Practice Philosophy
Inclusive, Relational & Humanistic
Every counselling professional provides a different approach to psychotherapy that reflects their unique education and experience. David is passionate about practicing what he teaches others and represents his work from principles of integrity, honesty, and compassion. Over the course of his career, David has developed the following framework for how he intends to facilitate his role as an educator and therapist in his community.
Humanistic and Relational
David facilitates services from a perspective that includes recognition of the inherent worth and dignity of all people. This is demonstrated by valuing the unique experiences that each person brings with them into the counselling session. David acknowledges that as humans we are naturally creative and compelled towards personal growth and the discovery of meaning in our lives. Good counselling should therefore help individuals to identify and address barriers that have been blocking the ability to navigate one’s life in accordance with their unique gifts and values. As relational persons, it is essential that we foster emotional wellness within a therapeutic context that is safe, comfortable, and allows for the exploration of new ideas and thoughts to emerge naturally as we navigate unfamiliar territories of life.
Mindful and Embodied
By bringing mindful awareness to the cognitive and neurophysiological aspects of our experiences, there exists a powerful opportunity to shift our lives towards greater well-being. In Western society we have become more distracted and fragmented in our attention. The fragmentations that many of us are witnessing in our own lives is also represented culturally as we’ve become more lonely and separate as a society. The separation we can observe around us is also represented in the modern disconnection that many of us have from our body and that of the planet.
Through my years of practice and training in mindfulness I’ve helped clients to learn how to tune into their experiences with greater awareness. As we learn to become more mindful of our experiences, we also develop the capacity for greater insight and awareness over what might be holding us back from living the kind of life that is in support of our overall wellness. Mindfulness is also an evidence-based approach to supporting emotional regulation and a greater sense of calmness in our everyday lives.
Anti-oppressive & Inclusive
David approaches counselling and community work by identifying, resisting, and challenging norms of unequal power relations that cause oppression based on intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, disability, and economic class. It is intended that counselling is an inclusive and safe place for individuals to express their unique voice and perspective from all walks of life. This means that within the counselling space, there is continuous recognition that within therapy there exists influences from the broader social and political spheres of our culture. This approach to practice helps to challenge views that may unduly pathologize and place blame on the individual for their adversity by recognizing our belonging to a broader community of interconnecting relationships.