My life, much like yours, is filled with twists and turns that have created an interesting and educational life path. Here are a few key moments along that path that I hope give you a little insight into who I am and how it informs the work I do.

Education and Professional Path

Way back in the early ‘90s I completed my Honours Bachelor of Arts in Educational Psychology at Glendon College, York University. I then completed my training and licensure as a massage therapist, and completed my training and internship as a master herbalist. Initially I focussed on providing care to humans, horses, and dogs. From 1995 to 2010 I worked exclusively with animals, and began teaching animal physical rehabilitation courses. I am now retired from providing direct client support, but I continue to teach, thoroughly enjoying passing along my knowledge to others, and seeing my students blossom as practitioners in the field of animal rehabilitation.

Throughout my educational and professional journey I was drawn to, and asked to comment on the power of the mind – body – spirit connection; how an individual’s psychological state could motivate or inhibit physical rehabilitation. I always felt there was so much more to learn that would contribute to my experiential knowledge of this dynamic. To that end in 2014 I began my pursuit of a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP). I Graduated with my MACP from Yorkville University in April 2016.

I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).

This primary psychotherapy education, and registration (licensing) has been augmented along the way through additional training in:

• Adoption Competency
• Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapy
• Hospice Palliative Care
• Nature Therapy
• Theraplay (Level 1)
• Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing

Personal Path

A few other tidbits that influence who I am, why I am in this profession, and how I work (see COUNSELLING APPROACH page for more specifics on that) include the following ~ 

I am an adoptee, and I grew up as the youngest in a large boisterous family where my siblings were the natural born children of my adoptive parents. I have a taste of what it is like to be with others, but not of others; in essence an outsider. I have a sense of how family dynamics can work with you or against you, and how those dynamics flow outward into extended family, friendships, acquaintances, and colleagues impacting who we are, and how we cope. I have been touched by loss; the disenfranchised loss of adoption; physical loss as a consequence of the expected, natural flow of birth to middle age to old age and death, or the consequence of tragic unexpected loss due to disease, injury, and suicide. There have also be the assumptive losses that flow from relationship breaks such as marriage, separation, and divorce, or those due to career changes such as student to employee, and employee to retiree. In short I have some experience with life transitions; that they always involve loss, and gain, and are invariably transformative.

Finally, I have a wonderful Therapy Cat named Guru Monk. He joins in all sessions as he sees fit, as such you may see or hear him during our online or phone sessions.

I look forward to connecting with you.
Cheers, Sheilagh