Registered Social Worker, HonBA, BSW, MSW, RSW, EMDR Certified
Hi, my name is Ada. Maybe this is your first time seeking therapy or maybe you are searching for a better fit. Trying to find someone who is able to help can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options. For 22 years, my passion has been working with individuals who have struggled with old wounds and life's unrelenting hardships.
My speciality is making sense of your life story: the experiences, stuck thoughts, feelings and perhaps, even memories that have contributed to where you are today. Gaining a better understanding of what brought you here will help shape what you need to feel better. Getting the lay of the land of your life story not only helps to understand where you've been, but also where you need to go from here. We can do this by getting to know those wounded parts of self and, finally, giving them a voice to heal. Understanding your life story is most effective in making those desired changes because it is complete – understanding you, from beginning, middle and beyond. I look forward to connecting with you and starting you on your journey of self discovery and healing.
As a gestalt psychotherapist, who pairs gestalt training with somatic experiencing I can help support you in healing from your trauma.
No one in the Niagara Region utilizes the combination of these therapies and applies them to working with couples in crisis. Gottman (couples) and Post Induction Therapy training (relational/developmental trauma)
I am sorry to say but popular approaches to healing trauma like CBT will provide only temporary relief at best.
If you want to get to the root of your trauma and heal somatic experiencing (SE) is what you need and when supported with the power of relational gestalt therapy you will shift your shit!
SE focuses on regulating your nervous system.
With SE work trauma responses are completed and energy is released back into the system and with this the resolution and disappearance of physical complaints, including headaches, digestive problems, and pain syndromes can be resolved, and emotional regulation can be restored.
I will teach you how to work with your stress response - the body's innate alarm system in response to a perceived danger, also called the "Fight or Flight" response.
It is highly adaptive to danger and human survival when threats are physical, but less so when threats are psychological, or imaginary, among other somatic and relational skills.
I have been trained under Dr Abi Blakeslee part of Dr Peter A Levine's legacy group out of California for Somatic Experiencing and the late great Dr Bud Feder the author of Beyond the Hot Seat was on my dissertation committee overseeing a phenomenological study of the effectiveness of a gestalt therapy group I created to reduce stress in working informal caregivers of the elderly. I named the group process Stressed WOW (We Overloaded with Work).
Gestalt therapy is an extremely complex psychotherapy, too complex to describe in this short space.
The power of its effectiveness can only be experienced.
Most present day therapies have stolen bits and pieces of its praxis.
Get the whole again with a holistic, here and now, experiential therapy.
I am here for you... I've got your six!
The combination of my past work experience in human services, my 25+ years in private practice, and my life experience, I have learned that every person is unique and faces unique challenges. I have developed a multi modal approach to therapy as I find drawing on techniques from several approaches allows me tailor my sessions to meet the needs of each client, depending on their situation, their values and their needs.
Life is full of challenges and at times such challenges may leave one feeling overwhelmed or stuck and unsure how to move forward. Whether what one is facing is a minor or a major concern, engaging in therapy can be helpful in many ways. Through talk therapy my aim is to gain and understanding of the uniques ness of each individual and to assist them to
manage the stresses they face
recognize there own strengths
bring clarity to their thoughts, emotions and feeling
define their goals
identify and assess possible courses of action
and
move forward with intention
*Accepting New Clients*
As a Registered Psychotherapist and Recreation Therapist, I believe in creating a safe, non-judgmental space to explore some of life's most difficult challenges. I specialize in working with both individuals and couples, including healing relationship concerns, coping with relationship issues, and navigating separation/divorce. Additionally, I have experience supporting people with a wide range of concerns from depression, anxiety, trauma and healing from abuse, navigating career changes and life transitions, chronic pain, interpersonal concerns, and building self-esteem.
Accepting NEW Clients – Do you feel like you’re never good enough, like you have to be perfect, or that you have to prove yourself to others? Are you tired of looking back on the things you said or did in order to try to be accepted and liked? Do you wish you could focus on putting yourself first, and making your needs/wellbeing a priority? Do you struggle with confidence or self-esteem, or stress, anxiety, and low-mood? Together we can look at exploring the strengths, relationships, and experiences that have got you to this point, and move forward in a way that reconnects you with yourself and your goals.
Accepting NEW clients! - Do you wish you “felt better?” or wish to feel more like yourself again? Does stress, anxiety, ADHD, or trauma have you feeling stuck? Do you want to better understand how your past effects your present? Are you wanting to reconnect in your relationship? I'll support you in reaching therapy goals by helping create more self-awareness and confidence, teaching coping methods, and paving the path to long-term change. My aim is to create a space to explore your thoughts and experiences without the outside judgment and bias in your day-to-day.
Do you want to feel less stressed, less depressed and more in charge of your own life? Or maybe you want to process grief, trauma and feel peace again? I understand, life can be really difficult and throw us some curve balls when we least expect it. I am here as a professional and ally to walk through the hard times with you and be your guiding hand amongst all of the chaos. I believe that there is no one-size-fits all approach to therapy and take an individualized approach with all of my clients. If you want a therapist who is modern and mindful, I am so glad you have found me. Together we will process the difficult times, work through life's challenges, and get you feeling like yourself again, or maybe you'll even discover a new you. Whether it is anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief, trauma, relationship or family issues, you will find a safe space in me and a place to heal and flourish. Contact me today for a free consultation!
Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), MACP, BA
I'm Accepting NEW clients! – Do you want to feel less anxious, stressed, or depressed, and understand why these feelings stick? Have you experienced trauma or difficult situations and are unsure how to move forward? Do you want to learn coping skills to better manage your day-to-day or relationships? Are you facing life changes, cultural stressors, or transitions that you’d like support with? I'm here to support you on your journey of healing, understanding, and clarity. I offer a non-judgmental space for you to explore past, present, and future goals. Through collaboration, we can create a plan that fits your unique needs.
I hold a Masters of Counselling Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I have worked as a Youth and Family Counsellor and Program Coordinator that served low income and newcomers. In working with children and adults, I have passion for for finding unique ways to create a personal therapy space for you.
Making Space Psychotherapy is a modern clinic providing high-quality, integrative psychotherapy to adults, couples+, teens and children 6+ in the Greater Hamilton Area and across Ontario. We are a team of Registered Psychotherapists who work with a number of issues and specialize in trauma and relationships. Each therapist also offers their own niche areas of focus.
Contact us for support with trauma, infidelity, perfectionism, anxiety/depression, stress, coping, self-esteem, PTSD, numbing out or shutting down, dissociating, difficult childhood, abuse, religious trauma, separation/divorce, family problems or pressures, consensual non-monogamy, life transitions and loss.
We work with individuals, couples, teens and family groups of two for in-person and online sessions.