Profile
n psychotherapy I work with adults experiencing a range of difficulties coping with negative emotions (anger, anxiety, depression, shame), problematic behaviours (aggression, compulsions), and relationship issues.
I have a specific interest in the assessment and treatment of addictions, including substance abuse (alcohol, recreational drugs, prescription medications, anabolic steroids), sexual addiction (consenting sex, masturbation, pornography), and problem gambling (casino, internet, lottery).
My work in psychotherapy relies heavily on building a safe and trusting working relationship with clients. I work together with clients to determine their unique treatment needs and goals, and how they want to proceed in psychotherapy. Various treatment approaches (e.g., cognitive-behavioural, emotional-focused, psychodynamic) are used to help clients resolve their specific emotional, behavioural, or relationship difficulties.
Since 2005 I have worked extensively with alcohol and drug abusing clients from various cultural and economic backgrounds (including professionals/executives and offenders). I take a non-judgmental approach when discussing substance use/abuse and promoting change, and I collaborate with clients to determine and reach their substance-related treatment goals (e.g., controlled use, complete abstinence). Cognitive-behavioural strategies to reduce substance use are combined with insight-oriented and emotion-focused interventions that resolve the underlying emotional causes of substance abuse.
I also conduct research on substance abuse and behavioural addictions. I have studied the association between mental disorders and substance abuse, substance abuse in problem gamblers, and the effectiveness of substance abuse psychotherapy in mentally disordered offenders. My research has been presented at national and international conferences, and published in scientific journals. I have been consulted on by a provincial jail in the development of substance abuse treatment programs, and I am a member of a Ontario-wide workgroup developing evidence-based guidelines for the assessment and treatment of substance abuse in forensic psychiatric patients.
My B.Sc. in General Science (2002), B.A. in Psychology (2004), and M.A. (2007) and Ph.D. (2011) in Clinical Psychology were earned from the University of Windsor. I am currently registered as a psychologist in with the College of Psychologists of Ontario with competencies in Clinical and Forensic Psychology.