counselling in guelph + virtual
Are you a self-critical go-getter who is feeling anxious, burnt out or unfulfilled? If so, we are here for you to help you find peace and purpose.
Our counsellors take an active and collaborative approach to mental health therapy. We work with you to set actionable goals and incorporate strategies you can utilize during and after each session. This is done to promote continuous growth and help you to recognize the progress you’ve made. You can expect a safe and supportive environment that allows you to explore and address the root of what is holding you back from feeling and living your best.
How Counselling can help:
Learn more about we individually approach each type of:
Is chronic stress and anxiety getting in the way of doing the things you enjoy, being present with the ones you love, or moving forward in life? We help you get to the root of your struggles with anxiety and give you the tools to help you take back control of your life.
Our clients seek counselling for stress and anxiety when they start feeling the effects of burnout, getting stuck in thought spirals, or struggling with sleep, socializing, or getting outside of their comfort zone.
Mild levels of stress and anxiety are natural, but when they become more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting than usual, or start to interfere with living the life you want to live, this is when it’s time to seek the support of a professional.
If you’re tired of anxiety dragging you down and want to find lasting peace, we’re here to help.
Some common complaints we see related to stress and anxiety:
- Perfectionism and self-criticism
- Disrupted sleep
- Panic attacks
- Avoiding social situations
- Feeling burnt out
- Difficulties concentrating
- Irritability
- Specific fears (e.g. driving, crowds, needles)
Chronic stress and anxiety can make you feel trapped, overwhelmed, and alone. Let us show you the way out.
Counselling helps you in:
- Understanding the factors causing your worries
- Learning tools to prevent burnout and anxiety from taking over
- Feeling more confident
- Approaching fears
- Returning to activities and people you love
- Taking risks and trying new things
- Finding peace
Are you struggling to cope with a significant change in your life? Whether it’s the loss of someone or something you love, a career change, or becoming a caregiver, counselling can help you make sense of your complex emotions and adjust to life as it is now.
Life is of the nature to change – relationships start and end, health improves and declines, new lives are born and others are lost. Our minds favour the familiar, so difficulties with change or loss are to be expected. However, when a difficult decision creates prolonged stress, a loss overwhelms our ability to cope, or we find ourselves grasping on tightly to the way life was and resisting the way life is, these are signs that you could benefit from counselling support.
Common transitions and losses that clients seek support for include:
- Coping with a new diagnosis
- Processing the loss of a partner, family member, friend, or pet
- Relationship endings
- Adjusting to a decline in health or injury
- Career transitions
- Moves
- Adjusting to parenthood or caregiving
When going through a difficult transition or loss, it’s commonplace for well-meaning friends and family to propose solutions and focus on the silver lining. Sometimes what we need is the space to express all of our emotions without fear of judgement, and small actionable steps towards accepting our new life. Counselling can help with this.
How counselling helps:
- Letting go of unhelpful myths about grieving
- Embracing all of our emotions
- Managing stress associated with big changes
- Making difficult decisions
- Finding a sense of purpose
- Getting back to the activities we enjoy
Are you running into recurring conflicts with a partner, family member, colleague, or friend? Are you feeling lonely and disconnected from those around you? We explore the patterns that are keeping you stuck in your relationships and learn new ways of communicating that foster deeper, more stable connections.
Relationships are often where we experience both the purest joy and the deepest suffering. Many of our clients come to counselling when they are struggling to form real connections, feel distant from a partner, friend, or family member, or notice repeating conflicts in their closest relationships that they can’t seem to resolve on their own.
Every individual enters a relationship with their own unique history, values, and wounds; and these differences will inevitably lead to conflict at some point. What many don’t realize is that conflict, if done right, can actually bring us closer. A therapist can help you disrupt the patterns that are making you feel stuck, angry, or alone after conflict, and form new ways of communicating.
Common relationship complaints that bring clients to counselling include:
- Difficulties finding a partner
- Recurring conflicts
- Feeling disconnected from others
- Stressful family dynamics
- Fears of rejection or abandonment
- Challenges with intimacy
Human beings are hardwired for connection, so feeling disconnected from yourself and the people around you can bring about profound distress.
