Approach to Counselling

What we struggle with outside ourselves is a direct result of the struggles within ourselves. I believe that each struggle we face is an opportunity for growth and healing. Often we repeat patterns hoping for a better outcome – but we are left feeling angry, frustrated and empty. This is the definition of insanity; doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result (Albert Einstein). There is something driving these patterns that is operating beyond our awareness, usually founded on a limiting, fear-based belief system. If we knew how to change the patterns that are not serving us, we most likely would have done it already. This is where counselling is essential, helping you to bring to consciousness these fear-based beliefs and correcting them so that you can make different choices in your life.

Counselling as a Way to Your Ideal Life

You dream about a fulfilling and contented life of passion and happiness. I provide a supportive, compassionate, confidential, and therapeutic environment in order for you to feel comfortable and safe, leaving you free to carve a pathway to your dreams. Together, we will begin to peel away the layers and get to the heart of you and what matters most to you, in relationship with self and other. Some of the counselling perspectives I use are a unique transpersonal, collaborative, directive, behavioural, and experiential approach combined with Family Systems theory. To help you understand my counselling perspectives here is a brief description of each:

Transpersonal Theory

This cutting edge, unique psychospiritual perspective results from the questions “what am I here for?” and “who am I?” No matter what your life philosophy, worldview or spiritual beliefs are, when your actions and beliefs are not in alignment or unclear, life can be difficult. This perspective works by uncovering and claiming the vital force that lives inside of you; waking you up to the fact that this force also connects you to humanity and the world.

Family Systems Theory

Your family patterns, beliefs and values are passed down through the generations, often unconsciously. Discovering what you are carrying from your family, and bringing awareness to these patterns, will help you work through what you want to keep and embrace, while leaving behind anything you might want to free yourself from.

Experiential Therapy

By using the ‘here and now’ in a therapeutic setting, we can help ourselves by using all of our senses when we have traditionally only used our ‘heads’ to navigate our healing. It is when we use our body’s wisdom of feeling that we begin to profoundly heal. We start to ‘get it’ experientially not just on a cognitive level. Gestalt is another familiar psychological term for this highly effective and empowering form of therapy.

Collaborative, Directive and Behavioural Therapy

Through support, with direction and working together, you will be taking the tools you learn in sessions into the world to practice. Like with any tool you are given, the more you practice, the easier it gets. Changing what you do in your daily life to reflect your values and highest thoughts about yourself will influence how you feel. The triangle of thought, doing and feeling all impact each other. To be the best YOU possible, all three must be in alignment; guiding you to live your life fully and with accountability in relationship to self and to other. That is true passionate living!

Therapeutic Recreation

Plato stated, “you can discover more about a person in one hour of play than in a year of conversation”. Play in our lives is imperative to living a life of purpose and passion. Many of us place leisure and recreation activities as our lowest priority and have “no time to play”, but I’m here to tell you without play that is meaningful to us, we are not in alignment. Together we will explore the steps to a balanced leisure lifestyle.

Approach

Each of us may become stuck at some point in our lives. Patterns we have established may no longer be serving or helping us. In order to become unstuck, we reach for self-help books, watch reality TV, and talk about the same things over and over with few results. While talking does help, I use a multifaceted approach in counselling to help and inspire you to sift through old patterns and look at new ways to be authentically you in your life. With compassion, integrity, safety and trust, I will inspire you to live a life filled with purpose and passion.