Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Where are your offices located?

A: Our main office is located in Burnaby, near Lougheed Mall. We also have offices on Burrard near Davie Street in Vancouver and Coquitlam.

Q: Do you accept Insurance payments?

A: Counselling services are usually covered by extended health care, and for those on limited budgets we do have an internship program where you may see a supervised intern at reduced costs. For families with children with Autism and for ICBC cases services are often through contracts.

Q: What if I need assessment of a speech disorder, or a psycho-educational assessment for my child?

A: Working with local health care providers I try to provide a seamless set of services including psycho-educational and workplace assessments. My associates include Registered Psychologists, Family Therapists, School Psychologists and Speech Pathologists. Specialized neuro-developmental assessments based upon the research and techniques of Dr. Mel Levine are also available. All are licensed or certified in their field.

Q: What kinds of issues do you help people with?

A: Individuals, couples and families are seen for relationship issues, depression, anxiety, anger management, work related issues, parenting and assessment or testing.

Q: Can you help us with problems we are having with our adolescent in school?

A: Often school problems are related to educational deficits, neuro-developmental differences, learning disabilities, attention problems as well as social-emotional issues. During our first meeting we will jointly develop a plan that may include testing, school observations, counselling or tutoring. Together we work on assessing the problem and developing a plan to meet your goals. Typically cases move along a path of assessment, together developing a set of goals and finally working on solving problems together.

Q: What is your theoretical orientation? What can I learn about it?

A: In therapy I was originally trained and licensed as a family therapist (MFT). During that time I studied Systemic and Bowen Family Systems therapy. Later I completed an advanced certificate program in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at the Albert Ellis Institute in New York. As noted above, recently we have developed a program to also provide Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. I also make extensive use of my background in neuro-psychlogy (two years of post doctoral work at The Fielding Institute and Graduate School and supervision with Elkhonon Goldberg, a student of Luria and author of The Executive Brain). Finally, being dissatisfied with the outcomes of many school evaluations and educational interventions I studied in Dr. Mel Levine's School's Attuned program and went to UNC Medical School for training in his method of neuro-developmental assessment.

When dealing with couples I often use techniques based upon John Gottman's work. But each person is unique, and each client responds differently to different theoretical orientations. One of the first things we discuss together is how you see the issues you have come to see me for. From there we develop a plan that uses interventions that fit how you would like to approach you goals. This doesn't mean we go back and forth, using a hodgepodge of ideas and techniques. It means we find a scientifically supported method of helping you in a way you find appropriate and acceptable.  There is much more on these issues throughout the web pages provided and I invite you to look them over.

Q: I understand that there are new techniques to prevent relapse of depression and anxiety based on meditation and depression, what are those and do they really work?

A: You are likely talking about Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)  which is a meditation technique with proven benefits in reduction of stress symptoms and improved quality of life in persons suffering from a variety of physical and mental conditions. Based upon the concept of being "mindful," or having a heightened awareness of the present, this technique can be learned by nearly anyone.

Mindfulness has been defined as the state of attention and awareness of present experiences, bringing oneself in touch with inner wisdom and moment-by-moment awareness of what one experiences and feels. Paying attention to sounds, breathing rhythms, inner feelings, and our reaction patterns to specific situations are all part of being mindful. Mindful meditation, or MBSR, involves a series of simple meditation exercises, often coupled with physical stretching, to help achieve the mindful state.

MBSR was developed in 1979 by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Stress Reduction Clinic, the oldest and largest hospital-based stress reduction clinic in the world. MBSR is usually learned through a course lasting several weeks that involves daily practice sessions lasting 20-30 minutes. Formal practice of MBSR involves true meditation exercises, while informal practice can be achieved through attempting to create a non-judgmental, moment-to-moment increased awareness of daily situations. 

Researchers have documented the value of MBSR for stress and symptom management in conditions ranging from sleep disorders to cancer. In a 2001 report in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, Dr. Diane K. Reibel and colleagues at the Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University document increased vitality and decreased pain levels in 136 persons with a range of chronic conditions. We combine these techniques with Cognitive Therapy, often called Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). This has been found to be a highly effective intervention for anxiety, stress and depression. We can teach you these techniques and guide you in further individualized exploration of this new field.

Q: How do I set up an appointment? And is there a waiting list?

A: Call the phone number above and set up an initial consultation. Sometimes people email to ask about appointment availability. It's best to limit personal information in emails as they are not necessarily confidential. Depending upon your needs we may send you some initial history forms to bring with you. Most appointment times are in the late afternoon or early evening. One of my associates is often available for morning or weekend counselling if you need to see someone then. Waiting times are seldom longer than a week.