I can work with clients across Canada, except for in the province of Quebec.

First of all, if you’ve never been in therapy before and you’re feeling uneasy about what to expect, I see you. I’ve been where you are. I’ll never forget the feeling of booking my first session with my therapist. For me, it was a strange mix of relief and shame, because of how much internalized stigma I had about ‘going to therapy.’ Now, I think it is one of the best decisions I ever made, and I only wish I had done it for myself sooner.

As my therapist explained in our first session, therapy is often about self-care and maintenance. She said, “you don’t wait to take your car in for service until there are flames under the hood.” That struck me as so true. To live our best lives, our mental health deserves attention too.

Our first session will be spent getting to know you and what has brought you into therapy. I will listen carefully to what’s been on your mind. I’ll ask lots of questions to understand the details and background of the issues you’d like to work on. I will then offer possible directions for moving forward, and together we will make a plan for your unique therapy process.

A good fit with your therapist will be the biggest factor in your success. I have a strengths-based, client-centered, humanistic approach that encourages self-actualization. In my practice and in my life, I have a feminist, anti-oppressive, weight-inclusive, and trauma-informed lens. I am not a one-approach-fits-all therapist. Rather, I work with you to determine a plan that meets your wants and needs.

I have experience working with clients with a variety of issues including disordered eating/eating disorders, anxiety, depression, mood and personality disorders, trauma, stress, life transitions, and relationship issues.

In addition to certification in Intuitive Eating counselling, my psychotherapy training includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for trauma, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Ten for Eating Disorders (CBT-T), and Binge-Focused Therapy (BFT).

Yes, everything that is discussed in individual therapy is confidential, with a few limits that we review in your first session (e.g., risk of harm to yourself or others).

Virtual therapy is provided via a secure online platform.

As a Registered Counselling Therapist (RCT-C) (#RCT-C23-021) and Registered Nurse (RN) (#32368), my practice is governed by the standards of two professional colleges, the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists (NSCCT) and the Nova Scotia College of Nursing (NSCN).

I am also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, trained by Evelyn Tribole, one of the co-creators of the Intuitive Eating framework.

I have a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (Yorkville University). I also hold two Bachelors of Science in Biology & Psychology (Saint Mary’s University) and Nursing (Dalhousie University). In addition to training in various therapies, I’ve also completed numerous trainings within the context of my nursing career, including the Mental Health and Addictions Nursing Specialty and Suicide Risk Prevention courses through NS Health.

No, you do not need a referral to work with me. You can book a session online right away!

A standard 50-minute therapy session is $175/hour (HST included). Payment is processed at the time of the session. A valid credit card must be on file on our secure platform, unless an alternate arrangement has been made (please email to discuss e-transfer, etc.).

If there is an issue with the card on file, you will be notified by email. Outstanding balances must be paid in full before future sessions are booked.

The fee for letter/report writing is $175/hour. This may or may not be reimbursed by your insurance provider, so please inquire.

Your appointment time is reserved just for you. A late cancellation or missed session leaves a hole in the therapist's day that could have been filled by another client.

As such, we require 24 hours notice for any cancellations or changes to your appointment.

A fee will not apply for the first late cancellation or missed appointment. Subsequent late cancellations or missed appointments will be charged at 50% of the session fee to the card on file.

Fees for private therapy/counselling may be fully or partially covered by your private or workplace health insurance plan. Please contact your provider before your first session to ask if your plan compensates for services from a Registered Counselling Therapist, Registered Clinical Therapist, or Psychotherapist.

I do not offer direct billing, but I am happy to provide detailed paid receipts to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

At this time, I offer virtual sessions on a secure platform. However, I do plan to offer a limited number of in-person sessions in the near future based on demand.

I currently operate on a part-time basis. My hours are Monday to Thursday 9am to 2pm (Atlantic Standard Time). I may have some availability outside these hours on a limited basis; please inquire by email.

I mostly work with adults 19+. I also offer limited spaces for teens (13-18) on a case-by-case basis (please email me to discuss).

No, diagnosing and prescribing are outside my scope of practice. However, as a Psychiatric/Mental Health RN, I have extensive experience in psychiatric assessment and can liase with your other service providers as necessary with your consent (e.g. psychologist, psychiatrist, general/nurse practitioner).

My professional college’s code of ethics does not permit me to take you on as a client if we have a pre-existing social, business, or work relationship that could impact our therapeutic relationship.

If you are unsure, send me an email. If I can’t be your therapist, I may be able to point you in the direction of someone who would be a good fit for you.

I worked for 15 years as an inpatient psychiatric nurse with a specialty in eating disorders. During this time, I directly supported patients with disordered eating, chronic dieting, and body image issues through all of the ups and downs of their treatment.

My extensive front-line experience makes me uniquely qualified to recognize disorder in disguise and emotionally support you on your way to food freedom.

Yes! It is very common for clients to not feel fully ready to give up dieting at first. The first principle of Intuitive Eating is Reject the Diet Mentality, and this mindset will be necessary for us to move onto effectively working on the other principles.

Many clients need to explore their background of dieting and how it has affected their lives before they’re ready to give it up. We can do this together. As a Psychotherapist, I can also help you work on other areas of therapy that may be related to your relationship with food and your body (e.g. anxiety, need for control or coping skills, perfectionism, self-esteem and body image issues, and trauma).

Yes. I am an anti-diet therapist. I firmly believe dieting causes more harm than good.

That being said, I am not anti-dieter. Quite the opposite, actually. I see my work as advocacy for dieters who have been taken advantage of and harmed by diet culture. I will never judge you for dieting in the past, or your urges to diet in the future; this is normal, expected, and treated with compassion.

Short answer, no. I realize that weight loss can occur for a number of reasons aside from disordered eating and dieting, including stress and illness. Some clients actually lose weight when they heal their relationship with food and their body. Others gain weight or have no change in their weight.

I know that last sentence may have been scary to read - it is for most of my clients. But it’s also a relief for them to take a break from working on their weight (for once!) and exciting to work on their true selves.

To start the work of Intuitive Eating, it is important to remember that it is not another diet or weight loss plan. It is a food freedom plan. Therefore, it is essential to put the idea of intentional weight loss on the back burner while we do this work.

It depends where you are in your recovery journey. If your eating disorder is active, an Intuitive Eating approach may not be appropriate for you based on your symptoms and their severity.

If you’re in Nova Scotia, The NS Provincial Eating Disorder Service (public system) and Eating Disorders NS (non-profit) have both expanded their offerings recently, and your needs may be better met by their team-based approaches.

However, I am trained in ED-specific therapies, and will consider working with highly motivated clients on a case-by-case basis.