I am a Christian Chinese-Canadian, wife and mother of a young boy. My hobbies include playing competitive softball, solving puzzles and following cop dramas. As an interracial family, with an immigrant family history, of a visible minority, I’ve had experiences that may differ in magnitude but are relatable in kind to my audience and clientele. That being said, I believe my experiences are less important, than my passion for this job, my desire to care and love others, my ability to listen and empathize, and the training I’ve received.
Since 2009, I’ve been pursuing my calling as a therapist. I attended McMaster University, majoring in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, and graduated with honours. Immediately after, I attended Tyndale University and earned my Masters of Divinity in clinical counselling. In the year prior to, and the year following graduation, I worked with Catholic Family Services of Peel-Dufferin (CFSPD) offering brief therapy to clients of a diverse background. During this time, I began my journey as a Registered Psychotherapist and am continuing to grow as a therapist by receiving supervision and training.
During my time at CFSPD I received training in Narrative Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Sandplay Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Trauma-Informed Thearpy, and Mindfulness & Meditation techniques. Psychotherapy within this context was focused on a brief therapy model, meaning I typically saw clients in a walk-in single session format and at most, saw clients for 6 sessions at a time. Thus, therapy focused on finding solutions, improving quality of life by degrees, and finding tangible resources to address current concerns. I met clients from all socioeconomic backgrounds, all religions, various professions, and multitudes of concerns.
My time at CFSPD was invaluable for my training and experience as a psychotherapist. I was able to help many people, especially those that typically would not have been able to afford therapy. However, I also saw the shortfalls of government funded agencies, in their limitations to provide long-term therapy to those that need it, due to the high demand. Which brings me to now, in my own private practice. My hope is to become part of a client’s support network, not simply a lifeline in times of crisis, but continual assistance, as needed; no waitlist, no red tape, no re-telling your story over and over. Rather each time you seek therapy, you receive the help when you need it, and you’re building on previous progress.
If you’re seeking help, I hope you’ll connect with me. If you’re wondering if therapy will help, see my next blog post: “Can therapy help me?”