Frequently Asked Questions
How long does therapy take?
This depends on what issue or issues you are seeking to work on. Short-term work can be very helpful for dealing with a specific issue, or a current crisis. Longer-term work enables you to work with more deeply rooted issues or to explore issues more slowly and freely without the pressure of time.
Sessions typically last 50 minutes, and will start and end on time.
Where is your practice based?
I am based on the west coast of Canada. My practice is offered exclusively online via a secure and confidential video platform. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, I was sceptical about the efficacy of virtual therapy, but, since 2020, I have come to appreciate that it is just as effective as in-person options, and it can also offer more freedom (in terms of the logistics of scheduling sessions) and safety (in that you are likely going to be joining the session from your own home or a place where you feel comfortable). Virtual therapy also opens access to my practice for people living outside of Vancouver, especially for people in more rural areas.
What is 'trauma'?
"Trauma is not what happened to you. It is what happened inside you as a result of what happened to you"
(Dr Gabor Mate')
Trauma is a highly subjective and personal experience. It can be a single distressing event, or an ongoing experience of abuse or neglect. It may also be something that you witness rather than experience directly, which can be just as traumatizing. Whatever the causes, the results can include ongoing feelings of being unsafe in the world, emotional dysregulation, exhaustion, confusion, sadness, anxiety, agitation, numbness, dissociation, confusion, hyperarousal, and depression, as well as numerous physical symptoms.
What is Somatic Psychotherapy?
This is a form of healing where we pay particular attention to what is happening in your body on sensory, physiological, postural and movement levels through mindfulness and gentle curiosity and enquiry. Stressful and traumatic experiences can often cause us to lose our sense of embodiment and working with the body mindfully can often be an essential aspect of healing.
If you are looking for someone who offers somatic psychotherapy in person and/or who offers a touch-based practice, please let me know and I can connect you with a highly experienced and trusted colleague in North Vancouver.
What is Nature-Based Therapy?
Nature-Based Therapy is a form of experiential, sensory-based psychotherapy that encourages participants to explore and experience their relationship with the natural world with the support of their therapist. Nature-based themes can be explored indoors through stories, creative arts, natural materials, and imagination, and outdoors through direct sensory experience.
What are your fees?
As of 2025, my fees are:
- Individual therapy (50 minutes) $180
- Individual clinical consultation (60 minutes) $200
- Group clinical consultation (2 hours) $400 (divided among 3-4 participants)
Is it confidential?
Yes. I will explain exactly what this means during the initial consultation.
Do you hold professional insurance?
Yes, I carry full professional liability insurance.
