About Align Within Counselling & Therapy

As a trained Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, Gestalt therapist, and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, I can help you with anxiety, self-esteem, and understanding why you do what you do and hold space for you to figure out who you really are.

I especially enjoy working together if you identify as a highly sensitive person (HSP) and/or if you are looking for a space that is free from weight stigma and the pressures of diet & wellness culture.

Before I began studying Gestalt Therapy and counselling in the early 2000’s, I was a Speech Language Pathologist for 12 years. I think I was drawn to that work because I resonated with those who struggled to communicate and be understood. I will forever have tremendous appreciation for the courage it takes to express one’s truth, especially when communicating is hard. 

I have always been a listener.  I grew up listening to my grandparents’ stories about surviving the Holocaust. Part of me absorbed the message that trusting people outside my family was dangerous.

I also listened to everyone around me and was sensitive to messages about what I needed to do to be good, to be loved, to be accepted. I’ve come to see this as a normal part of human development. When we push back against the path of others to find what is true for us, our journey to Self comes alive. 

Looking back, it seems my life’s work has been about finding my own voice, connecting to my own sense of Self, and discovering the beauty of trusting myself and connecting to others.

In the last few years, my interest in spirituality and the mystery of the universe has grown. It’s a joy to walk alongside others who are seeking their own wisdom and a balance between head and heart. It is a pleasure to share with others the practices that have brought me freedom, clarity, and joy.

I value authenticity, integrity and kindness. I appreciate beauty in my daily surroundings.  I love sitting by trees, swimming in rivers, watching clouds and bees.  I love spending time with family and friends.

I currently reside in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, British Columbia which is Coast Salish land and the unceded traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.  I am very grateful to be able to live and work on this beautiful land and I acknowledge that I am an uninvited visitor.  I have enormous respect and gratitude for those who have cared for this land from the beginning of time and those who continue to do so.

I identify as belonging to the LGBTQ2+ community and am married to a beautiful human. I'm a step-mom. I'm passionate about gardening, preserving food, fermenting and bread making.