About Lori

Lori has been working in the field of counselling since 1991. She has a wide range of experience in many areas, including grief, domestic abuse, suicide, criminal victimization, anxiety, infidelity and sexuality. She has a particular interest in working with individuals around issues of LGBTQ*, ethical non-monogamy, and negotiating safe, consensual, alternative relationships/sex. She uses a combination of Emotionally Focused Therapy, and mindfulness to improve your relationship with yourself and others.

Lori works from a place of empowerment. While her professionalism means that she offers education and experience, she believes that you know yourself better than anyone else ever could. Thus, she will take her cues and direction from you as to what your problems are, and what you think you are capable of in overcoming them. She uses this information to develop a plan that will help you succeed in your stated goals.

Lori strongly values treating everyone with care and compassion, regardless of sex, race, religion, relationship status, sexual orientation or political affiliation. Her practice is LGBTQ*-friendly, kink-aware, cross-culturally informed, pro-choice and ethical.

Qualifications

Lori is a qualified, registered and experienced professional counsellor. She has a Master's degree specializing in couple and family therapy and is a registered member of the Manitoba College of Social Workers.

• Master of Marriage & Family Therapy - University of Winnipeg
• Bachelor of Human Ecology (Family Studies) - University of Manitoba
• Registered Social Worker - Manitoba College of Social Workers
• Emotionally Focused Therapy - International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Cultural Awareness Training - Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
• Crisis Worker Certificate - Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention
• Membership - Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
• President-Elect - Manitoba Association for Marriage & Family Therapy - 2008-2009
• President - Manitoba Association for Marriage & Family Therapy - 2009-2011
• Past President - Manitoba Association for Marriage & Family Therapy - 2011-2012
  

Services

Individual counselling is the process of exploring your thoughts, feelings and behaviours with a professional therapist. The intent is to make a change of some kind in your life. Lori helps people identify these desired changes and works with them to achieve their potential. Some areas of change involve issues around the following:

• grief and loss
• anger
• depression
• anxiety
• criminal victimization (see Compensation for Victims of Crime to see if you qualify for government funding)
• suicidal thoughts
• job-related stress
• self esteem
• recovering from childhood trauma
• adjusting to a major life change
• sexual identity
• alternative sexuality

Relationship Counselling
Relationships are hard! You might be struggling with an intimate partner, parents, siblings, children, roommate or a friend. The people who are closest to us are often the ones that can make us feel raw and vulnerable. Learn how to honour your feelings, communicate effectively and have boundaries while connecting with others. 

Information Presentations and Workshops
Lori has produced and presented information segments and conducted workshops at the request of various community groups and businesses. Some of these include:

• effective communication (basic and advanced)
• tips to boost self esteem
• negotiating fun sex
• how having children can affect your relationship, and what to do about it

If you don't see the topic you want listed here, be sure to contact her to see if she could produce something tailor-made for your organization!