Christelle Choueiry RP(Qualifying)

Are you mindful of who you are, what triggers you, and how others around you influence your emotional and behavioural states? Or do you often attempt to understand your inner and environmental influences and the greatest teaching you get is more anxiety and frustration?

From very early on in life our values and worldviews inform our decisions as we behave in ways that reflect who we truly are. My interests have always been around understanding these perceptions and challenging their permanence: what if our approach is making us anxious or unhappy? Is change always a bad thing or can it emerge as an opportunity for positive development?

In the face of challenging times, we allow our deepest, most suppressed, selves to become vulnerable, and my fascination lies in the understanding that these moments are educational times that we, as unique individuals, can use to accept and love ourselves despite our complications.

Following my undergraduate degree in Psychology, my interests in mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-acceptance have led me to pursue further education in Contemplative Psychotherapy.

My goals, amongst many, include:

• to deepen my relationship with, and understanding of, mindfulness practices and self-compassion
• to help guide others interested in this developmental journey on a path of self-awareness and emotional regulation
• to help others interested, not only learn tools, but develop a skill that they will forever utilize and pass onto others in need

The inner parts of yourself and abilities that you uncover through understanding your challenges and strengths, and through their acceptance, are vital milestones to learning how to welcome and manage your emotions, even the seemingly unwanted ones such as anxiety and anger.

As you are the expert in your life, my role will be that of a space holder for whatever you may need as you inform our relationship through the guidance you are looking for. There are many approaches to psychotherapy, I appreciate an integrative one where elements from different perspectives can be combined into creating the model that best suits your needs in the moment. Including, mindfulness-based interventions such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), emotion-focused therapy (EFT), and narrative therapy.

If you have any questions at all or feel that you and I can work together in providing you the support you need, please do not hesitate to reach out to me either by phone or email.

I am currently providing services as an intern student, in both English and French, as I complete my Master’s of Arts in Counselling Psychology under the supervision of Yoshie Martinez.