My Story

I want to introduce myself not only as a therapist, but as someone who wears many hats in her day to day life, just like we all do. My identify as an adult has become more multi-faceted, as I have shifted to finding ways to integrate and learn from all the different parts that make up who I am: Wife, mother, sister, daughter, motherless mother, immigrant, therapist. You could also throw in student, cook, nurturer, friend, nature-lover, craft-lover, traveller, and many more. I have learned that different roles will ask for my time and attention at different stages of my life. Each of these roles is important to me and sometimes certain parts will thrive more than others - and that is okay. This acceptance of this forever changing balance does not always come easy to me and I know this is something many of my clients struggle with as well.

I grew up in Germany and moved to Canada as a teenager. Learning a second language, adapting to a new culture, and being uprooted during formative years brought many opportunities, but was also a difficult transition. When I finally had lived more years here than in Germany, I felt both a new sense of belonging as well as a renewed sense of loss.

I would experience an even greater loss in my 20’s when my mother died. I felt lost as all of a sudden nothing seemed certain anymore. It seemed impossible at times to know how to continue to live life without the person who most made me feel comforted, loved, safe, and like I belonged. In fact, the name for my private practice was inspired by my relationship with my mother. You can read more about the meaning behind “geborgen” at the bottom of this page.

Transitioning from being a daughter to a motherless daughter and then a motherless mother was something I was not prepared for. Becoming a mother was a beautiful reminder of the special relationship a parent can have with their child, but it also made me acutely aware of my own grief and loss again. I found becoming a mother was all too familiar in terms of being caught in dichotomies of feeling grateful yet overwhelmed, connected yet lonely, and confident yet anxious.

These experiences taught me that we all experience change in our life, we all suffer loss, and we all need to find ways to acknowledge and honour our past, while finding ways to move forward. I strongly believe that feeling heard in our experiences, knowing that we matter, and believing that we are enough the way we are, are integral in our journey towards growth, healing, and wellness.

My hope is that I can accompany you on your own journey of transformation and through whichever life transitions you are going through at the moment. I invite you to keep reading about my private practice under My Bio, Services, and Specialties if you’re interested in finding out more about how I may be able to help you.