Often, society compels us to believe that we are always to be happy and that showing emotion such as sadness is a sign of weakness. That is very far from the truth – if one begins to hold in all our sadness and anger, we will explode. Our natural state of being is having a variety of emotions. One of them which is compassion.

Compassion is an unlimited resource – in fact, self-compassion breeds compassion not just for others but in others. Though people come to therapy for any number of reasons, I’ve noticed a common theme: Their stories tend to include an element of emptiness or disconnection, no matter how many people are in their lives, no matter how much success they’ve achieved. Having compassion for ourselves allows us to take ownership of our stories, gives us agency to act, and helps us create and maintain meaningful and healthy relationships.

As a woman of colour, I value our cultural differences and ethnic backgrounds. We all hold our own attitudes and beliefs that can inadvertently influence our perspectives. That is why I take the multicultural framework approach to counselling to consider all client’s identity and background. Our cultural background shapes our sense of identity, our life experiences, and our beliefs. Some people may feel more connected to cultures than others, but everyone has certain cultural facets that affect their lives. I strive to recognize and respect these culturally diverse factors when I work with clients.