About

Gayle has been working with children, teens and adults as an individual and group therapist since 1994. Her clinical work has aimed to improve mood related issues such as anxiety and depression and the associated challenges. Areas of interest have also included working individuals with learning challenges, attentional issues, and executive functioning challenges. Parent support has a bias towards problems solving while, preserving and strengthening the relationship.

Gayle has extensive training and experience using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) techniques to help clients manage troublesome moods more effectively.  This training has been enhanced by the Mindfulness training she has brought into her practice for the past 11 years.  This training has included MBSR training (Jon Kabot-Zinn’s mindfulness-based stress reduction), Buddhist Psychology, evidenced-based MBCT (Zindel Segal), and DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy). Acceptance and Committment therapy approaches along side DBT informed work has further enhances her skill set and practical appraoch to supporting individuals with mood challenges.

Gayle currently works in private practice offering individual, family and group counseling with a specific interest in working with issues relating to emotional regulation, anxiety, and social difficulties.  Treatment approaches are focused on improving the social and emotional health of her clients, using evidenced-based approaches like CBT,
ACT, DBT and MBCT. These treatment approaches are suitable for teens, young adults and adults.

Parent counseling includes skill-based strategies aimed to help parents become more attuned to their child and teen’s needs, and help them improve their ability to more effectively manage their mood. Skills seek to improve communication, improve understanding and are designed to enhance meaningful connections with your child, teen or young adult. Observing your offspring struggle is a challenge at any age, so helping parents manage their own worries is an integral part of this type of treatment

In addition to counseling, Gayle provides consultations to schools as well as designs and delivers teacher and student workshops. Topics range from anxiety and mood related issues to building social competence.

Workshops include Mindful practices to manage stress and mood. Mindful parenting and relationship practices to enhance self regulation skills and improve connections. In addition, Gayle has delivered workshops on building social resilience, understanding learning issues and executive function issues, self-advocacy, Asperger’s, and enhancing group facilitation skills.

Gayle has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from York University and a Graduate degree from OISE’s Institute of Child Study at the University of Toronto. Gayle is a registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Gayle is the mother of 3 adults ages 27, 24, and 21.