Mental Health Therapist

Special interest: spirituality, grief, depressions, anxiety, bipolar disorder, addiction, identity. Promoting healing and wholeness through full and healthy expression of one’s spirit.

Im BJ, (Brenda Jo if you’re curious), and my specialty is spiritually-integrated psychotherapy. Major elements of this practice are sitting with people in their difficult times, exploring their hardest emotions. My practice is connection-oriented, collaborative, and adaptive to the needs of clients. After building a space where people can truly feel safe while sharing emotions, stories, world views and spiritual beliefs and practices, I encourage clients to lead by setting goals for their therapy and determining whether goals are being met.

My first field of study was comparative religious studies (religions of the world). It fascinates me how religion affects people, so I earned a BA at Florida State Univ. By its effects on culture even non-believers are affected by the religion/s of their community. When I decided to become a hospital spiritual care practitioner (chaplain) I earned a Master of Theological Studies at Huron University College and then a Master of Psycho-Spiritual Studies through the Toronto School of Theology.

Spiritually-integrated psychotherapy utilizes standard psychotherapy practices such as (my favorites) narrative therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and compassion focused therapy, while making room for spiritual beliefs and practices, and weaving in spiritual themes like identity, transformation, belonging, forgiveness, meaning, purpose … the list goes on. Much of my experience has been related to grief, especially parental grief.

I look forward to working with teens and with adults of all ages, especially but not limited to mental health needs like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and addiction.
I am a mother to four grown children and a grandmother to two little boys. I love to make costumes and jewelry, and read Tolkien. 

You can reach BJ directly at (226) 253-0861 or via our main phone number (226) 253-0864, ext. 208.

BJ can also be reached via email at: bj@journeywell.ca