People sometimes use these terms interchangeably but they are two different modalities of therapy. Counselling focuses on the past and how we got to where we are. Thoughts, feelings and behaviours that keep us stuck and not able to live the life we want. Life Coaching focuses on the future, where are we now and where do we want to go? How can we achieve goals, or make positive change. I find often that we start with one but tend to lean on the other as we go. For example, someone may come for Life Coaching because they have a goal they want to achieve but when we discover that something is holding them back, we go back to figure out what that is. So I love having both tools in my belt to ensure I can fully support my clients regardless of what challenges they bring to therapy.

We address a wide variety of challenges in both Life Coaching and Counselling. I have experience supporting people from all walks of life including C-level executives and the local homeless community. We all face challenges that prevents us from living lives we love and addressing those issues directly allows us to move forward. Whether you are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationship, money or career challenges, Coaching and Counselling are modalities that can address all of these. Choosing the correct form of therapy and meeting the client where they are is essential to the process. We also want to ensure that we are creating a safe place for people to explore the wide range of challenges that life presents. Sometimes you may not even know what it is exactly that you want to work on and that’s okay too.

You are the expert of you. I will never pretend to know more about you than you do so I will ask questions to get to know you and start to understand how you show up in the world. I work from a client-centred model meaning that I meet you where you are at each and every session. This is key to ensuring that you are the expert of yourself and your life. I will help guide you to the answers you are looking for but in no way do I give advice or tell you what to do. This is a process of exploration, I’m just the tour guide. As a good connection and relationship with your therapist is key, this is what I focus on in the first couple of sessions. I want to establish a safe space for you to come and share and a trusted rapport in which we connect. This takes time and vulnerability and this is what we focus on for the first couple of sessions. Once I know a bit more about who you are and what you are looking for throughout this process, we can then jump in with both feet.

Depending on what you are coming to see me for, sessions vary in length. For individual counselling sessions, we have 60 minutes together unless our process requires more time and we decide on an alternate length of time together however, 60 minute sessions is usually the norm. For couples sessions, we meet for 90 minutes as this allows for time to explore both partner’s perspectives. For life coaching, we meet for 60 minute durations as these sessions are fully packed and an hour is usually long enough for most people. Design Psychology session lengths vary from 60 minutes to 120 minutes depending on the project and where we are at in the process. Each person is different and requires different approaches so this will be designed specifically for you based on what you are wanting to achieve and will be discussed upfront and decided on together.

There is no set answer to this question because it is different for everyone. However, it is my job (and my goal) to work myself out of job. I want to ensure you have the tools and knowledge to successfully manage life and all its challenges. The goal is to equip you with as much as possible in the most efficient amount of time. This is also very dependant on your goals for therapy and what you hope to achieve. Some goals may require longer term support where others may be achieved in 6 weeks. When we embark on this journey together, we will discuss your goals for the process and what type of support you will require. This will also dictate whether we meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The process is designed to meet you where you are at and provide the necessary support specific to you and your goals. We will decide this together and then allow for flexibility along the way.

Fees are based on individual services provided and the length of sessions. For individual counselling and coaching, I charge $125 for a 60-minute session. For couples coaching or counselling, I charge $150 for a 90-minute session. For design psychology I charge $250 for a 120-minute session and also offer package pricing for larger scale projects that require more time. I am a Registered Professional Counsellor and a member of the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association which is recognized by some extended health providers and individual extended benefit plans. Please check with your insurance provider to see if they will cover payment for your sessions. I take payment for services upfront and then provide you with a receipt and registration number for you to claim. I take e-transfer, credit or debit as payment methods.