can engage in meaningful work. If you do not feel that our connection feels comfortable or is providing the right approach for you, I will be happy to provide you with a referral to another therapist.  

Please call my confidential office phone at 204-233-9023 or email me using the button below and I will be happy to respond to your question directly.