About Christine

There has been a common thread throughout my life, which is narcissistic and antagonistic relationships. From mental health diagnoses and substance use disorders within my close family systems, to an emotionally distant parent, and one disastrous intimate partner relationship after another, including a 15-year marriage and divorce from a partner who demonstrated malignant narcissistic characteristics, the hard lessons in relationships never seemed to stop coming for me.

This journey has developed an understanding within me that no matter how the people around me are choosing to live, there is always choice and agency on my part. It took me years to get to the realization that life is an inside job. For a long time I lived with the beliefs that once the people around me “got it together” and lived up to my expectations or if I could live up to others’ expectations, my important relationships would get closer, and life would become good. It seemed I was always chasing, trying to prove myself and gave way more than I ever got back in return. I was depleted. The exhaustion of repeating the same patterns and carrying an emotional weight for what seemed like forever, finally gave way to a redirection that has created peace in my life without shutting out the whole world. Finally.

Professionally speaking, before completing my diploma program as a Professional Therapeutic Counsellor, I worked 20 years as a hairstylist and learned the art of listening.

I then worked for a decade as a Family Service Advisor helping families who experienced the loss of a loved one with their cemetery arrangements. Most recently, I worked on crisis lines and at high-barrier transition houses for women and children fleeing immediate domestic abuse where I expanded my view of intimate partner violence beyond my own personal experience.

All of this lived experience and personal growth, as well as my years in service careers, has fostered compassion for others who may be experiencing similar circumstances and inspired me to return to school to train to be a Professional Therapeutic Counsellor. I will hold nonjudgmental space for you as you seek relief and understanding of life’s challenges, either with others or even with yourself.

Here are the Top 5 Values for My Life and Counselling Practice (Walking the Talk):

Authenticity

Serenity

Trust

Wisdom

Self-responsibility

Training & Credentials

RTC, Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists Member #3511

RPC-C, Canadian Professional Counselling Association Member #4489 

Evergreen Certifications, Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician (2024)

Mental Health First Aid (2024)

Professional Counselling Diploma, Rhodes Wellness College (2023)

Certified Life Skills Coach, Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (2021) 

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Somatic Therapy

  • Coaching

Frameworks that inform my practice:

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Attachment Therapy

  • Trauma-informed Therapy

  • Solution-focused Therapy

  • Antagonism-informed Therapy