INTEGRITY

For me living with integrity means valuing truth, honesty and accountability in all aspects of my life. This does not mean I am perfect, but every day I strive to do my best in any given moment. I am open & straightforward in my dealings with clients, even when difficult topics come up.  I am not one to shy away from the truth.  I believe that it is only when we face what is TRUE that actual freedom may arise.  If we ignore what is happening in our lives by pretending not to see unpleasant things or by avoiding them, this doesn’t usually make things better or eliminate difficulties.  Eventually, the truth surfaces and we may realize that the Life we’ve been living is much smaller & less vital than need be.  As a therapist, I see my role as one of encouraging and supporting clients to remember their inner truths. When we can get in touch with our deepest longing, the possibility of stepping into the lives we were meant to live is allowed to arise.

“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.” ~ Leo Tolstoy

 “Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.”
~  Ramana Maharshi

HARMONY

Life is a balancing act.  No matter how hard we try, we can never control it perfectly. We can have the best made plans, tick off all the boxes for our life to unfold seamlessly but there will always be ups and downs that we can neither predict, nor prevent. Our task is to maintain our equilibrium whatever comes our way. It may sound cliché but we do need to learn to “Go with the Flow”.  By staying connected to our inner strength, we can learn to respond skillfully to Life’s challenges as they arise.  At times of major upheaval and transition, I believe it is important to be guided by both our hearts and our minds to regain a sense of balance and harmony. We may lack the skills to do this easily and the support of family and friends may not always be enough. This is when the help of a trained therapist can speed up the recovery process and help us get on track to thriving again in Life.

Life is full of adventure. There's no such thing as a clear pathway.  ~ Guy Laliberte (Fondateur de Cirque du Soleil)

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony. ~ Thomas Merton

SELF-AWARENESS

Self-awareness is the quality of being conscious of one's own feelings, personality traits and behaviours. It’s recognizing when we have been hurt and actively taking measures to alleviate this pain in a conscious way.  We have all experienced varying degrees of trauma, loss, rejection, failure and abandonment, as well as more positive life-enhancing moments. When negative experiences outweigh positive ones, limiting beliefs, ineffective coping mechanisms and multi-generational dysfunction can keep us stuck. That’s when the only way out is THROUGH. This can be very scary. Yet when we find the courage to face our fears, we often realize that the fear was far greater in our own mind than in reality. Not everyone wants to delve deeply into that which is unconscious. For those individuals who do, it is a privilege and an honour to accompany them into this sacred territory.

 “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” ~ C. G. Jung

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” ~ Henry S. Haskins (most often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson)

COMPASSION

Compassion is defined as a feeling of deep sympathy and understanding for another who has been stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate that suffering. I believe that we are all truly interconnected.  When we become aware of this fundamental truth, we can no longer project our pain onto others because it is obvious that to do so, is to ultimately harm ourselves.  The biggest inhibitor to compassion is a lack of love for ourselves.  My job is to help clients fully embrace who they are so they can begin opening their hearts and minds to themselves and others. As a result of this change in perspective, more understanding and tolerance is brought into the world.

“The more you know yourself, the more patience you have for what you see in others.” ~ Erik Erikson

“Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things.”  ~ Thomas Merton

Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. ~ Dalai Lama

JOY

I believe we enter this world filled with curiosity and delight. In the beginning, we are trusting and open.  Eventually, many of us shut down these vital attributes in order to survive physically in the outside world. Yet, it is only when we remember these qualities and return to them in a conscious way that we can become the truly joyful beings we were meant to be.  I trust that it is our essential nature to be joyful and that guided introspection is one way to awaken this fundamental essence.  It seems to me: “The meaning of Life is to find one’s unique gift and the purpose of Life is to give it away.” (author unknown).  When we do this, we release joy into the world and, as a result, become even more joyful ourselves.

“We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” ~ Joseph Campbell

“Fearlessness is not only possible, it is the ultimate joy. When you touch non-fear, you are free.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

ADVENTURE

Life is an adventure. When we live in the present moment, Life reveals itself to be the mysterious wondrous adventure that it is. For many, adventure in daily Life happens only on holidays. At home, we quickly become habituated to a place. This blinds us to the wonder & beauty that surrounds us.  With a change in mindset, adventure can be experienced even in the most mundane places because we see each new day with freshness and curiosity. We can go on long cycle tours, hike the Camino, climb mountains in Peru or kayak in tropical places to make our lives exciting, yet every day - adventure is happening all around us.  Exploring the inner realms of one’s own psyche is also an amazing, fulfilling & sacred ADVENTURE. 

“We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust swirling and dancing in eddies and whirlpools in infinity.  Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.  This is a precious moment.” ~ Paulo Coelho

Embrace Life! Encounter adventure! ~ MLP (MOUNTAIN LODGES of PERU)