Integrating Psychology, Science and Spirituality as a Blueprint for innovating traditional therapy models
Built on a foundation of Certified Psychotherapy that includes the most widely researched and practised successes of traditional Cognitive Therapy and blended with the enlightened principles of conscious Spirituality, Life Coaching, and Guided Meditation, sessions with dorothy are curated according to your personal needs and unique goals. Every session is approached with an integrative and (w)holistic lens to ensure that you receive all that you need; to provide you with endless support and nourishment – and to meet you right where you are. Let me help you answer your burning questions, witness your innermost wisdom, and build confidence in your path – and of the process of where our work together takes you.
Empowering you to wield the wisdom, skills, concepts, and strategies that are cultivated from our work together – towards success in any new life situation that comes your way. These are some of the tools for transformation and the teachings I offer that lead to lasting change:
personal growth and self actualization
defining and cultivating your most significant relationships
- learning to be love, and find the right partner
the secret to defining and living your life’s purpose
a guided discovery of self awareness and honesty
igniting your innate ability to heal from and become empowered by your past
embodied spirituality, guided meditation and life path mapping
teaching you to navigate from your inner GPS
I am trained as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. My approach and practice of therapy is holistic (that is, all parts of you – intimately interconnected as a whole). Therapy is most effective by examining the immediate and perhaps long-standing challenges that are present, and to explore these through the filter of how you witness your self, others, and the world. Throughout this process, and as you resolve and heal what you initially bring to therapy, you acquire a greater understanding of yourself, including what knowledge, tools and strategies will help you navigate the rest of your life – from a place of whole being wellness and authentic happiness.
Listed below are some of the areas in which I provide professional and compassionate treatment effective for healing and transformation:
A spiritual awakening is a defining moment wherein one experiences a heightened sense of awareness – of clarity – that reveals insight, understanding, and often the solution(s) that one was in search of. A period of spiritual awakening may be described as existential questioning. It can feel like a crisis – an intensely emotionally and energetically charged period or event that may follow a major life change: such as a breakup, bereavement, or health issue / injury. It can send one into a spiral of defeat, breakdown, a questioning of one’s choices, of what is true; and what is the purpose of one’s life or destiny. It is in allowing one’s self to go through this experience – to allow it to unfold and to examine what one is being shown or challenged by, that an awakening may occur. As such you may witness a break ‘through’ of old habits, thought patterns and limiting beliefs, fear, and confusion – to a greater sense of awareness; to what becomes a willingness to use your free will to choose your path – to witness yourself as having the freedom to shape your destiny; to acknowledge what is authentic and right for you – and to live your truth – here and now.
A spiritual awakening opens you to the possibility that there is more to life than what you may witness with your eyes. It is a shifting in one’s consciousness that transforms and deepens one’s understanding of reality, truth, love and the divine inter-connectedness of all that is. An awakening is a re-connection – to one’s inner nature (what may be called the soul consciousness, or highest self). This re-connection moves you into greater alignment with your true nature – as a oneness with the divine – source energy. A spiritual awakening opens you to the lessons inherent in your inward journey – and to healing old wounds, defining your life’s purpose, awakening your authentic power and a life that is lived with sacred grace, gratitude and the witnessing of all that is beautiful.
It is natural to feel nervous or worried at times. This can be a helpful feeling when it urges us to take ‘right’ action or aids in warning us of when something is not ‘right’. Anxiety can also present as a learned response to chronic worrisome thoughts or as the unhelpful feeling that pervades much of our life if we live in constant fear, hopelessness – or in reliving hardship or trauma. Anxiety is both the result of our ongoing thoughts and it is a causal factor, affecting future thoughts and actions. Some of the most common types of anxiety include social anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder. When you begin to understand how your thoughts are the catalyst for how you feel – and when you learn how to deliberately change your thoughts, anxiety – like other uncomfortable emotions – will no longer have power over you. With my help, you can learn how to be in control of how you feel and what thoughts you to choose to hold.
Self esteem is reflected in our emotional evaluation (our feelings) of our value or worth. It encompasses the beliefs that we have about our self, including how much we like and appreciate who we are. Self-esteem is often described as a personality trait, since it tends to be stable and enduring. However, we can nourish and raise our self esteem as well as correct what unhealthy beliefs may cause us to doubt and question our confidence and our feelings of worth. In our work together, you may wish to learn the strategies that will help you think and feel more consistently positive about yourself, and to believe in your worth and value. Healthy self esteem is what allows you to feel a growing confidence in yourself and your abilities; it is what inspires you to change aspects of yourself or your life, to seek out new opportunities, to challenge yourself – and to make the choices that will allow you to feel happy and fulfilled.
