Benevolent Body Counselling

My practice is grounded in a trauma informed, anti-oppressive, relational and client centered approach. The theories that guide my work include polyvagal, feminist, disability justice and somatic experiencing frameworks. I choose these approaches as they are informed by an ecological understanding that holistically assess how all levels of systems are impacting an individual’s life. By viewing a client’s challenges not as individual pathology but instead contextualizing them within larger systems of oppression, I am more comprehensive in my ability to understand them, and thus more able to support change. In addition, foundational to any theories I use as part of my social work intervention, is a focus on empowerment and honoring the individual as the innate expert of their own life. My practice strives to be sensitive to power dynamics, positioning myself as a collaborator tasked with creating a safe space in which an individual can facilitate their own healing.

My areas of interest include: chronic illness (including Long Covid, ME/CFS, Lyme Disease, Cancer, Ehlers Danlos, MCAS), injury, disability, medical trauma, medical misdiagnosis, grief and loss, caregiver support, and MVA’s. Somatic Therapy can also be very helpful for anxiety and depression, chronic stress, first responder trauma, life transitions, attachment trauma, early childhood trauma, or anyone looking for a holistic, body-based approach to their mental health.

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My approach works best with clients who are open to new ways of being and are ready to take action towards their hopes and healing. My goal as a clinician is to help my clients return home to their bodies and to transform difficult life experiences into fulfillment and freedom.