“Most of us lead far more meaningful lives than we know. Often finding meaning is not about doing things differently; it is about seeing familiar things in new ways. ” ― Rachel Naomi Remen

I am a lifelong learner who admires creativity and finds beauty in nature. I find great peace in nature and in my faith practices as both activities draw me outside myself and connect me with something much larger.  Music also feeds this connection with my creative and spiritual parts and brings me great joy! Achieving certification with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Grade 9 Piano has given me opportunities to learn new skills and use these skills to teach individual music lessons, group lessons for parents and their children, and accompany choirs and soloists for many cultural events. 

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As a mother of five grown children and grandmother of two, I appreciate the difficulties families face and that we sometimes just need some extra support to understand ourselves, to improve communication, to develop healthy coping strategies, and to achieve our goals. As a young mother, I gained an appreciation of psychology and the personal growth possible with the help of an empathic and competent counsellor as I learned to live with my own anxiety.  I love the complexity of family and the discoveries of strength I experience through addressing challenges and striving for stronger relationships. During my time as a fulltime mother, I have kept learning through volunteer and part-time work opportunities and have learned valuable skills in listening, seeking for understanding, and interacting with children, youth, and adults in a variety of capacities. 

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It took more than twenty years to realize my goal of attending university and obtaining a Bachelor degree in Psychology and then Master of Counselling, both from the University of Lethbridge.  Between my degrees, I worked as an Intense Case Manager/Outreach counsellor in a women’s crisis centre, which has given me a breadth of knowledge in trauma, mental health, addictions, and helped me develop other useful professional skills. I have counselled with women and men on a one-to-one basis and received additional training in Trauma-Informed practices, Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness practices, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples. 
 

I love to see others flourish and take joy in their accomplishments as they strive for change. I follow the belief of Viktor Frankl that “between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”.  Professional development is important to me, and I will continue to develop my professional skills so I may support my clients in activating their power to choose and discover their own growth and freedom.