PSYCHOLOGY

The most important factor when considering individualized therapy is to ensure that the therapeutic alliance between the counsellor and client is established and strong. Creating that connection will allow the psychologist to truly understand their client so that they can tailor a treatment plan to meet their needs.

Kari truly enjoys meeting new people and prides herself in her ability to see and appreciate clients for who they are. This allows her to use a variety of approaches with them that best fit their goals, needs and personality. She has experience with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Talk Therapy and Solution Focused Therapy. As a lifelong learner, Kari is constantly engaging in training for new modalities so that she can offer the best treatment options possible for her clients.

Being a teenager is hard. The adolescent brain is in full developmental mode and is often deficient in areas such as executive functioning, emotional regulation and reasoning. This is because while it is growing new important connections, it is also pruning away unnecessary information, paving the way for more efficiency to learn the important things needed for adult life such as kindness and compassion. Adolescents crave social connection and often take risks because the social benefits outweigh the possible consequences that may result from their actions. Though it is difficult and uncomfortable for them to experience consequences, living through them helps to build resiliency and strategies to deal with future problems.

Being a parent is an amazing experience. However, it can also be one of the most frustrating and challenging things that you are forced to contend with. The bottom line is that it is not easy. It includes endless worry about the success and failures of our children and it forces us to constantly question our ability as a parent. There is no perfect formula to raising kids. However, sometimes we just need some reflection and support to help us get through the tough decisions. A psychologist can help parents navigate the difficult moments and validate their often appropriate and well-meaning actions. Kari has experience as both a parent and as an educator in the public school system. This gives her a unique perspective of the challenges with balancing life as a parent.

Regardless if you are an elite athlete or a recreational player, playing a sport can teach you fundamental skills that can be used to navigate the successes and challenges you may encounter throughout life. Some common aspects of sport psychology that are helpful and can improve performance are goal setting, motivational factors, self-awareness and mindfulness. These can often be done in a group or team setting to maximize time and increase team building. However, there are also individual factors of sport psychology that can be addressed with individual therapy. Factors such as mental blocks, performance based anxiety, stress and dichotomous thinking (all or nothing) can prevent any athlete from achieving success. Kari offers both a general team based delivery of sport psychology as well as individual therapy to help athletes navigate their competitive world.

Athletics can be an incredible way for youth to develop a variety of life skills. As parents, we work hard to ensure our children have the best opportunities to experience growth, ownership, commitment and respect. However, being the parent of an athlete can be stressful! It can be difficult to watch our kids endure disappointment, pressure, fatigue and any negative social interaction that may be associated with their sport. We often find ourselves wanting to take away their pain and fix their problems for them.

Kari has real life experience and expertise in many aspects of sport. As a parent of high level athletes, a certified coach, sport administrator and a psychologist, Kari can help parents navigate the highs and lows of raising athletes to ensure that they are helping to develop well rounded individuals with life skills and resiliency.