YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS
Services for Pre-teens, Teens and Young Adults
I support young people in their unique journeys of self-discovery, helping them to further develop their emotional, social and coping skills and self-esteem. I work with a variety of concerns, including delays in development, struggles at school, anxiety, depression, behavioural concerns, difficulties with attention, grief and loss, trauma, sexual abuse, and adjustment to foster care and adoption.
Special Interests
Gender Diversity:
I am passionate about working with 2SLGBTQ2IA+ youth, particularly in the area of gender identity. I have significant experience affirmatively supporting gender diverse youth and young adults . I am a member of WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) and have completed WPATH GEI foundations training as well as advanced training in child/adolescent care, advanced mental health, identity evolution and ethics. As a registered practitioner with Alberta Health, I am able to provide referrals to the medical system for gender-affirming care.
Neurodiversity:
I enjoy working with autistic and other neurodiverse young people and have extensive experience with this population. I lean towards a developmental, relationship-focused and strengths-based approach to this work.
Approaches
In my work with youth, I draw on CBT, EMDR, DBT, mindfulness, narrative and feminist approaches and often incorporate expressive arts and other activities into counselling sessions, taking the youth's individual interests, preferences and strengths into consideration.
Areas worked with include:
- ADHD
- Adoption
- Anxiety
- Autism / Asperger's
- Behavioral Concerns
- Depression
- Developmental Delays/Differences
- Foster Care
- Gender Identity (eg. transgender, non-binary, two-spirit, intersex, questioning)
- Grief
- Peer/Family Relationships
- School Issues
- Self Esteem
- Sexual Abuse
- Sexual/Romantic Orientation (eg. gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, questioning)
- Trauma and PTSD
