THERAPY & COUNSELLING

Lisa is a therapist and a registered social worker specializing in therapy. Specializations include postpartum mood disorders, new parenthood adjustment, birth trauma, fertility issues, cancer, woman abuse, miscarriage/late term pregnancy loss and childhood trauma including sexual, physical and verbal abuse.

Lisa holds a Master’s degree in social work (MSW) as well as an undergraduate degree in political science. She is also a certified trauma counsellor and post partum mood disorder specialist. Lisa is registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers as well as the Ontario Association of Social Workers giving her the designation of Registered Social Worker (RSW). As an MSW, RSW and psychotherapist Lisa's services are covered by most extended healthcare benefits. 

Areas of Expertise:

Depression

Anxiety

Postpartum Mood Disorders (Depression, Anxiety, Rage, OCD)

Birth Trauma

Self Esteem

Job Stress

Cancer

Woman Abuse

Relationship Issues

Childhood Sexual Abuse Childhood Physical Abuse

Childhood Emotional Abuse/Neglect

Eating Disorders

Fertility Issues

Specializations

Postpartum Mood Disorders (including Postpartum Depression, Anxiety and Anger) and Birth Trauma

Are you feeling sad, anxious or depressed following the birth of your child? Do you feel like you are experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions that are difficult to manage? Have you experienced a traumatic birth? Are you experiencing stress in your relationship as a result of these issues? Individual therapy can help. Most women expect to adjust easily to the arrival of their new baby. They anticipate feeling tired and somewhat disorganized, but they still expect to feel good about themselves, their babies and their families. But, for many women, this is not the case. As a society, we place high expectations on motherhood, and often fail to understand when those expectations are not met. As a result, women find it difficult to talk about their depression or anxiety. This can leave you feeling silenced, lonely and isolated. Through her therapeutic work Lisa can help you break that silence. Lisa has worked with women in both private practice and hospital settings and is familiar with the intense stresses that can come with new motherhood, PPMD and birth trauma.

Cancer

With a diagnosis of cancer with comes multiple stresses including fear of treatment and death, managing treatment demands, how to inform children, loved ones and your employer as well as how to move forward post treatment whilst battling ongoing physical and emotional side effects. Lisa provides supportive counselling addressing all of these issues in addition to the stresses related to learning how to live with chronic illness, fear of recurrence, loss of self or identity, and return to work concerns. While many cancer patients are able to “keep their heads above water” during treatment, it is often during the post treatment period that individuals begin to truly process and make sense of their experience.

Trauma

The experience of trauma can include being an adult survivor of childhood sexual, physical or verbal abuse as well as being a survivor of relationship violence or abuse. Trauma has an immense psychological and emotional toll and can often result in depression, anger, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, eating disorders, and challenges to intimacy. Lisa has worked with survivors throughout her career and feels strongly that within the safety of the therapeutic relationship one can learn how trauma has impacted one’s life as well as how to establish healthy coping mechanisms to address ongoing physical and emotional symptoms.