Therapists in Owen Sound, ON

I am a Registered Social Worker and Certified Health and Life coach. With this powerful combination, I empower people to come back from stress, anxiety, burnout or depression, stronger, healthier and more energized than before! Do you spend your time taking care of others and then find there’s nothing left for you by the end of the day? Are you dealing with stress, anxiety or depression but feel you should be able to handle it all? Or are you struggling with a major life transition? If you answered yes, you are not alone and it doesn’t have to be this way.

My therapeutic approach with individuals rests on the belief that everyone is doing the best they can with the tools and resources they have at any given moment. I provide a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental space to be seen, heard, and understood. My mission is to provide clients with an accessible and supportive space to reclaim their bodies and empower their own health and healing with an emphasis on choice and safety.

Are you concerned about your child/adolescent? Have they experienced divorce/separation, anxiety, depression, domestic violence, trauma, grief/loss, attachment issues, adoption, suicidal ideation, aggression, or self-esteem issues? Are they having issues with emotional regulation, behavioural challenges, coping skills, problems sleeping/eating or school problems. You may feel lost in knowing where to turn for help, and how to re-connect to your child. When children experience difficulties in their lives, they are often unable to express their feelings in traditional talk therapy.

Sometimes we go through hard things and don't know how to handle them or ourselves. Change is hard to make but possible and its easier to do when your being honest and with someone supporting and helping to navigate the things. If you want to do some digging, exploring yourself, connecting some dots, hearing strategies around your automatic responses to things I like to do that too. I support clients in learning about themselves and I especially enjoy working with clients who are diagnosed or suspect they have ADHD. The uniqueness connected with ADHD can be challenging at times but also be an amazing source of creativity!

I work with people of all ages, including children and youth as well as adults and seniors who are facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, body image, relationships, sexuality, grief, loss, life changes, spirituality, disconnectedness among other issues. I believe that the greatest gift we can give to ourselves and each other, is personal healing.

If you are looking to start or expand your journey towards mental wellness, I can help. Whether you have a specific mental health concern, experienced a trauma or stressful life event, or feel that things just seem a bit "off", counselling can help everyone in a variety of ways. I can help you better understand yourself and your actions/reactions to your environment, which allows space for a calmer, clearer life path. Therapeutic exploration and re-establishing connection to our 'felt sense' (our mind-gut-body connection) can provide the safety, relief and empowerment needed to heal and move forward.

~Loving ourselves through the process of owning our story is the bravest thing we will ever do~- Brené Brown. Life presents us with all types of road blocks, situations and experiences that may have our body and mind reacting in different ways or feelings. Children, adolescents and adults all experience feelings that provide internal and external responses. Coping with the way our mind and body feels through these situations does not have to be done alone. Your goals and feelings are important. You deserve a safe space to process and create intentional coping skills.

Do you have thoughts like ‘My child’s behavior is out of control!’, ‘I love them so much, but I feel like I’m at the end of my rope’, or ‘Why won’t my child just listen, they’re embarrassing me!’. Maybe you find yourself losing your temper and getting angry at your child more often. This might make you feel ashamed, and you may begin blaming yourself and feeling judged by teachers, family members, other parents, your partner(s). You feel confused and like you have tried everything from books to webinars, to doctors and other types of therapy but nothing seems to have helped.

**Accepting New Clients** I am dedicated to fostering a safe, inclusive and respectful space, and believe firmly that healing happens on the foundation of a trusting, authentic relationship. With 22 years of experience as a social worker in the areas of addiction, mental health, and trauma, I bring a wealth of knowledge and skill to my work with people. I operate from a trauma-informed, non-judgemental perspective and am dedicated to helping you explore the possibility of change and growth.

The journey we take with our clients is rooted in the meaning of our name, Verity: the state of being true. We believe it is possible for each person to move towards hope and healing by reconnecting with their true and authentic self. The services we provide are not based on a formulaic approach. Each client will journey through a co-created experience with their therapist to establish deep, lasting change both internally and externally in their life. Verity Counselling offers individual and couples online secure video therapy for folks wanting to work through trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and much more.

Parenthood is hard! You know that showing up for your kids helps them grow up to be resilient, confident, and secure adults. But when your tank is empty and you are feeling exhausted, you aren't showing up in the way you want to. You live with guilt, self-doubt and anxiety leaving you feeling angry and lost. You find yourself yelling more than you'd like and resorting to old ways of reacting to your children's behaviour. You're tired and struggle to make it through the day. You want to do better. You long to feel energized, grounded and certain as you make daily parenting choices that will help your family feel more at ease.

People come to therapy for a variety of reasons. For some, therapy provides tools to navigate concerns like depression or anxiety while for others it offers a forum in which to explore and strengthen interpersonal relationships. You don’t need to be in a debilitating crisis to get support. Whatever your reason for reaching out you are deserving of support and I look forward to meeting you to discuss your unique needs. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you feel safe.

Everyday stress, overwhelming life events and/or trauma can have significant impacts on our mental and physical well-being. In an attempt to relieve this suffering, we may develop certain coping strategies over time. Although these coping strategies may be unhealthy or unhelpful in some way, they signify your strength and resilience. If you are having difficulties connecting with your own resiliency, or the intensity of your emotions feels too overwhelming to navigate on your own, finding support and guidance in a responsible therapeutic relationship is a good place to start.

Why not consider giving yourself the gift of awareness, kindness and long-lasting change? I practice with respect, mindfulness and compassion. I value emotional memories and honour inner wisdom and strength. My goal is to work with you to alleviate distress and build resilience. I work in partnership with you to develop tools and the practical "know how" to meet the current challenges of your life with calmness and confidence. We will also explore how past experiences are shaping current responses and how your brain can be "retrained" to react differently.

I am interested in helping adults, adolescents, and families work through challenges related to trauma and PTSD, anxiety, phobias, depression, grief, relationship conflict and separation and divorce. My practice is a person-centered, strengths based approach working collaboratively with clients to reach their goals. I believe in creating a warm and empathic environment where my clients feel respect, understanding and trust. I provide my clients with unconditional support, education and tools that help foster inner resources, self-compassion and resiliency.