I help older adults and their essential caregivers manage
the complexities of aging. My goal is to guide
your journey towards more joy.
I provide service in South Eastern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area.
My Services
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Counselling
I help adults navigate the changes that accompany aging so that you can embrace this stage of your life, maximize your independence, and manage the effects of any health related issues, including dementia.
I also provide counselling related to:
Grief and loss
Family Relationships
Chronic Illness
Dying and death
Palliative care
Depression/anxiety
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Caregiver Counselling
I help people with dementia and their loved ones manage the changes related to the disease with a goal to guide your shared journey towards less stress and more joy.
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Organizational Consultation
I offer a variety of services to community agencies, LTC homes, Retirement homes and any agency working with older adults and their loved ones:
Staff Education
Bedside Coaching for BPSD
Speaking engagements for agency clients/family members on a variety of topics
Individualized Activity boxes based on Montessori principles for dementia care
FAQs
What types of problems do you help older adults with?
Counselling related to life transitions, such as retirement, the loss of aging friends, loss of driver’s licence, or loss of independence.
Adjustment to a change in health status resulting in loss of physical and/or thinking abilities.
Future Care Planning
Healthcare and Community Care System Navigation: It is a complex system with limited resources, often difficult to figure out.
Grief counselling
Depression
Anxiety
Loneliness
Life Review
What types of problems do you help caregivers with?
Managing the day-to-day stressors of providing care to someone who is suspected of having/has been diagnosed with a dementia.
Managing your loved one’s personal expressions of dementia
Dementia Education
Grief counselling - with a focus on the ambiguous nature of relationship losses related to dementia
System and Resource navigation - I will help you make sense of the health care system and available resources. Together we will navigate the myriad of resources and where appropriate I will facilitate referrals to programs.
Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness
Coping Skills and Stress Management
How do you work with people who have dementia?
My focus when working with people who have dementia is to help them create a meaningful existence utilizing their abilities and strengths. Where they have lost certain abilities, I will help them by creating bridges that allow them to continue to maximize their functioning. The person with dementia will inform me of the direction of each session and a strong focus will be on affirming their sense of self in that moment in time. Research has demonstrated that providing therapeutic companionship increases self esteem and minimizes distressing personal expressions of dementia (BPSD in medical terms) .
Therapeutic modalities used:
Strength-based
Mindfulness
Self compassion
Montessori-based dementia programming
Validation
Teepa Snow methods
PIECES framework for assessment
Psycho-dynamic therapy
Narrative Therapy
Trauma informed
Where do you provide therapy services?
In Person: I will travel to your home, or your loved one’s home.
I can provide service in your private residence, in a retirement home, or in a long term care home.
I can also provide service
via telephone
via encrypted video chat.
This can be discussed further during our initial telephone consultation.
Fees
My hourly fee is $150.00 I offer reduced rates via a sliding scale and this can be discussed during our initial consultation.
As I am a registered health care professional, all fees can be claimed as a medical expense for income tax purposes. Receipts will be provided.
Please check with your insurance company if they cover the cost of psychotherapy provided by Registered Social Workers. I do not direct bill, but will provide you with a receipt to submit.
I am a registered service provider for Veterans Affairs via Medavie.blue cross.