Biography

Because part of my job entails collecting information from clients, I think that it is only fair that I share a bit about myself in return. I am a proud Maritimer;  I grew up in Nova Scotia and I return every summer to see family, swim in the ocean, and enjoy fresh seafood.  I have studied at Dalhousie, McGill, Simon Fraser, Athabasca, and Walden universities. I moved to Alberta in 2001 and have come to consider Calgary my home.

My first career was in teaching and I spent over ten years with students in elementary, junior high, and high school. I enjoyed each age group immensely and I have a strong understanding of what children and youth tend to struggle with and how to help them excel.

As a counsellor, I have had the pleasure to work in the non-profit sector, in the school system as a school counsellor, and also in private practice. I have worked with clients dealing with a vast range of social, emotional, and psychological struggles. The majority of my experience is working with individuals who deal with anxiety and/or trauma that impacts their daily lives.

Currently, I am engaged in three fulfilling areas of psychology. I see clients in my private practice, I have completed a PhD in Developmental Psychology, and I taught as a sessional instructor at Mount Royal University in the Education Department and I am an associate program director at CityU in their counselling graduate program. Being a learner and an educator adds to my practice by allowing me to revisit the basics of counselling psychology as well as keeping me in touch with current research and professional literature.