Interpersonal skills are the skills we use every day (in all areas of life) as we communicate and interact with others, both individually and in groups. Having strong interpersonal skills helps us to be more confident and this often translates into our success in both our professional and personal life. Interpersonal skills are varied, though many are centred around communication (e.g. listening, questioning, understanding body language and social cues and our ability to respond appropriately in all situations). These also include the skills and attributes associated with emotional intelligence and the ability to identify, understand and manage your emotions. Improving your interpersonal skills including what makes you a more effective communicator, begins with self observation and the awareness of how you interact with others. Let me help you build the personal and social skills that will affect how you witness yourself and how you engage confidently with others.
Children and Adolescents acquire social skills and emotional intelligence at each phase of their development. These are built in relation to the healthy self esteem and unconditional love that is instilled from a young age and which serves as an important foundation for a successful and happy life. There are also many challenges that children and teens face; for example, fluctuations in mood and behaviour, peer pressure and bullying, and the forming of and expression of identity. Therapy can be a safe space to process and receive guidance and help with the unique challenges that are faced as children and adolescents seek to find their place and to feel confidence and accepted.
In a crisis situation, there can be several difficult decisions to be made, including how you will cope with loss, hardship and/or grief. The term crisis can refer to a time of instability and upheaval, of intense conflict or trauma. It can also describe a turning point or a moment of truth – of awakening – of realizing one’s innermost courage and strength. In these moments it is critical to have the right support, perspective and a safe space in order to process what has happened, – what is happening – and to be best prepared with the knowledge and certainty of what to do. Crisis moments are typically followed by revelation, understanding, inner calm and peace. Let me help you to respond and navigate through these times in a way that offers reassurance, growth, wisdom – and healing in order to restore balance to your life.
Bereavement describes the loss, mourning and letting go of a loved one. It is complex and can be experienced mentally, physically socially and emotionally. These are difficult and often traumatic events for anyone. There is no ‘right way’ to experience bereavement – but learning what it means to process grief; to honour that process and let go with reverence for life – is vital to overcoming the difficult time when a loved one is lost.
Extensive research links stress as a causal factor for physical and mental illness. Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat (real or perceived). We respond to stress with a physiological and automatic – reaction as in “fight-or-flight”, as well we may experience stress psychologically or behaviourally leading to challenges in interpersonal relationships, difficulty coping with day-to-day tasks, depression, and a lack of ability to manage one’s life. If stress is a burden in your life, it will be important in our work together to address your coping response and – to learn effective cognitive and behavioural strategies so that situations and life events become less stressful – coupled with your ability to effectively modify and/or alleviate your response to it.
Our lives as humans are built upon connection and love. Your relationship with your self is affected by your self esteem and confidence. How you perceive yourself (including the core beliefs that you hold) affect all of your decisions, and how you interact with others. Your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship that you can ever have – and one that needs to be nourished with self care and self love behaviours and habits. Included in this work may be a discussion on aspects of your life as a child, and the learning (or re-learning) of ways in which you can better care for your present day needs and your belief in what you are deserving of. When you practice loving kindness directed inward, you thrive, knowing that you are able to care for and love yourself first – and foremost – and without feeling reliant on another in order to receive this.
Healthy anger is productive provided that you use this emotion as a platform for speaking with honesty and for conveying your needs with respect. Anger that is directed without control or that is roused frequently based on inaccurate and biased perceptions requires life strategies and tools for managing one’s emotions and for self empowerment. Let anger help fuel your desire for ‘right’ action and for being in greater control of your life rather than allow it to damage relationships, career aspirations, and to further eradicate self esteem and self worth.
