In my first career I was a child and youth worker involved in the care, promotion of good mental health and behaviour management of children from six to 18. In this capacity I worked for the Children's Aid Society, Ottawa-Carleton Juvenile Detention Centre and the Royal Ottawa Hospital. After having my own three children and being out of the paid workforce for eight yearsI decided on a career change and went back to university. First completing a BA in psychology and then a Masters degree in Pastoral Counselling with a specialization in Couples and Families. I did original research on the the implications of early family attachments on adjustment to motherhood. That resulted in a 200+ page Masters Thesis, which received top honours. I have worked with a lot with new parents particularly women experiencing postpartum mood disturbances and their partners. I have been trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and find this an extremely helpful tool in people working through trauma as well as negative self beliefs that are typically difficult to change. I have participated in three levels of training in Gottman method couple therapy and in Dr. Sue Johnson's Emotionally Focused therapy. I have extensive experience with couples working through issues from lack of connection, dissatisfaction, sexual difficulties, infidelity, addiction, loss, parenting challenges, blending families to extended family expectations and boundaries. Another area of experience and expertise is in the role of parenting coach/advisor for parens who are struggling with how to best help their children with their particular needs and challenges. I enjoy writing and have been a regular contributor to Homebase magazine and Ottawa Woman. I have also presented at many workshops and conferences on various topics, including postpartum depression, parenting, and promoting healthy adult relationships. I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor and a Registered Psychotherapist in the province of Ontario. My practice is supervised by Dr. Dino Zuccarini, which means that I am able to provide third party insurance coverage to my clients, under his name. For the last eight years I have been joined in my practice by my dog, a very quiet and gentle golden retriever, who attends sessions and enhances the calm and peaceful quality in my counselling room. My eldest daughter, Emily has followed me into the field of psychotherapy and works out of my office one evening each week. Emily specializes in youth, anxiety and depression.
