In 2006 I struggled with depression (not the first time I struggled with depression, more about my depression story here), then I learned about cognitive behaviour therapy and Dr. David Burns through Dr. Neil Nedley’s Depression & Anxiety Recovery Program. Dr. Nedley’s program is great for an integrative wellness approach, putting into practice what I learned in The Ministry of Healing, and it completely cured my depression. I came of my anti-depressant med’s in just a few months.

I became a Depression & Anxiety Recovery certified program director, which fueled my desire to learn more and to help those who have very specific issues or for those where a group program wasn’t as effective. In 2016 I did several more courses on life and health coaching.

During this time I develop online self-help courses on health and wellness from an integrative approach, mostly on nutrition to start since that’s the education I had. The blue zone scientific research spurred me on to develop programs that included the key aspects to health and longevity. The amazing thing I kept seeing in all the literature is, what’s good for your physical health is good for your mental well being and visa versa. I couldn’t believe more health professionals weren’t promoting the research. The data was in, was I going to wait for someone else or start sharing as much as I could myself? So I launched several online courses and my students trickled in until I had approximately 7500 students by the end of 2017.

But depression wasn’t the only thing that I had to overcome on my journey — anxiety and excess stress nipped at my heels from time to time. Long before this point in my life I had been bullied as a child, experienced suicidal thoughts in my late teens, and dealt with extreme loss. Add to the curve balls life through at me, I’m a perfectionist by nature and have a fear of rejection among other self-defeating beliefs. Working through hidden emotions, facing my fears, and accepting some flaws became the catalyst for recovery which was possible only through TEAM-CBT. It’s so amazing to have tools that crush anxious thoughts and temper stressful circumstances!

I was encouraged to pursue counselling by several people. So in 2018 I took my diploma in applied psychology and counselling, and in 2019 I became a registered professional counsellor and Level 1 TEAM-CBT life coach. I’ve taken many other trainings since then including CBT-I, CBT for insomnia, Abide Network training, and many of Dr. David’s workshops. In 2021 I became a Level 4 TEAM-CBT Advanced Therapist & Trainer and the Vice President of education for AAHWC.

I really feel there is a need for qualified counsellors and life coaches who can guide people to greater emotional stability and mental wellness through TEAM-CBT, an integrative approach, and when appropriate faith based tools. That’s my goal, to teach clinicians, both therapists and coaches, to be more effective working with their clients while having self-compassion and applying these tools for themselves too!

So whoever you dear reader, I’d love to meet you!