I am a Registered Social Worker Psychotherapist, Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (CYA-E-RYT 500+), and an Ayurvedic Wellness Practitioner who is interested in the overall well-being and harmonious interconnectedness of all that exists. I believe that everyone no matter what background, gender, race, ability, culture and identity has the right to an adequate standard of living in good health and happiness, and so it is my passion to be of service to others by creating a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere that supports happiness, wellbeing and healing in a holistic and cross-cultural manner.
I am a caring person and a conceptual thinker who is empathetic and has an eclectic background, both personally and professionally. I have been exposed, and I continue to embrace, a wide variety of world-views, orientations and cultural backgrounds.
Both my personal and professional life experiences have shaped my holistic worldview and the nature of my friendly and joyful approachability. They have allowed me to develop the necessary skills to be empathetic, caring and genuinely interested in supporting individuals, groups, couples and families during their healing journeys towards happiness and wellness. I call it a healing journey as it is a process towards a positive goal. The goal may not be easy; however, I strongly believe that with the right support… the journey (i.e. process) towards change can be a powerful and liberating experience.
My experiences living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and in working with individuals, groups, couples and families experiencing mental, emotional, spiritual, emotional, interpersonal and structural challenges, have fuelled my passion to work in the areas of healing and mental health – especially as it relates to the effects and impacts of illness, dis-ease, trauma, anxiety, depression, and the chronic conditions that may arise from their continuous re-occurrence.
With a background in Sociology and International Relations, my early work focused on a multidisciplinary approach to social, political, economic and environmental issues affecting all levels of society, from the local to the global level. After working in several institutions which focused primarily on the macro level of change, I realized that the essence of my being was to work at the individual level as well. When I realized the important relationship between transforming and liberating both the individual and the global level together – I decided to complete a Master’s in Social Work to provide both counselling and psychotherapeutic services while being aware of structural realities that may impact an individual’s sense of happiness and overall well being.
Since 2006, which is when I was diagnosed with MS, I’ve been on an ongoing healing journey for both personal and professional reasons. I strongly believe that it is essential for therapists to do our own healing work if we are to support others in their journeys. Throughout my own journey, and especially when connecting with the spiritual dimension of my being, I continue to learn about the possible mind-body connections of dis-ease and illness. This increased awareness provides me with an empowering sense of hope, which helps me overcome the mental and emotional distresses often experienced when living with MS. And so, when I discovered the mind-body healing and transformational benefits of integrating a holistic approach into both my personal and professional journey, I first became a Yoga teacher, and then continued on to learn about Ayurveda — first as an Ayurvedic Counsellor and then as an Ayurvedic Practitioner. I continue to be a dedicated student of Yoga, Ayurveda, and Psychotherapy.
Throughout this journey, I continue to cultivate compassion through my spiritual nature so that I can heal my Self, and contribute to the healing of our world as I work in service to others.
