(she/her)
Registered Psychotherapist
RP
There are many reasons why people seek therapy. For some, it’s to work through a significant life event. For others, there may be a sense of emptiness, a lack of self-worth, relationship problems, a vague sense of chronic anxiety, or a feeling that something’s wrong or missing but not knowing what that might be.
The therapeutic process can be profoundly transformative, providing a sense of fullness, meaning, and personal freedom to one’s life. This process can be an opportunity to slow down in a supportive, consistent, and non-judgmental environment. By slowing down, it allows parts of ourselves that may have been shamed, ignored, or hidden (parts that are often hurting the most) to be found and cared for.
Learning from your challenges and pain can result in a sense of empowerment and liberation. This work promotes clarity about those values and goals that better align with who you truly are. This deeper connection to one’s self supports deeper connections with others. One of the goals of the therapeutic process is to have the capacity to safely feel more, not less; which is to say, to feel more alive and present for yourself and others.
Working in the present moment with curiosity and collaboration fosters an engaging and enriching therapeutic process. My practice is informed by my training in existential and psychodynamic psychotherapy, EMDR, as well as with the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. This translates into an approach that is trauma informed and holistic in nature. My working paradigm accounts for the role of the body and psyche, along with intergenerational influences, and the significance of cultural and socio-economic factors in people’s lives.
In addition, I continue to enrich my practice with numerous courses and workshops. This provides me with a range of approaches to draw from in order to tailor an individual therapy that meets the needs of each unique client.
From a young age, I was drawn to human psychology and philosophy, but my curiosity initially led me to photojournalism. Prior to becoming a psychotherapist, I was a staff photojournalist for The Globe and Mail and worked as a foreign correspondent based in India, Turkey, and England, covering a variety of issues for international publications. These years expanded my awareness of complex systems of power and oppression, along with the human spirit to survive, love, and evolve, and fueled my desire to work with change on an individual level. I noted how positive changes on a personal level often rippled outwards, positively impacting others.
My own therapeutic journey taught me that I didn’t need to handle it all on my own. I learned how the power of sharing my experiences with a trusted other created a space for healing and transformation that I could never have accomplished alone. As interconnected and social humans, we are wounded in relationship, and can heal in relationship.
I offer a free 30-minute introductory consultation to provide the opportunity for us to connect and get a sense if we might be a good therapeutic fit. More information can be found on my website: charlajonestherapy.com
Sessions are held online or by phone, Monday to Friday, and are 55 minutes in length. Individual therapy rates are $150/session. Please contact me at charlamariejones@gmail.com if you’d like more information or to schedule a consultation.