Welcome to Life Transitions Counselling

Susan is highly intuitive and spiritual in her approach.

All individuals have a healthier place within themselves where they feel centered and can thrive. Therapy helps us connect with that healthier place within where we can then come to understand who we really are and make life choices that are reflective of who we really are for both ourselves and in relationship with others.

Susan’s therapeutic orientation is brief solution focused.

Brief solution focused therapy places emphasis on a person’s present and future circumstances and goals rather than past experiences. This approach is different from traditional therapy where time is taken to pathologize, process and analyze past experiences and events. Brief solution focused therapy is goal directed and collaborative. Focused is placed on exceptions where success was achieved. It is in the exceptions where solutions to problems can be discovered.

Susan has a background as a trauma therapist and is trained in EMDR.

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was designed originally to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories. During EMDR therapy the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus (hand movements, beeps or tones). As this happens, for reasons believed by a Harvard researcher to be connected with the biological mechanisms involved in the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, internal associations arise and the client begins to process the memory and disturbing feelings. With successful EMDR therapy, the client gains insights and painful events are transformed on an emotional level through their own accelerated intellectual and emotional processes.

Susan has the capacity to hear what is not spoken. 

Children and youth do experience challenging and sometimes traumatic experience in their lives. When this occurs, they may respond by communicating their stress or distress through their behaviour and this may manifest as: acting out, school performance declining, losing interest in activities they previously enjoyed, friendship problems, becoming withdrawn, depression, anxiety, anger problems, power struggles, mood swings, avoidance and substance abuse.

Children and youth can learn to choose adaptive ways to cope with their distress and lead healthier lives.

Susan facilitates the Taming Your Worry Dragons Program

Susan is now facilitating the Taming Your Worry Dragons program designed for elementary school aged children (ages 7 – 10) in a group format. Taming Your Worry Dragons is a program that was developed in British Columbia in 1995 at the BC Children’s Hospital for use with children experiencing anxiety, and has been used effectively ever since. There is great information on this program, its approach and what children will learn here.

Children can learn to be resilient and lead healthier lives. 

Triple P Parenting Program draws on social learning, cognitive behavioral and developmental theory as well as research into risk factors associated with the development of social and behavioral problems in children. It aims to equip parents with the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient and to be able to manage family issues without ongoing support.

And while it is almost universally successful in improving behavioral problems, more than half of Triple P’s 17 parenting strategies focus on developing positive relationships, attitudes and conduct.

Susan is a Triple P facilitator and is trained in the up to 12 years Triple P Seminar Series. For more information on the Triple P Program and all that it has to offer, visit their main site.

Susan may be offering the up to 12 years Triple P Seminar Series. If you are interested in participating in this event, contact her for more information.

Children know who they really are. They may not articulate it yet, but they know.

Susan has been a school counsellor for 11 plus years and brings a breadth and depth of knowledge, skill and experience to her work with children, youth and their parents.

To make an appointment for your child or youth or inquire about The Taming Your Worry Dragons Program or Triple P Seminar Series, either call Susan at 902-628-5964 or email her at susandoiron@peicounsellor.com.