BUILDING a secure bond WITH YOUR PARTNER

Welcome to Rise Up Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy, Coaching and Consulting. I am a Registered Psychotherapist, and I am honored and thrilled that our paths have crossed. I am trained and experienced in working with couples from an Emotionally Focused Therapy lens. I believe that it is the gold standard for couples work. 

I serve couples who are local to the Niagara Region, in person at our St.Catharines clinic as well as couples across Ontario, online over secure video conferencing.

In Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), I aim to build an alliance with both you and your partner and to keep your relationship and your safety at the forefront of my priorities in the therapy process. My goal, with your consent, and in working from an emotionally focused therapy orientation, is for you and your partner to learn a novel dance and work together to break the negative cycle of arguments, as you also begin to learn about and share your deepest fears and needs, in a corrective emotional experience. In this approach, there is no "find the bad guy" and we work with a 'no secrets' policy.

We collaborate as a team, comprising yourself, your partner, and myself (your therapist), within a non-judgmental and safe environment where all thoughts and feelings are valued, and all your conflicted parts are held in loving kindness. One of our initial objectives as a team is to identify and address your negative interactional cycle. I will encourage transparent communication between you, your partner, and myself. I will make every effort to support you and your partner in sharing your fears and needs with each other in a safe environment where you feel valued. The goal is for you to develop new communication patterns and collaboratively solve problems, making progress through therapy.

My expertise is tailored to support your marriage during times of crisis. This may involve addressing prolonged disconnection between you and your partner, rebuilding trust after infidelity or other stressful life events, and managing family conflicts, including those involving in-laws. Additionally, I can assist with the challenges of forming a blended family, which can impact your relationship with your new partner and children from previous relationships. I also offer support for navigating changes in career or financial situations, as well as providing pre-marital counseling to strengthen your relationship.