Counselling
We are not meant to face life and its inevitable questions and challenges alone. As your counsellor, I will accompany and support you with a spirit of hope, compassion, curiosity and respect for your lived experience.
“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen
What I Do
I have experience working with folks who have concerns including:
- Grief and loss
- Life transitions
- Finding purpose and meaning
- Career direction
- Identity exploration, including gender and sexuality
- Relationship with food and body
- “Burnout” and personal sustainability
- Climate- and eco-anxiety and grief
- Mindfulness and intentional living
- Mindful parenting
- Existential and spiritual exploration
Ultimately, I want to help you find deeper connection and peace – with your body, your emotions, in your relationships, with nature, and with a sense of purpose.
What To Expect in Counselling With Emma
There is no one-size-fits all approach to counselling. In our first session I will work to understand what you are looking for and how I can help. My style is collaborative and gentle, and I welcome laughter, tears and everything in between. I will do my best to help you feel comfortable and safe, and I always invite feedback about how I can do this more effectively.
At this time, I offer counselling exclusively online through the Jane app video platform. I also offer nature-based walk-and-talk sessions at times. Please contact me to see what arrangement will meet your needs.
How I Work
My counselling approach is influenced by a variety of therapies and philosophies. I hope the examples below help you understand some of my important influences.
I believe that counselling is not about “fixing”, but rather about connection: with what is wise and whole within you, with your loved ones, with community, and with a sense of your values, purpose and strengths.
My approach will support you to develop greater awareness, to change unhelpful patterns, and ultimately to live the life you want to live.
What the Heck Are All These Counselling Approaches About?
| Counselling Approach | Key Practices & Beliefs |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion | Practicing being aware of what is happening in the present (in our bodies, our minds and our surroundings). Learning to stop harsh self-talk, and cultivating more friendliness towards ourselves will move us closer to our goals. |
| Somatic (body-based) awareness | Paying attention to sensations in the body gives us clues about our emotions, boundaries and values. Using small movements and breath to help change the way we are feeling. |
| Buddhist psychology | While life will inevitably include pain, if we understand our minds and hearts, we don’t have to suffer as much. Meditation is ONE way to develop this understanding. |
| Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) | Changing our relationship to our thoughts and our behaviour (taking action) can lead to changes in emotions. |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | Accepting what we can’t control and moving towards things that matter to us is more helpful than trying to retain control. |
| Feminist and anti-oppressive approaches | Acknowledging patterns of privilege and oppression, and working to minimize power differences within our counselling relationship. |
| Solution-focused therapy | You move forward when we focus on your strengths, resources and what’s already working in your life. |
| Harm reduction and change readiness | Doing less of something harmful may be more realistic than stopping completely. Aim for progress, not perfection. Change isn’t a one-time decision, it’s a process with stages. |