FAQs

What is a Couple and Family Therapist? What if my partner/child/family member won’t come in? What are your qualifications? What kinds of problems can you help with? What is your approach to therapy? How will I know if you're the right therapist for me? Do you embrace diversity? How long does therapy last? Nitty-Grittys What is a Couple and Family Therapist? CFT’s are therapists who are specially trained to work with the dynamics involved with groups of people, generally couples and families. They also work with individuals. A CFT will use a wide variety of therapeutic approaches, including brief therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative therapy and emotionally focused therapy. As a CFT, I will look at your life with a particular interest in how your relationships influence and are affected by the problems you present. I may encourage you to bring in significant people in your life if the issues are relationship based. What if my partner/child/family member won’t come in? While it can significantly enrich and quicken the therapy process, I can work effectively with whoever wants to attend sessions. What are your qualifications? I have been a therapist since 1995, and have a Master’s Degree specializing in Couple and Family Therapy. I am registered with the Canadian Registry of Marriage and Family Therapists. I am a clinical member of both the American and Ontario Associations of Marriage and Family Therapy. What kinds of problems can you help with? CFT’s are trained to work with a wide variety of problems, such as...

• depression & anxiety
• guilt & shame
• anger, aggression
• assertiveness
• self-acceptance
• stress & depression
• perfectionism
• adoption parenting
• addiction
• anxiety
• assault, trauma
• sexuality
• blended families
• partner abuse
• oppression
• loss

My experience has largely been in the following area: Couple relationships, anger and aggression, children’s issues, parenting, anxiety, stress and depression. I have worked for eight years in a Children’s Mental Health setting and have expertise in parenting, child behaviour management and attachment issues. I also have extensive clinical experience working with issues of power and control in couple relationships. I would inform you if I didn’t feel qualified to work with your issue. CFT’s do not prescribe medication or make diagnoses. What is your approach to therapy? A decision to enter therapy is usually about wanting some kind of change in your life. In therapy, change can occur through a collaborative conversation which allows new thoughts, emotions and behaviours to emerge, be explored and “tried on”. I will accept your story and life choices without judgment, and will work with you to develop an environment of trust. Good therapy results in you seeing yourself, your story or problem in a new way. Good therapy is specifically geared to the needs and goals which you identify, however I will tend to focus on your key relationships and your inner dialogue with yourself (cognitive, narrative therapy). How will I know if you're the right therapist for me? I believe that the most vital part of therapy is a strong, trusting and energized relationship between us. You have the right to find and work with a therapist with whom you feel most comfortable, and you can always end therapy if it doesn’t feel right for you. Do you embrace diversity? Yes; I embrace diversity of all kinds. I am LGBT-friendly, and can work with cultural and spiritual diversity. How long does therapy last? Therapy can be a one session consultation, or it can last significantly longer, depending on your needs and preference. I do tend to work with brief therapy models, but some people prefer sessions that are more spread out and extend over a longer period. The average number of sessions is probably 4-6. Nitty-Grittys Sessions are 50 minutes long.    My fees are according to a sliding scale rate that starts at $60 per session and maxes at $100 per session, depending on your family's income. You may have an employee assistance plan or health benefits that cover my fees.