I help clients with anxiety, relationship challenges, depression, grief/loss, stress, and burnout/compassion fatigue. Additionally, I specialize in working with First Responders/Health Professionals and PTSD/Trauma.
I focus on your individual values and helping you discover a meaning-centered life. I believe that therapies and the therapeutic relationship are as unique as the individual, while one style may suit you, it may not suit others. I am mindful of each individual who walks through the door.
Registered Social Worker, Registered Social Worker
Have you ever been to therapy and felt that it was a total waste of time? Have you ever talked to a therapist and felt that they did not get you at all? I have been in your shoes, and I know how it feels. A therapeutic relationship is most effective when you work with a therapist who you feel comfortable with and trust. I offer a practical approach to counseling – something that is simple enough to understand, easy enough to apply right away in your everyday life and give you immediate results. I am so confident that my approach will work for you that I offer you a Money-Back-Guarantee policy. If you are not satisfied with any of your sessions, I will refund your fee (minus the administration fee of $20). My counselling is a full-service approach. I want to take care of you even after our sessions. I want to share something that you can use for the rest of your life. Let me help you utilize new skills, experience happiness, and find exciting ways to enjoy a newfound hope in life.
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.
Crystal provides treatment for a wide variety of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, emotional regulation, grief and loss, self-esteem, family transitions, eating disorders, and chronic health issues. Other areas of speciality include; family issues, relationship and couple/marital issues including couple’s communication, loss of connection, affair recovery, betrayal and intimacy. Crystal also provides support to individuals exploring gender identity and LGBTQ+ individuals, couples. She also holds a special interest in working with child free and childless couples. She enjoys working with individuals, couples and families and works with all ages including teens.
My approach to therapy is built on authenticity and transparency. As a therapist, I strive to provide a safe space for clients to recognize and develop their inherent strengths empowering them to heal and grow through a holistic approach. I work with individuals, couples, and youth offering a free consultation to ensure we are a good fit.
Registered Psychotherapist, Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (Psychology: Brain & Cognition; Family and Child Studies), Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology
Now Accepting New Clients: So many of us want to make healthier choices, but it can feel so overwhelming to know where to start. We may lean on self-criticism to motivate ourselves, but this only leaves us feeling drained and discouraged. Perhaps you’re feeling lost in navigating a sea of uncomfortable emotions and turn to quick fixes to escape the pain. If you notice that you constantly oscillate between feeling out of control or overly-controlling, this doesn't need to be your destiny. Although you may feel trapped in this cycle of guilt, unworthiness, and self-sabotage, there is hope for a way out.
As your therapist, I can help you to hone in on your unique strengths in order to encourage movement through self-doubt towards self-compassion. I use a holistic approach to help you work towards taking action towards a healthy equilibrium. Our exploration will be guided by gentle curiosity to step into your most authentic self.
I'm here to support you in gaining control over these big emotions instead of having them control you. I'm currently accepting new clients that are ready to begin their transformative wellness journey. Reach out today by sending me an email. I can't wait to get started.
At Whiteboard Counselling, we are passionate about helping clients answer the deeper questions about the issues they are facing. Our team of professionals uses Person-Centred, Narrative and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy techniques to help clients gain a better understanding of themselves.