| Experience and Qualifications |
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| Formal Education I completed my Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1996. After several year of work I returned to graduate studies and in 2005 completed my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. I am a member of the Canadian Counselling Association and a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC). Being a CCC means that I have fulfilled rigourous educational requirements which include lengthy supervised practicums and internships. To maintain my registration as a CCC, I am obliged to take continuing education credits, obtain supervision as necessary, practice only in my area of competence and adhere to the Canadian Counselling Associations's Code of Ethics. Below I list some of the courses, workshops, seminars, conferences and certifications I have taken to give you an idea of my educational background. Following that, I list some work experience. Courses Philosophy of Counselling, Theories of Counselling, Psychopathology, Integration (ethics, spirituality), Crisis Counselling, Psychological Assessment & Interpretation, Marriage & Family Counselling, Family Systems, Group Counselling, Career Counselling, Counselling Skills, Advanced Counselling Skills, Research Design, Research Seminar, Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Practicum, Internship Seminars/Workshops/Conferences/Certifications * Satir Transformationsl Systemic Therapy and Celebration of Self through the Expressive Arts * Awareness & Networking Around Disordered Eating Conference * Suicide Risk Management Workshop * Prepare/Enrich Training Program * Advanced Certification in One-Eye Integration Training * Exploring the Landscape of Loss Workshop * Active Parenting Instructors Workshop * Smarter Families Canada Conference * Existential Approaches to the Treatment of Anxiety * Hypnosis Training Seminar * Existential Approaches to the Treatment of Depression * Dynamics of Addiction * Power to Parent Videocourse Work Experience Counsellor/Therapist Currently I work as a therapist in private practice, serving primarily adults with a wide variety of mental health concerns (see Individual Counselling for more information). Previously I practiced at Fraser River Counselling in Vancouver, and at the Wellness Centre at Trinity Western University in Langley. Some of the presenting issues that I have worked with include depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, relational growth, spiritual crises, sexual identity, identity development, borderline personality, dissociative identity disorder, sexual abuse, eating disorders, trauma, family conflict, schizophrenia, career exploration, life transitions, grief, bereavement, and personal growth. Group & Workshop Facilitator (groups & workshops that I have developed, led, and/or co-facilitated) * Stress-Management, Body Awareness, and Relaxation Groups * Disordered Eating Support Groups * Career Exploration Groups * Couples Communication Workshops * Exploring Mandalas Workshops * Disordered Eating Workshops * Parenting Groups I have worked overseas (Thailand, Poland, and Guinea, West Africa) for 5 years and travelled extensively (this has given me a rich multi-cultural perspective). I have also worked in Group Homes and Drop in Houses supporting those with severe mental illnesses, and supported aging men and woman struggling with Dementia, Alzheimers. grief / bereavement and general adjustment / life-style changes. |
| Yoga-Related Experience I first started a personal practice of yoga in 1997. The immediate physical health benefits inspired me to incorporate yoga as part of my daily routine. Throughout the past ten years this practice has gradually expanded and deepened, facilitating mental, emotional, and spiritual growth. In 2002 I became a Ceritified Yoga Instructor after successfully completing a Yoga Teacher Training Program through Delta Yoga in Vancouver, BC. I have also taken courses through Phoenix Rising Yoga, a system of yoga that explicitely integrates yoga and therapy. I continue to update my "competence" by attending personal yoga sessions, and related workshops. Currently I am completing a 200 hour Hatha Yoga training at Rama Lotus, in Ottawa. Some of the Private Yoga Sessions I have taught have been for stress-management, pregnancy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatique, eating disorders, and general well-being. Some of the Group Yoga Sessions I have taught have been for adolescent women with symptoms of eating disorders, and for Stress-Management, Body Awareness & Relaxation. Mandala-Related Experience My formal introduction to Mandalas was in 2001, when I attended a 12-week Mandala course offered by Brenda Jack. It is to Brenda that I owe my initial interest and understanding of what the Mandala encompasses. This class was personally transformative on many levels. Since that time, I have continued to study and work with mandalas. I use them as an aid in meditation, for calming my mind, for self-expression, for healing and insight, and as a form of creativity. I integrate mandala work with my clients, and recently I have begun to give experiential workshops on Mandalas. |
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| The more I wonder, the more I love. Alice Walker |
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