Counselling can help you in:
- Setting boundaries
- Clarifying your relationship needs
- Learning effective communication skills
- Creating connection and closeness with loved ones
- Treating yourself as you would a friend
There’s more to wellness than just being free from suffering. If you’re looking to up your mental game and bring meaning to your life, our counsellors can lend you the skills and support you need to get there.
Perhaps you can’t point to any particular issue that’s dragging you down, but know that you could be living a bigger life than you are. Or maybe you are looking to enhance your mental skill set so that you can perform better at work or in sport. Counselling isn’t just for those caught in intense suffering, it can also be for those wanting to improve their mental game, build an incredible life, and be the best version of themselves they can be.
How counselling can help with self-growth:
- Clarifying your values and purpose
- Creating a vision of what you want your life to look like
- Improving concentration, focus, and mental clarity
- Active goal-setting
- Developing skills in mindfulness and self-compassion
We truly believe that all human beings deserve not just to be free from suffering, but also to build a life rich with meaning and fulfilment.
What to expect from Counselling:
Your first session is a chance for your counsellor to get to know you and the challenges you’re dealing with. You will collaborate to set attainable goals and will leave the session with a clear plan of action. Follow-up sessions will be scheduled based on the treatment plan that’s developed in your initial appointment.
meet jenna
I have always been interested in mental health, relationships, and self-growth. As is common for many of us, I grew up seeing the toll that depression and anxiety could take on loved ones, as well as the positive impact that counselling support could have.
Because mental health conditions ran in my family, I committed myself to learning more about the mind, both so I could support the ones I love and learn strategies to protect my own mental health. Through my education in psychology and social work, it struck me that the knowledge and tools I gained could benefit not just those close to me, but everyone, and deserved to be shared more widely. This is why I decided to become a therapist.
I have always been interested in mental health, relationships, and self-growth. As is common for many of us, I grew up seeing the toll that depression and anxiety could take on loved ones, as well as the positive impact that counselling support could have.
Because mental health conditions ran in my family, I committed myself to learning more about the mind, both so I could support the ones I love and learn strategies to protect my own mental health. Through my education in psychology and social work, it struck me that the knowledge and tools I gained could benefit not just those close to me, but everyone, and deserved to be shared more widely. This is why I decided to become a therapist.
I have had the honour of supporting families struggling with the impacts of trauma and relational difficulties in community mental health; university students facing depression, anxiety, and severe stress; and individuals and couples in primary care struggling with relationship conflict, chronic pain, grief, and everything in between. I have a special passion for supporting adults grappling with anxiety, low self-esteem, difficult life transitions, and relationship challenges.
Through my own personal experiences of counselling, the experiences shared by my clients, and the concerns voiced by friends and family who sought therapy, I noticed a common complaint about the support that was offered. While many felt that counselling provided a non-judgmental space and plenty of validation, the action component was missing. People come to counselling because they’re craving change. While a trusting and compassionate relationship with a counsellor can certainly contribute to change, that alone doesn’t always lead to lasting growth. True transformation comes from getting outside of our comfort zone, learning new skills, and applying them in our daily lives.
For this reason, I take a more active approach to therapy. You can expect to feel heard, seen, and cared for in sessions, and to receive direct feedback around what may be keeping you stuck. I aim to draw upon your existing strengths and innate wisdom, while offering new perspectives and practical tools that help you build a life you’re excited about. I encourage you to take what’s learned together and practice it outside of sessions, as this is what will keep you feeling your best well into the future, no matter what life throws your way.
We know that asking for support can be hard, and finding a counsellor who is the right fit for you can be even harder. We promise to provide a space of curiosity and compassion, and to meet you with acceptance, wherever you are on your journey. Learn more about our counsellor’s background or book a free 15-minute consultation to see if we can meet your unique needs.
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Grief & Loss
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a Brief Intervention
- Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT): Attachment Science in Practice Course
- 2SLGBTQ Foundations Course
- Redeveloping Secure Adult Attachments Course
- Traumatic Bereavement Course
- Fundamentals of Somatic Experiencing and Polyvagal Theory Course
- Cognitive Processing Therapy Course
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trained
