"Stephanie took what we saw as “challenges” with our son and turned them into his strengths. In the beginning he did not want to go to counselling; however, in the end he was asking for the space she created for him to speak his truths. It has revolutionized the way our entire family communicates now. I am so grateful that Stephanie was recommended to us and that we followed up with that recommendation. Thank you Stephanie your expertise and kindness are inspiring!" ~ E.M.
"Four years ago our three year old granddaughter was unexpectedly taken into government care by the Ministry of Children and Family Development and placed in a foster home. Our family was devastated. Close friends of ours had had a similar experience and recommended we sought help from Stephanie. What a journey we have all had since then and Stephanie has been with us every step of the way. Today our granddaughter is restored to her family, a happy Grade 2 student and first year Brownie. We recognize none of this could have been achieved without the help and support of Stephanie. Her professional skills are impressive. Our family spans three generations with ages ranging from seven to seventy nine including members with emotional, physical and trauma related challenges. We have all benefitted enormously from our counselling sessions with Stephanie. She has a remarkable talent for building trust with people of all ages especially with children. She has helped us resolve family problems dating from the past, modelled imaginative and creative parenting techniques and strategies we need to support our granddaughter, and at the same time she has assisted us negotiate with the ministry and the legal system in our bid for our granddaughter to successfully transition out of foster care. Whenever there has been a family emergency we have been able to seek help and advice from Stephanie on the phone. She really cares for her clients and demonstrates extraordinary patience in taking as long as it requires to get the job done. She has worked with us and for us in our homes, in our grandaughter's school, at the dentist's clinic, in the hospital, at the ministry mediation sessions and in the courtroom. Because she is such an advocate for her clients she has helped us establish a support group of community professional people for our family and has always encouraged us to be advocates for one another. Perhaps Stephanie's greatest talent lies in the sense of self empowerment that she transmits to all her clients." ~ A.V. & P.V.
"Stephanie has been my counselor starting at the age of 12. She has been more than just a counselor but a guiding light that has always steered me in the right path. Because I was able to have her as a resource starting at such a young age I was able to have positive relationships, practical communication skills, and conflict resolution techniques. She has taught me to be continually introspective, compassionate, and always to continue to grow and learn more about myself. Additionally, she showed me the importance of being present and the importance of simply listening. She has not only gotten me through my toughest hurdles, but has given me the tools to get through them on my own. I genuinely believe counseling is a life journey, and everyone needs a counselor with the kind of connection and trust I have built with Stephanie. She is vibrant, compassionate, and has a vast range of techniques that have always given me growth and a higher level of understanding of myself. " ~ S.B.
"I initially came to Stephanie with the intention of learning how to support my adult daughter in making changes in her life. Stephanie has an enormous level of training and knowledge regarding people living on the Autism Spectrum. I found her way of explaining things very illuminating and helpful. She has the capacity of getting right to the heart of an issue and knowing just what to say. Taking the strategies Stephanie taught me and applying them to my interactions with my daughter has made a huge difference in our relationship. Over time, with Stephanie’s guidance, I came to understand how the wiring in my daughter's brain is not flawed, just different. I now appreciate that my daughter has a unique way of being in the world. She’s pretty awesome the way she is. Although my daughter has never met Stephanie, she has benefited from my time with her. I believe that she senses the difference in the way I see her through the way that I respond to her. The more she relaxes the more she feels empowered to speak her mind. The more she embraces who she is, the more open she is to new and different ideas. Now, I hear her thinking more about the consequences of her actions, instead of defending them. Now, she talks about future plans she previously never thought possible." ~ D.L.