Eating disorders are serious conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions and your ability to function in important areas of life. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders often develop in the teen and young adult years, although they can develop at other ages. The healthy protocol for healing from an eating disorder resides in medical attention and monitoring, a combination of psychological and nutritional counselling – together with familial support. I may help a client bring to light their disordered eating behaviours as a first step towards seeking treatment, or support an existing diagnosed eating disorder. Ultimately client success is largely based on desire and motivation to establish healthy eating behaviours.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a natural emotional response to frightening or dangerous experiences that involve actual or threatened serious harm to oneself or others. However, for some people, the thoughts or memories of these events seriously affect their lives, long after any real danger has passed. These types of experiences are called “traumatic.” Symptoms may include flashbacks, recurring nightmares and severe anxiety, and experiencing unwanted, disturbing memories of the event and acting or feeling as if the event is happening again. You can recover from PTSD. Receiving the appropriate treatment will help you regain a sense of control over your life. If you believe that you may be suffering from PTSD, let me help. Our work together will be suited to your unique needs and will teach you the strategies for alleviating your symptoms including ways to cope with future stresses.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized as a chronic and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she has a strong urge to repeat ceaselessly. Submitting to the behaviors offers temporary relief from the obsessive thoughts. Refraining from the obsessive rituals often causes an increase in the levels of anxiety and distress that one feels. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been espoused as the best form of treatment for OCD. Let me help you learn the tools that will reduce your overall anxiety and give you greater control and alternative choices to the obsessions and compulsions that you experience.
Discovering what motivates you allows you to connect to any task more fully; to enjoy what you are doing, complete tasks and solve problems – more efficiently. When you are interested in and impassioned by your work you will be happier – easily and far more productive. At a crossroads in your life, it may be helpful to examine what alternative career path you may wish to pursue. This may include exploring your life’s purpose and receiving help to navigate what becomes a new and richer career in your life. There is sequence of questions and inner reflection that will help bring you to this point and which will ultimately give you the answers that you are looking for in determining what and how you will do what is your calling and passion.
Treatment models including inpatient/outpatient programs are different for each individual and can be customized based on their unique needs and situations. The most effective types of treatment programs ensure that individuals in recovery are actively involved every step of the way.
Separation and Divorce is one of the most traumatic and challenging life events that one can go through. It is an upheaval of one’s entire way of seeing the world and their lives and can have wide-reaching impact across all areas of an individual’s life from career to impact on children. Couples who are currently seeking therapy as a first step prior to separation can very often find common ground and solutions that can actually prevent divorce by seeking out counselling both individually and as a couple. It is very often recommended that prior to choosing divorce- couples make the decision to seek out a therapist who is skilled in relationship counselling and can work to generate solutions to both mend the relationship or to help plan out a conscious uncoupling.
Abuse is a very often defined as a mis-use of power in a relationship intended to control or to harm another person. The mistreatment can be physical, verbal or emotional but all types of abuse cause psychological distress and pain. Abuse leaves wounds that are harder to heal than those inflicted physically and survivors of abuse often experience intense, negative impact long after the abuse has ended such as anxiety, flashbacks and mistrust in future relationships. It can greatly impact one’s ability to form healthy relationships and find happiness- but it does not have to. Therapy can address symptoms stemming from past or present abusive situations and teach an individual the skills needed to reclaim their lives.
Cognitive Behavioural therapy can help you to address your relationships with food, build positive body image and to teach us why it may be difficult to stick to healthy eating and lifestyle regimens. Therapy can be helpful in teaching us the self love that is needed to create and maintain healthy food and lifestyle habits. Body positivity is learning to love yourself regardless of what any scale reads or what any magazine or media influence suggests. Rewiring our ways of looking at ourselves and our bodies is fundamental on the journey to weight loss and overall wellness.
Cognitive Behavioural therapy can be a powerful tool for athletes and those engaged in professional sports. Improving performance by learning effective ways of stress management and positive self-talk. Goals setting, visualization and mindfulness techniques can greatly impact an athlete’s success.
Whether you are married, newly dating, or in a domestic partnership, couples need to be able to communicate through difficult issues with love and mutual respect. Each member of the couple can become better skilled at compassionate and honest communication, recognizing the potential for conflict and for its resolution by approaching each situation from a perspective of loving kindness, seeking to understand first, honouring each other’s differences and being accepting and respectful even when they disagree with the views or decisions of their partner. In therapy, couples learn how to use their voice to express their true desires in a way that allows them to be heard and which allows for a greater opportunity for reaching a mutually beneficial outcome. Love relationships challenge us to examine the parts of our self that are not reflective of who we truly are. Each member of a couple will become a better partner and a better version of their self by simultaneously working on self-improvement throughout the course of couples therapy and beyond.
If you are motivated to participate in the journey of becoming your best self, determined to move out of chaos, unhappiness or suffering and create positive and lasting change, or learn the secrets to awakening your authentic power, then Click here to begin the journey
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