You might be wondering…

Your first session will include us going over some general policies including what your rights are as a client, how we handle ongoing scheduling or rescheduling, payment policies, etc. It’s important that we lay the groundwork of practical boundaries so that most of the focus moving forward is on your healing.

In your intake session we’ll also go over an intake questionnaire that you’ll have received beforehand. You’ll have a chance to share anything that surfaced and didn’t make it into the questionnaire. We’ll talk about what you’re hoping to take from therapy. You’ll have room to ask questions or share concerns. Finally, I give a broad picture of how we can begin our work together and if we feel we’re a good match, we’ll talk about scheduling future sessions.

If having a visual lay of the land is helpful when thinking about what to expect, click HERE for a walkthrough of the Brantford office space. (Sit tight for a walk through of the Simcoe space, that is coming soon).

A lot of that depends on you! Some people like weekly sessions, some attend biweekly, and some monthly. You’ll need to find a routine that fits your schedule and financial situation.

It can be helpful to consider weekly or biweekly for the first couple of months. When you feel you’re getting traction, you can experiment with stretching out how often you attend.

One thing I encourage you to consider is that therapy will rarely feel like a fun time every time. While I hope you walk out feeling lighter each time, the process will ask something of you. You need to ask yourself, if I stretch out my attendance, will I stay motivated for the long haul?

My goal in the long run? To be fired because you’ve got the confidence and tools to say goodbye to me (at least for a while!)

Consider that your system will do what it needs to do to protect against pain. I have a lot of respect for your internal protectors, I’m not looking to annihilate them. Our work in therapy is to help the protective mechanisms you’ve developed throughout your life trust your capacity to negotiate a path forward through the discomfort of anxiety and fear. The goal will never be to flood you with more than you can handle. If we’re moving faster than you’d prefer, there are ways of slowing it down and helping you to ground and feel nourished. This process is about building your self-trust, not about plowing through a to-list!

There are many ways to process trauma. Explicitly recalling every narrative and play-by-play is not necessary. Consider that the impacts of trauma surface every day in micro-moments— like how we react to every day stressors in our environment, or how we interpret someone’s facial expression or tone of voice. The world can feel unrelentingly harsh, and our bodies will respond in kind. Processing trauma is gradually unwinding and expanding your capacity to experience the world through a different lens. It’s possible to be empowered in the present, and that doesn’t always require a trip in a DeLorean time machine.

Somatic therapy focuses on the deep connection between your body and mind, understanding that unresolved or undigested emotions and trauma are stored in the body. This approach helps release tension and energy that gets stuck, allowing for greater regulation and stability. It also works with your nervous system, gently expanding your capacity to tolerate distress and navigate life's ups and downs with more resilience. By building this body awareness, somatic therapy allows you to process emotions in a more grounded way, especially if you’ve experienced trauma, overwhelm, or chronic stress. It’s a powerful way to reconnect with your inner wisdom, helping you feel more at home in yourself.

My fee for a 50 minute individual therapy session is $150.

I provide space for a few sliding scale spots in my caseload at a suggested rate of $75. You’re welcome to inquire about accessing a spot if prioritizing your mental health would mean going without quality food, shelter, or basic needs of living.

Session fees are due at the time of services. Following payment, you’ll be emailed a receipt with all of the relevant information to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. Before booking, you’ll want to ensure that your benefits cover Registered Psychotherapists (RPs). Many do.

As an RP not qualified for independent practice, I do not qualify as an NIHB (Non-Insured Health Benefits) provider for First Nations and Inuit clients. I am working toward this qualification and will update my eligibility as appropriate.

The therapeutic rapport isn’t always immediate. Give yourself permission to feel out testing the waters.

That said, if you feel you know… then you know! I won’t be the best fit for every client out there. It’s okay if we don’t match… there’s a therapist out there for you whether it’s me or someone else. If either of us feel you’d be better off working with someone else, I am happy to make recommendations for where you might explore next.