Jacqueline Allen

"My approach is grounded in the belief that life’s difficulties are best approached with a gentle curiosity and talked about without fear or judgement. I do not ascribe to a one size fits all approach but rather tailor my sessions to the individual, family or couple that I am working with. I support clients in understanding, experiencing and tolerating emotions and shifting out of behaviours, thoughts and coping mechanisms that are no longer serving them.

I often see individuals who, despite enormous struggles, show great courage in seeking out a life of meaning and contentment. I work with individuals who struggle with feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety, grief and early trauma. I believe that each person has the capacity to tolerate difficult emotions and experiences. As we work through difficult emotions, we reconnect with our inner resources and find relief, hope and healing.

When working with couples, I begin to build effective communication skills and teach tools for compromise, repairing conflict, and creating stress management strategies. I ensure each member is heard, understood and supported in the relationship.

I have experience dealing with complex PTSD, narcissistic abuse, power-based abuse, generational trauma, toxic family systems, family estrangement and parent/adult-child estrangement."

- Jacqueline