FORMAL EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
UPDATE ** As of October 11, 2024 I am no longer accepting new clients **
Hello & welcome! I'm a registered social worker and somatic therapist living and practicing in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan - Treaty 6 territory and Homeland of the Metis Nation. I provide confidential online counselling services via Zoom from my home office. My intention with every client is to build a therapeutic relationship in a slow, gentle way to support a sense of embodied safety in your nervous system, to work within your own window of tolerance (not in overwhelm or beyond your ability to cope) and attune to your needs as you build capacity and move towards health.
Bessel van der Kolk, MD, a world renowned expert in trauma and healing notes that “Our job as therapists is to make it as safe as we can for people to meet their internal world.” Consistent with current research in the field, I believe that safety and comfort with your therapist are key elements in the success of therapy, regardless of the model or technique used.
I live with my husband and daughter, our golden retriever Copper, and our cat Fernando who loves to nap while we have sessions!
I'm also a writer. I write poetry and have two debut manuscripts forthcoming this year. I'm a student of Natalie Goldberg's writing practice and love long, lush lyric poems as well as haiku. I practice kundalini yoga, do daily breathwork, follow astrology and believe in living a slow, inspired life: gardening barefoot, walks in the forest and eating nutrient-dense food all support my nervous system to be regulated and in flow.
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Somatic Experiencing International, 2021, SE™ Practitioner (SEP) Certificate
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Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers #2255
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University of Regina, 2007, Bachelor of Social Work
AREAS OF PRACTICE
ABOUT ME
EXPERIENCE & APPROACH
From 2008-2012, I worked as a mental health therapist for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (formerly PAPHR). I opened my private practice in 2012 and operated a small holistic wellness shop in downtown Prince Albert. In 2014, I contracted with the Athabasca Health Authority to provide mental health services in Wollaston Lake, Black Lake and Stony Rapids. From 2019 to 2021, I was the Wellness Counsellor for the First Nations University Northern Campus. I was the wellness provider for the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Prince Albert campus from 2022-2023.
The COVID pandemic forced us all to work and live in a new way and this is where I discovered how effective online counselling (and working from home!) can be; that attuning to the resonant field is possible even from a distance. I love working with my own resources: comfy blankets, a candle flickering and being able to look out my windows at the trees. Orienting to here and now is one of the touchstone tools of somatic practice and part of setting the right conditions for your body to heal itself.
While I offered an eclectic mix of traditional western counselling services (CBT, mindfulness, guided imagery, ThetaHealing™, tapping method/EFT, Expressive Arts Therapy, solution-focused, strength-based et al), I felt something was missing. I wanted to serve those stuck with unresolved trauma . A lot of the time, these "top down" talk therapy modalities were not effective for everyone and the pain patterns kept repeating. In 2016, I began training in the "bottom up" specialized trauma resolution therapy, Somatic Experiencing®, and completed my certification in 2021. While I still offer an eclectic, person-centred approach, my expertise is in setting the right conditions in a slow, gentle way and working with the intention and belief in your innate capacity to heal.
I stay connected and up-to-date with the Somatic Experiencing™ community through assisting at locally offered trainings in Saskatoon SK. It helps me stay regulated, contained, and reminded of the intention I have: to help people move towards vitality and aliveness while being available to the present moment. If you're interested in this possibility, reach out. I'd love to work with you.
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Approved provider with Health Canada (NIHB) Non-Insured Health Benefits Program
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Approved provider with Victim Services
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Adult Individuals
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First Responders/Corrections Workers
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Educators/Nurses/Caregivers
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Relational Trauma & Codependency
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Stress & Anxiety
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Depression
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Grief & Loss
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Life Transitions
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PTSD & Unresolved Trauma
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Feminine Empowerment
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Residential School Survivor Support
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LGBTQ2 friendly
CONTACT ME
If you would like to book an appointment for a session, or have any questions, please call or text me. I will respond within 24 hrs and typically sooner.
If this is an emergency and you need to speak to someone right away, please call the Saskatchewan Health Line at 811 or go to your nearest ER services.
PHONE
(306) 961-7342