Lisa Dexter

     Hello! My name is Lisa, I am a Registered Counselling Therapist and Canadian Certified Counsellor, I have been in practice since 2012.

     My areas of interest include grief and loss, trauma, and depression. In my early adult life, I experienced a significant loss of a loved one; I know the angst of loving and losing. The people I work with are often individuals who are going through their own trauma, pain or life changes.

     Sometimes people will turn to substances as a way to cope, until they can learn healthier options. I developed a background in seeing how substance misuse can often show up alongside the trauma. It is normal to not want to experience pain, to avoid it, to try to make ourselves feel better, or to get rid of experiences that trigger thoughts and feelings. As much as we try to buffer, the pain still remains until we move through it. I can help.  Most of the people I work with have incredible resilience and strength, with support they learn to realize their own resources and tune in to them.

     I was a teacher for many years, prior to becoming a therapist. As a result of this experience another one of my areas of interest is working with tweens through adults who have ADHD/ADD, school related anxieties and transitional life changes. I know first hand how ADHD can affect one’s sense of self. Receiving my diagnosis led me to develop a greater understanding of myself and has ultimately led me to helping others who are experiencing similar challenges.

     From a therapeutic standpoint I can draw from a number of strategies and have training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy. I am an advocate for the LGBTQ2S+ community and I work from a feminist and client-centered perspective. In addition, I often draw upon creative approaches such as art and writing. I am also happy to take our appointments outside, if you are the type of person who likes to walk and talk. Requesting an outdoor appointment implies consent that this is with a reduced expectation of privacy, as we would be meeting in a public space.

     Having grown up around the ocean and spending much of my time in the City of Lakes, I often think of the many metaphors a person can use when discussing the water and mental health. We are ‘calm on the surface’, ‘still waters run deep’ and we ‘feel like we are drowning’. Mental health is a part of our human make-up, we all experience turbulent waters from time to time and it can be helpful to have support.

I’d love to connect with you!

Lisa