“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.”
Bob Marley
Throughout my life, it has been evident that my personal calling is to help others. I feel great satisfaction when I see people heal, grow and feel cared for, especially the most vulnerable individuals among us. As a Christian, my journey has been a process of learning and growing, and I am continually confronted with numerous twists, turns and stages. I am excited to help you achieve what is meaningful to you. Together we can create short-term solutions with long-term results that lead to happiness.
I am a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist, with a Masters of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Social Work degree with Honours from Laurentian University. I have over 7 years’ experience working with families, vulnerable seniors, youth, children and individuals who face multiple barriers and stressors. Social work has been my passion from as early as I can remember. As a woman of color, who was raised by a single mother, I am quite aware of the systemic barriers that many marginalized individuals encounter. As a Psychotherapist, I recognize that individuals have their own stories to tell and there is much more to their lives than their status in society.
Looking back, I realize my passion for counselling stems back to the challenges I encountered and eventually overcame. At an early age, I experienced the divorce of my parents, culture shock from moving from one country to another, peer pressure, financial and academic challenges, anxiety and societal pressures. Being raised by a single African Canadian mother in a low-income household with two siblings left me no choice but to obtain full-time employment while pursing my secondary and post-secondary education and to help care for my younger sibling. I did not consider my background and misfortunes as a disadvantage but an advantage. These aspects of my life taught me one of the most fundamental principles of life – life is truly what one makes it. I overcame these adversities through my Christian faith, counselling and a strong family support system.
I believe healing is a collaborative endeavour that requires honesty and compassion without judgement, and I will cooperatively assist you in clarifying your goals for treatment. I am extremely passionate about the Strength-Based Approach as it focuses on an individual’s capacities and potentialities rather than focusing solely on their problems. By focusing on individual talents, knowledge and resources, the outcome is positive and the individual is not marginalized. In addition, I draw upon various frameworks including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, Crisis Intervention, and Client-Centred Approach that are holistic in order to create a tailored approach for each individual and situation.
I am compassionate, warm, encouraging and transparent. I consider myself an active therapist combining experience, education, creativity and sense of humour with a down-to-earth realistic approach to counselling.
My theory is that when people have hope and learn to challenge and replace irrational thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes, they are free to experience change.
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself ‘I have lived through this horror, I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Let’s begin this journey together!