Counsellor Qualifications

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="125785a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Gautami" ><B>Creative Transitions</B></FONT><B> </B><B>    |   </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Gautami" ><B>  </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Creative Transitions"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="pageproperties.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Services"><U>Services</U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Counsellor Qualifications</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Therapy Approach"><U>Therapy Approach</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="pageproperties17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eating Disorders"><U>Eating Disorders</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gay, Lesbian and Transgender"><U>Gay, Lesbian and Transgender</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="pageproperties1e.htm" TARGET="_top" 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Counsellor</div> <div>  <a href='http://www.liveperson.com/professional/expert-profile.aspx?Q91B5TrZ6cdkFHcm4bOxFupzFiRT3J8w0DrtAezY3nRyYqA_x002F_I9Ytko4AkW8FgMhhVjvd_x002B_sILF2zTOg5oMCXe2LoVPEC0_x002B_tQNnLC455n2M5k_x003D_'><img src='http://www.liveperson.com/virtualpages/onlineexp.aspx?_x0030_GPIXn7A5YknbebLquhQCoxQZh5rXGD_x002B_ViTagPPYk8U3LVqATKDjrzxrhmm11Fh3jELKq1C9DXAP6nVnDrwRaA_x003D__x003D_' border='0' align='absmiddle' alt='Ask an Expert - Visit my Virtual Office at LivePerson'></a>  </div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Counsellor Qualifications</B><B> </B></div> <div>  <div style="width:195px; text-align:center; font-size:11px; line-height:normal;"> <a href="http://www.goodtherapy.org/"><img style="border: none;" title="Good Therapy" src="http://www.goodtherapy.org/graph/seals/GoodTherapy-Verified-Seal-brown-195x60a.png" /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.goodtherapy.org/shirley-katz-leon-therapist.php" style="color:#2e8b0e !important;">Shirley Katz Leon, Ph.D., C.C.C.</a><br /> <a href="http://www.goodtherapy.org/psychotherapist-Toronto-on.htm" style="color:#2e8b0e !important;">Psychotherapist in Toronto</a> </div>  </div> <div> Bellow you will find information about my background and training.  If you want to read about how I work with clients, please read my  <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Therapy Approach"><U>Therapy Approach</U></A> . </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Arial" >I have</FONT> been counselling people since 1993, when I started my work helping people who were grieving the loss of somoeone close because of a suicide.  I finished my <B>B.A. Honours, with a double major in Psychology and Creative Writing</B>, then did a <B>year in Clinical Psychology</B> at Windsor before completing my <B>M.A. in Counselling from UBC</B>.  I followed with a <B>Ph.D. degree in Counselling</B> from UBC including practicum at a rehab hospital and internship at a university counselling centre.  I have been in private practice since 1998 while working in Mental Health, Child and Youth Counselling, Rehab, Research, Teaching and EAP Counselling.  I am a <B>Canadian Certified Counsellor and Psychotherapist</B> with the Canadian Counselling Association.  I am also a working actor, a published writer and a dancer and certified Zumba fitness instructor.</div> <bR> <div> During my 14 years of university training I completed over 3400 hours of supervised practice at agencies and universities in addition to doing private practice work.  I enjoyed working with a wide variety of clients including individual children, adolescents and adults, families and groups.  I focused my training on psychological issues related to diversity, eating issues, rehabilitation, career issues and creativity.  From time to time I give talks at high schools and to businesses and charitable organizations on creativity, eating disorders, career exploration, eating issues in dance careers, and multicultural sensitivity training.  I have been interviewed and quoted in articles for Self Magazine, the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail and others with regards to Body Image and Eating Disorders.  </div> <bR> <div> My research was related to Eating Disorders and in facilitating achievement for creative people and those who struggle in school.  My research was informed by the perspectives of people I was researching.  I have taught counselling skills and career development courses at the University of British Columbia at both the undergraduate and graduate level, supervising teachers and counsellors-to-be.  Teaching has been a gift that allows me to strengthen my ideas about what I do as a therapist, and also pass along skills that I have learned to counsellors who will pass them on to their clients.  Many of my former students are successful therapists today.</div> <bR> <div> Throughout my training, I worked to integrate my interest in the arts while learning and practicing with evidence-based, effective methods.  When I developed and ran groups for people struggling with body image, career groups, emotional support groups, and skills based psycho-educational groups I used arts-based methods to bring about therapeutic change with clear outcomes.  I continually upgrade my skills in the use of expressive arts in psychotherapy through reading, conferences and workshops.  I use and study drama, movement, music and art in my own life and in my practice.  My creative life is always doing its own dance in relation to my professional life.  </div> <bR> <div> As is typical for a creative person, my life has taken many turns and I have picked up valuable experiences along the way.  I was a high school "push out" who went to a school for the arts, then an alternative school before leaving and working in retail, in business, in restaurants and bars, in administration, and in the arts.  I returned to school as a mature student.  I married inter-culturally and had children during my graduate training.  I think some of these experiences have really helped me relate to clients who are struggling, experiencing transition, or having a hard time finding a fit for themselves.</div> <bR> <div> I have learned not just to be "sensitive" to diversity but to value it, to cherish it.  As such, I am effective with people who live unique lifestyles or who are culturally distinct or who feel that being truly understood is rare.  I am aware of issues effecting gay and lesbians and am positive about lifestyle choices.  I use my true self in working with people and demonstrate a full range of my own humanity, including appropriate use of humour and self-anecdotes.  Clients feel connected with me because I am real.</div> <bR> <div> Please call to set up an appointment if you feel we would be a good match: 647-244-3050</div> </td> </tr></table></body>