My approach to therapy is based on Narrative Therapy, which you can learn more about here.  Narrative Therapy focuses on how the stories we tell ourselves affect our way of living, and how changing these stories can change our lives. 

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For instance, have you ever experienced a run of bad luck, and told yourself "I must be cursed"?  Or seen someone display a talent you don't have, and thought, "I'm not as good as them"?  These thoughts are stories, and when we repeat them to ourselves, we come to believe them.  Once we believe them, everything we see and experience is influenced by that belief--so every bad experience becomes proof that the "curse" is real, and every thing we wish we were better at becomes proof that we're "not as good".

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Narrative Therapy is what I use to help people change the stories they tell themselves, so that they can change their beliefs and thereby change how they experience the world.  I do this using techniques borrowed from Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, which you can learn more about here.  CBT is a method that allows people to change how they think, feel and act, by helping them notice patterns of thought, feeling and action that show up in their lives over and over.  Once a person has identified these patterns, they can introduce changes into those patterns, and by practicing those changes over and over again, the new pattern gradually comes to replace the old one. 

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My approach is also trauma-informed, which you can learn more about here.  Being trauma-informed means that I focus on making sure my clients feel safe and have control over their treatment, so that each person is empowered to decide what support works best for them.  I place emphasis on cultural considerations such as race, religion, sexuality and gender, and how trauma can affect not just individuals but communities.

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If you have questions about my approach and how it might work for you, please contact me using my Contact page.  I'm happy to answer any questions you have.