The work requires for me to meet clients wherever they are at and create a safe space, free of judgment, so that they can draw upon their inner strength and resilience to free themselves from the turmoil affecting their lives. My therapeutic approach is warm, genuine, and straightforward. I draw on a wide-variety of therapeutic interventions in order to enable change.
I love my work – supporting others’ success is my calling. Some consistent (and humbling) feedback I receive from clients is that they had previously tried therapy multiple times over the years without success, but that their work this time around made the difference.
One of the most satisfying elements of my professional life is the integration and application of all of the education, training and various roles I have experienced along the way. These roles include family man (husband, father, son, brother, uncle), athlete, coach, student, university instructor, and vocational rehabilitation consultant. All have all helped shape my process and the values that I bring to each client. I am experienced working from a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive perspective with diverse populations and issues (see Scope of Practice below). I also work with individuals on improving performance (professionally, academically, and athletically) and have successfully supported clients achieve significant personal achievements (LSAT / MCATT / MCCEE / MLB / NCAA / CWUAA / U SPORTS / CCAA).
The journey that lead me to becoming a counsellor first started on a long walk around the Stanley Park Seawall with my wife. We were married but our first child was not yet born. I shared my goal for changing paths from Human Resources to becoming a Clinical Counsellor. With her encouragement and support, I started a Master’s in Counselling Psychology and switched into the field of Vocational Rehabilitation (a process that supports individuals with barriers to employment ). More than two decades later, I am extremely grateful for the gift that deeply meaningful work has brought to my world.