Lisa Stefani M.A., RCC

When overwhelmed by feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, we can become disconnected from our inner experience and knowing. We can also feel disconnected from others and the world around us. This can be confusing and deeply painful.

I work with the idea that all behavior has purpose and meaning. It is my great privilege to work in collaboration with others and support the development of self-compassion and understanding as a way through to healing and growth.

My intention is to create a warm and encouraging environment that provides people with genuine opportunities for reflection, insight, and positive change.

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with several years of experience working with children, adolescents, families and individuals.

I have worked with a wide spectrum of clinical issues including:

  • Anxiety related disorders
  • Depression
  • Family of origin issues
  • Self-harming behaviors
  • Sexual abuse
  • Trauma

My work with adults: I combine psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral strategies with body-based experiencing techniques to increase an individual’s mind-body awareness. The body possesses infinite resources and provides essential information to guide healing and growth. I work collaboratively with individuals to access these rich resources and create new perspective about past learning and its impact upon present experience.

I use several techniques that complement each other; all of which tap into the wisdom of the body and mind.

These include:

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Sensorimotor Pyschotherapy
  • Lifespan Integration Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Expressive Therapy
  • Grounding and relaxation

My work with children and adolescents: When working with children and teens I focus on the developmental and emotional issues underlying specific behaviors.  I use a number of techniques to help a child express feelings (often indirectly) using toys, colouring, games, sandplay, dolls, storytelling, pretending and other activities best suited to the developmental level of the child. Play therapy incorporates the child’s imagination in play. Observation of this play informs directed counselling strategies and assists children to identify difficult feelings and relieve distress.

Adolescents will often engage in more traditional talk therapy, but specific expressive techniques may be used to help create a more comfortable setting for the teen to relate to and develop trust in counseling. Once this is established they can begin to understand their feelings, learn new ways of coping, and improve self-esteem.

My work with parents and community partners:
I also help support parents and caregivers involved in the child’s life as these relationships are integral to the child’s therapy and healing process. Together we develop various parenting strategies to help the child, and parents, overcome the issues at hand. When appropriate I collaborate with school professionals and other community partners to gather information and suggest ways for them to be involved in the child or teen’s process.

I am trained to facilitate parenting groups (STEP) and provide personalized parenting coaching.