personalized therapy for
weary, curious minds.
You’re exhausted.
Life started coming and it really simply has not stopped coming. You’re used to doing absolutely all of the things and honestly, things used to be pretty “fine”, but lately it’s been getting a bit out of hand.
You’re feeling either too many feelings or no feelings at all, but either way, it’s a tad disconcerting. The voice in your head has been sneakily getting louder and louder saying things like, “you’re not good enough”, “you’re not worthy”, and, “what’s even the point?” (you know, your usual suspects).
Stress is at an all-time high, both in your personal life and in the lives of those around you (like, your friends and family but also just the whole world) and it’s been starting to feel like life’s coming at you too fast and too furious.
The thing is, you know about “the things”—the affirmations, the yoga, the breathing exercises, the journaling.
You’ve been coping relatively “fine”, and yet you’ve been getting a nagging feeling that there’s more you want to explore. You’ve been questioning a lot of things because, frankly, the promised land that you were supposed to arrive at is just kind of a shit show.
so let’s explore, shall we?
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You literally don’t remember the last time that life wasn’t stressful. It’s become kind of normal at this point, hasn’t it? It’s maybe even gotten to the point that friends and family have started getting you a lot of “self-care” gifts for birthdays and holidays…a massage gift card, an affirmations deck, maybe some lavender-scented bath bombs?
You’ve always functioned “fine”, though recently it’s started to become apparent that there’s got to be a different way of going about life than this. The overwhelm is, well, overwhelming, and you’re just freaking exhausted. “Relaxing” is not a word that super exists in your vocabulary (because, even when you try to “relax”, you’re still buzzing, feeling jittery and stressed).
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The voice in your head that likes to yell at you that you’re not good enough has started to get more than just a little annoying. You’ve started noticing it more and more, and even when other people tell you that you/your work/your project is, in fact, more than good enough, it’s hard to believe those people. After all, they’re not in your head hearing the absolute onslaught of disparaging things that voice is saying about you.
Though we all have a version of a self-critic in our heads, life can get really difficult when the voice feels like it’s been extra loud for some time. Whether that means that it’s hard to finish projects because they never feel good enough, or that you honestly can’t even start a hobby for fear of how it might turn out, maybe it’s about time we tried redefining what your relationship with that voice in your head is like.
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Decision-making is…difficult. You frequently find yourself in some version of, “Where do you want to go for lunch?”, “wherever you want is good!”, and then they end up picking a place that doesn’t serve tacos even though deep, deep down you know that what you really, truly wanted for lunch was some tacos.
Deferring to others, to their feelings, and to what they want is your norm and where you feel most comfortable. Saying “no” when a friend needs help, even when you’re exhausted and don’t have the capacity for it, feels mean. Moreover, speaking up and expressing your needs feels absolutely selfish (which ends up in your needs not being met, maybe then breeding some resentment in your close relationships–did I get it right?).
dearest human, i hear you.
Together, we can explore the ways in which life feels overwhelming. We’ll see what way of healing resonates the most with you, likely incorporating a healthy mix of: examining the role your thoughts and beliefs have on how you’re feeling, exploring the way anxiety presents itself in your body, and taking a look at how your environment may be playing a role in maintaining some of these patterns.
Stepping into change can be scary, and, if you’re ready, it can be really worthwhile.
Investment.
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In terms of time spent in session, approximately 1 hour/week for the first 2.5-3 months, and 1 hour every two weeks afterwards.
Let’s not forget that going to therapy can be tender and tiring. On and around therapy days, budget some extra time for rest and self-care.
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$160 per hour. See FAQ below for more information.
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Working on yourself is just that–work. Clients who are the most successful with me tend to be ones that are motivated to continue reflecting on our work together in between sessions.
One hour per week, and then eventually one hour every two weeks, is truly not that much time altogether.
While I’m the first person who will be empathetic and understanding if you didn’t get the chance to think much about what we talked about last session if life has been really hectic, I hope our work together can motivate you to continue the process of introspection on your own time.
therapy is:
A journey. It’s likely that many of the patterns that exist in your life now have been building up for many years, and that’s not something that a quick 8-10 sessions are going to “get rid of”.
Collaborative. You are the expert of your life and I am a fellow traveller (sometimes guide) along your journey. Together we explore ways you can enact change that make sense to you. Yes, there is some education that sometimes happens, but the bulk of our work together will be precisely that–together.
therapy isn’t:
A quick fix. I simply do not believe we are problems to be fixed. We are human beings existing in ways that make sense given what we’ve been through. It is just that this way of existing is not working for you anymore, and you’d like to explore where to go from here.
Advice-giving. Though there are times when some education will be called for in our sessions, my job is not ever to give you my advice or opinion on what I think you should do. Instead, my job is to be with you as we try to figure out together what it is that you want to do. My goal is always to help you feel empowered, and part of that is giving you the space to come to decisions on your own.
FAQs
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My office is located at 556 O’Connor Drive in Kingston, near the Cataraqui Centre. I offer in-person sessions for clients local to Kingston, and virtual sessions for clients across Ontario (and for any Kingston clients who prefer virtual due to convenience).
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I don’t bill directly to insurance, so this would be best figured out directly with your insurance provider. In your coverage, you’ll want to look for “Registered Psychotherapist”, which is my professional designation, or “Social Worker”, which is my supervisor’s designation. I’d also like to note that although I can’t offer this yet, I’m actively working toward meeting the requirements for NIHB coverage
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Sessions are $160 for 50-60 minute sessions. Typically, therapists bill for a “50-minute therapy hour”--I like to bake in an extra 10 minutes into our sessions in case we need it. We’ll start winding down around the 50-minute mark in general, but how quickly we wind down will depend on the session (sometimes it can take just a few minutes, sometimes the full additional 10 minutes). Extended sessions beyond 60 minutes are prorated accordingly.
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My availability is Monday through Thursday, 9:30am-5:00pm, with Tuesday evening availability until 6:45pm.
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Weekly at the beginning, later transitioning to biweekly, and eventually to every three weeks or monthly.
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It's up to you! Psychotherapy is a long-term healing process, not a quick fix. Typically, after 10-12 sessions, clients start to delve into the deeper work. If all goes smoothly, we may spend a few more months on this before deciding the next steps. However, life can throw curveballs that may impact our “ideal” timeline. If you prefer short-term therapy, I’m happy to assist in finding a suitable therapist for you.