I apply a variety of counselling approaches and adapt the strategy to fit the needs of each of my clients. I've found the following approaches highly effective in my work with clients:

• Polyvagal Approach
• Client-Centred
• Narrative-Based
• Existential and Gestalt
• Cognitive

The trauma-informed approach focuses on engagement, empowerment, and collaboration. A trauma-informed approach reflects adherence to six key principles:

• Safety
• Trustworthiness and Transparency
• Peer support
• Collaboration and mutuality
• Empowerment, voice and choice
• Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues

This perspective links recovery and resilience for those individuals that are impacted by trauma. 

This approach recognizes biologically programmed shifts from fight-or-flight to shutdown when individuals feel trapped. This approach helps clients identify the movement from shutdown into fight-or-flight and helps them build bridges and possibilities to shift into social engagement. Social engagement helps clients gain a sense of safety and builds social supports into their daily lives that help them heal and recover.

Client-Centred Therapy is a process of freeing a person and removing obstacles so that healthy growth and development can proceed, and the client can become independent and self-directed. The Client-Centred approach to therapy operates with the assumption that we are all positive, caring, and trustworthy. I apply the concept of unconditional positive regard, and I believe that all clients, no matter what the problem, can improve without being taught anything specific by the therapist, once they and respect themselves. All the resources all lie within the client.

Narrative therapy is a form of counselling and therapy that focuses on the client’s life narratives. Stories can be a powerful negative or positive influence on the way people see themselves and their lives. I collaborate with clients to empower them to step away from problem-saturated or oppressive stories and begin to explore untold stories where their intentions, hopes, values, desires, and dreams have room to thrive.

Gestalt therapy is an existential or experiential form of counselling and therapy that emphasizes personal responsibility and the experience in the present moment. The Gestalt approach explores the present moment for the client in the therapist-client relationship, their environment, and the social contexts in the client's life. Exploring the self-regulating adjustments clients make to adapt and respond to their life situation is a core element of Gestalt therapy.

The cognitive approach aims to improve mental health by addressing both thoughts and emotions. The focus is on challenging and changing unhelpful and unwanted thoughts and behaviours, improving emotional regulation, and the development of personal coping strategies that target solving current problems. The cognitive approach is a proven to assist clients in recovering from trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).