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Specialties​ Include:

 

 

• Anxiety/Stress

• Chronic Pain and Illness

• Criminal Victimization/Abuse/Trauma

• Grief and Loss​

• Pet Bereavement​

• Self-Esteem​



 

 

 

Please find below a brief description of some of my specialties.

Please feel free to contact me for more information on any of the services that I offer.



 

 

Criminal Victimization



According to the Victims of Crime Act, a victim of crime  is "an individual who suffers, in relation to an offence, (a) physical or mental injury or economic loss as a result of an act or omission that forms the basis of the offence, or (b) significant emotional trauma and is an individual against whom the offence was perpetrated or, with respect to an individual against whom the offence was perpetrated, is a spouse, sibling, child or parent of the individual."​

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For years I have seen how devastating and harmful criminal victimization can be. Regardless of one’s class, gender, race or age, criminal victimization is a reality that without warning can affect any one of us.  Its effects can be long-term and difficult to overcome. Causing trauma physically, psychologically and financially, criminal victimization can profoundly affect a person’s health and well-being. I have seen how long-term trust, vulnerability and intimacy with others can be seriously impacted. With the intense, persistent, cruel and inescapable nature of criminal victimization, many survivors are held to experience rage, grief, and despair for years. 



The devastating amount of victimization that exists, the impact that it is having on so many lives, and the lack of societal awareness, resources and structures currently available to deal with it, is why I personally believe that crime victims deserve increased validation, advocacy, supports and attention. As a victim of crime, you may be feeling lost and not knowing where to turn, and who to trust for help. With a continued passion to help crime victims since 2003, as a therapist it is my mission to help empower clients to have their voices heard, and find the support, resources, and increased control over their lives that they deserve. 





​​Grief and Loss



When someone we love dies, or we find ourselves without something or someone that used to bring us support, security and comfort, how we cope with the world around us can change in an instant. From losing a loved one, being a child of divorce, losing a job, or living with chronic pain/illness, grief and loss can include a variety of dimensions that affect each and every one of us throughout our life. Everyone experiences grief differently, but whether subtle or traumatic, grief and loss can be extremely challenging. As people, we depend on the relationships, supports and strengths in our lives. When these change or are lost, our lives change. It may be the first time that we cannot control an outcome. It may be the first time that we cannot 'make it better' for ourselves. Trust, vulnerability and security with the world we know can be impacted; however, healing is possible. It is has been my passion for years to guide and support clients through their healing journey by offering grief therapy tailored to their unique needs.





Pet Bereavement



The vast majority of pet owners regard their companion animals as family members, yet the role of pets in society and within grief therapy continues to receive little attention in research, training, and practice. Having close family ties to the animal healthcare profession, and as a dedicated social worker, I pay special attention to the importance of recognizing not only how animals influence our health and well-being when they are alive, but also how their death and euthanasia can leave us with a deep sense of grief, guilt, despair, loneliness and isolation. Just like human loved ones, when animal companions die a person’s social, physical and emotional world can be forced upside down. People can have difficulty sleeping, have a loss of appetite, a reduction in social activities, difficulties coping at work; not to mention an increase in stress, a loss of motivation, depression, and a sense of loneliness. Losing a pet to death is a reality which can affect anyone of us; it is a reality which touches people throughout their life span. Therefore, as a social worker and therapist it is my goal to recognize, help and validate clients throughout their grief journey after the loss of their companion.