More About me.
As a counsellor, I am genuine in who I am and what I am thinking. As a person, I’m practical, have a strong sense of humour, and I bring those aspects into the counselling space. When we meet, I believe in being comfortable. During our sessions, I’m most likely to be wearing a t-shirt, hoodie, and jeans or yoga pants and I invite you to dress comfortably as well. It’s easier to connect with our inner emotional world when our physical body is able to relax.
Also, I grew up in the outports of Newfoundland and I’m happiest near the ocean. I’ve lived in Labrador in adulthood and still dream about the land there. I’m an introvert, reformed houseplant killer, and have a deep appreciation of tattoos and fantasy novels.
I have experience in provide individual mental health counselling, individual addictions counselling, and relationship counselling for adults (18+) and seniors. I have worked with people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community; First Nations and Inuit community members; and people who are involved with the Criminal Justice System or with Canada Border Services.
I use a mix of multiple evidence-based theories such as:
Feminist Theory
Critical Race Theory
Narrative Theory
Mindfulness Approaches
Post-Traumatic Growth
Person-centered, trauma-informed care
Motivational Interviewing
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
DBT (Dialetical Behaviour Theory)
CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Theory)
All the letters behind my name (AKA education, certification, and training)
RSW: Actively registered social worker with the Newfoundland & Labrador College of Social Workers (NLCSW)
MSW: Master of Social Work, Health and Social Care specialization (University of British Columbia, 2019)
BSW: Bachelor of Social Work (Memorial University, 2015)
CCRM: Certificate in Criminology (Memorial University, 2015)
BA (psych): Bachelor of Arts, psychology major (Memorial University, 2007)
Completed Trauma-Focused Acceptance & Commitment Therapy training (2024)
Completed Level I training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy (2020)
Master Class: Core Skills in DBT (Treatment Implementation Collaborative, 2021)
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work Leader Training (2022)
Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta, Coursera, 2020)
Land Acknowledgement
I respectfully acknowledge the land on which we gather as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk [bee-oth-uck], whose culture has now been erased forever. I also acknowledge the island of Ktaqmkuk [uk-dah-hum-gook] (Newfoundland) as the unceded, traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi'kmaq [mee-gum-maq]. And I acknowledge Labrador as the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu [in-new] of Nitassinan [ne-tass-eh-nen], the Inuit [in-new-eet] of Nunatsiavut [nu-nat-see-ahvut], and the Inuit of NunatuKavut [nu-nah-tuhk-ah-vut]. I recognize all First Peoples who were here before us, those who live with us now, and the seven generations to come. As First Peoples have done since time immemorial, I strive to be a responsible steward of the land and to respect the cultures, ceremonies, and traditions of all who call it home. As I open my heart and mind to the past, I commit to working in a spirit of truth and reconciliation to make a better future for all.