My Background and
Therapeutic Approach
As a former classical musician, I hold a doctorate in choral conducting, along with master's and bachelor's degrees in piano performance. I also earned a master's degree in counselling psychology and am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Drawing on my musical and clinical training, I specialize in supporting musician mental health, as well as working with couples and families.
I find special joy in supporting professional and amateur musicians as they build their careers and work to maintain a healthy balance between the demands of the field and mental wellness. In addition to offering individual psychotherapy sessions, I regularly provide mental wellness workshops for organizations in the music education and performance sectors across Canada and the United States. Having worked as a sessional instructor and freelance musician myself, I understand the unique pressures of a life in music and work to weave this lived experience into my therapeutic work.
My desire is to give you a space where you can be heard and empowered as we develop tools to help manage life’s challenges. As a psychotherapist, I work from a client-centred orientation and make it my goal to provide a safe and open environment in which you can work toward self-discovery and healing.
I hold training in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical-behaviour therapy (DBT), internal family systems therapy (IFS) Gottman couples therapy, and sex therapy. I also draw inspiration from emotional-focused therapy (EFT), narrative therapy, and an attachment therapeutic framework. I am also committed to person-centred and trauma-informed practice.
I am currently based in Waterloo, Ontario, and offer virtual services to clients throughout Ontario and across Canada.
My Mission and Professional Commitment
My mission is to create a space of safety, trust, and respect in order to facilitate growth and healing for each client. I seek to support clients as they move toward greater self-awareness and value-guided living. I am committed to an ethical and reflective practice and adopt evidence-based interventions that are targeted to the specific needs of each client.
It is a privilege to hold space for each client, valuing a collaborative, compassionate, and open relationship.
My professional commitment:
To empower and promote client autonomy
To respect and celebrate all aspects of a client’s identity, including those of culture, gender, race, sexual orientation, as well as religious and spiritual beliefs
To adopt a holistic approach to healing and wellness
To an ethical practice, including regular devotion to personal reflection and supervision
To offer those skills which I have carefully and conscientiously developed, and to regularly expand my skills through continued training