I am a clinical social worker with 10+ years experience working with issues relating to various forms of trauma/complex trauma, substance use, interpersonal relationships, depression, anxiety, stress management, anger management, emotional regulation, grief and loss, self-identity, sexual integrity and more. I am currently a clinical associate at Men and Healing, an Ottawa based agency providing therapy for men and their families. I provide both individual, couple/relational and group therapy through Men and Healing, all under the supervision of a registered psychologist. My specialties include trauma recovery, sex therapy and working with diverse sexual/relational identities.
My therapeutic presence is warm, non-judgmental, genuine and relaxed. I blend creativity, knowledge, professional training and experience to create a flexible approach that best suits you and your history, situation, and needs. I believe healing and growth are uniquely individual processes, and strive to create a collaborative relationship that places you as the expert of your experiences.
As a trauma therapist, I am passionate about helping individuals process and reclaim meaning in their past and present experiences, tap into their resiliencies and build connections to expand their world. I believe that every individual is able to shift present patterns that are causing them difficulty, and I focus on supporting my clients to feel empowered to make changes in their lives. My approach to counselling is grounded in attachment theory, emotionally focused therapy, poly-vagal theory, transactional analysis, mindfulness-based therapy, parts work, motivational interviewing, solution focused and trauma informed therapy.
I believe that relationships can be sites of powerful healing and feel honoured to work alongside individuals, couples and poly constellations as their connections to themselves and each other transform. I am a sex-positive, LGBTQ+, poly, and kink/BDSM knowledgeable therapist that can assist you in strengthening your relationships and authentic sexual expression.
I have been an active member within LGBTQ+, Kink/BDSM, and Consensual Non-Monogamy communities for over a decade. I believe kink pays a positive, healthy role in many people’s sex lives, relationship dynamics, identity development and healing. However, integrating and maintaining the nuances of kink, fetishes, or power-exchange into our relationships can be challenging at times – this can be especially true when your relationship is moving through large life changes (e.g. parenthood). Whether you are new to exploring kink, very experienced in your lifestyle, or somewhere in between, you deserve a safe and knowledgeable therapeutic space.
Living with non-normative identities in the context of a largely hetero and dyad centric society can leave us all vulnerable to oppressions, internalized shame and stigma, and difficulties in safely navigating subculture communities. Research with kinky clients has shown that many individuals, couples and poly-constellations access therapy without ever disclosing to their therapist their kink/relational status – leaving a large part of their identities out of the therapy room. Whether you are looking to use the therapeutic space to explore your alternative identities, or you want to work on something completely unrelated to your kink, I can provide a safe space wherein you are free to be your authentic self.
I invite you to visit our Men and Healing website to learn more about me and our team, and look forward to the honour of walking by your side on your journey.