I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor and have had my practice, Westside Counselling & Consulting, in Vancouver, British Columbia, since 1989.  Prior to 1989, I worked for 10 years in a non-profit counselling agency associated with the federal corrections system.  I currently work with women, men, and youth living in and around the Vancouver area.  I provide individual counselling, couples counselling, and family counselling as well as facilitate various support groups. 

In addition to the above, I  also work as a trainer/teacher providing professional development workshops throughout the province of British Columbia.  Staff training and consulting contracts include non-profit agencies, colleges, government departments and school boards. Outside of British Columbia, I have given workshops in Ottawa, Ontario; Philadelphia, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; Los Angles, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Counselling Experience 

My years of counselling individuals  has given me the opportunity to work with: 

• individuals who grew up in dysfunctional and painful families  

• those who were physically, sexually or emotionally abused as children/youth

• both men and women who recognize they are hurting themselves and others with their anger

• women and men who find themselves involved with, married to or living with a violent partner 
   

• individuals and couples who are sorting out the complexities of their intimate relationships

• individuals experiencing a  relationship break-up 

• individuals in committed relationships who have been hurt and affected by a partner's emotional or sexual affair/s

• men or women who have had or are having an emotional or sexual affair/s outside of their committed relationship

• women and men who are drawn to those who are not available i.e. married, living with someone else, emotionally unavailable
   

• individuals wishing to explore aspects of their sexuality
   

• parents who want to increase their parenting skill level with their young children and/or teenagers

• parents who want to break the cycle of family dysfunction by learning better parenting skills than their parents had

• family members to strengthen sibling relationships as well as father and son/daughter relationships and mother and daughter/son relationships
   

• pregnant teens and young moms
   

• individuals coping with aging parents
   

• individuals with cancer and other serious health issues as well as  family/friends who provide care and support
   

• individuals coping with grief and loss
   

• individuals who have addictions and dependency habits  i.e. alcohol, drugs, gambling, internet use, work, etc. and their family/friends 
   

• individuals and family members of those directly or indirectly involved in the criminal justice system

Support Groups

My work as a Facilitator of support groups includes:

Relationship Violence

In 1992, I began facilitating support groups for women dealing with relationship violence.  I co-facilitate in the provincial treatment program for men, RVTP,  who have been found guilty of relationship violence with their intimidate partners.

Sexual Healing for Women

I designed and facilitate a sexual self-esteem group for women, which is now available on-line. The six or nine session seminars are offered via an educational website that is secure and safe. Click on Upcoming Events for more information.   

Anger  

I work with both men and women who have problems managing their anger.  Poor anger management skills may result in hurting oneself, hurting others or damaging property.  As with much of my work I see individuals with anger problems in both a group setting as well as for one to one counselling.

Parenting

I develop and offer a variety of parenting workshops that are co-sponsored with various non-profit organizations in the Vancouver area.
 

For more information and dates, click on Upcoming Events.

Instructing

My work as an Instructor and teacher includes:

• offering a variety of professional development workshops for counsellors and others in the helping professions through the Justice Institute of B.C. 
  

• teaching a variety of one to two day workshops at Malaspina College on Vancouver Island, B.C. 
  

• teaching as a certified local instructor and Advanced Practicum Supervisor with the William Glasser Institute, based in Los Angeles, CA.  The Institute  offers an eighteen month training program in Choice Theory and Reality Therapy. For more information click on Home, click on Choice Theory.

• designing and teaching on-line educational and personal growth seminars  

• taught, an Interpersonal Communications course at Vancouver Community College        

 Professional Development

Throughout the year, you can find me working with school boards, government departments, not-for profit agencies on one to two day workshops that have been designed to meet a particular training need.