Hello! I’m Lisa (she/they), a relational therapist who believes healing happens in connection. I support folks as they make sense of childhood trauma, navigate difficult family dynamics, explore attachment and relationships, and untangle patterns like people-pleasing, perfectionism, and more. My hope is to offer a space where you can show up just as you are and feel supported as you reconnect with yourself and the life you want to build.
How I Work
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) understands each person as having a core Self, which is our inherent state of being, and is one of calm, clarity, courage, compassion, and curiosity. However, through life experiences, different parts of us can develop that may carry maladaptive beliefs, strong emotions, and certain ways of acting. These parts serve a purpose to protect us in some way, but they may cause us to think, feel, or act in unhelpful ways. When these parts take over, we can lose access to our core Self. The therapeutic process of Parts Work involves understanding our system of parts and developing a trusting relationship with each of them. When the Self compassionately meets our parts, we can begin to understand our parts' motivations, fears, and origins, and begin to help heal them. The goal of Parts Work is to develop a strong, caring, and trusting relationship between the Self and its parts, so that the parts can trust the Self to lead through life. Parts work helps us to relate to ourselves in a compassionate and caring way, and it helps us to develop cooperative relationships with the extreme or polarized parts of ourselves, so that we can have more internal harmony and act in ways that are more aligned with our values.
Parts work is experiential, meaning I'll guide you through connecting with your parts and you'll be experiencing your parts in real-time in our sessions. It may seem a little abstract and strange at first, but we'll essentially be dialoguing with your parts to try to understand them better.
If you want to learn more, I recommend the book, No Bad Parts, which is written by the creator of Internal Family Systems. You're welcome to borrow my copy if you like! I also welcome any questions you might have!
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Narrative therapy essentially explores the stories we tell ourselves. We'll explore what narratives and beliefs you may be holding on to that may no longer be serving you. We'll question where these narratives came from and create new, more empowering narratives that align with your true values and beliefs.
My vibe is casual and warm and I value working in a collaborative way. This means that we work together to identify what you're hoping to get out of therapy and what approaches feel meaningful and supportive to you. It's important to me that you feel seen, heard, and respected and that your autonomy and consent in our work together is always honoured. As our therapeutic relationship deepens, I may offer different perspectives, challenge you, or encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone. I see my role as a supportive person in your corner, cheering you on towards your goals and personal growth.
I integrate different therapeutic modalities, since therapy isn't one-size fits all. The heart of my work is rooted in curiosity and compassion and I show up in the therapeutic space as active and engaged. I tend to ask a lot of exploratory questions! The main therapeutic modalities I lean on are Internal Family Systems (IFS), also known as Parts Work, and Narrative Therapy. You can learn more about these modalities below.
A Little Bit More About Me
• Big feeler
• Cat person
• INFJ - Imaginative and idealistic. Art and activism are important to me <3
• I value compassion, creativity, justice, service, and courage
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked for various non-profits and lived abroad. I then went back to school to pursue creative work and worked as a graphic designer, photographer, and videographer. I made short documentaries for CBC Arts and produced work for non-profits. Along the way, I started going to counselling for my own experiences of complex trauma. I found counselling to be a very meaningful experience where a caring relationship helped me to connect deeply with myself, my emotions, and my experiences. I now strive to offer my clients the same caring space that I was given to help them heal and grow.
Bug oversees IT and may make an appearance during our virtual sessions