Sophie Olsen, M.C. (masters level clinician)

Sophie is completing her practicum as a Master of Counselling student.  She has worked with individuals from a variety of backgrounds.  Sophie has helped people that are dealing with stressful situations.  She has experience helping individuals who are struggling with anxiety, depression, adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism (for adults), drug and alcohol addictions, grief/loss, and relationship challenges.

Sophie has additional training in working with individuals who have been negatively impacted by cultural biases, stereotyping, and discrimination.  Her experience in helping visible and invisible minorities has included individuals struggling with mental health issues, cultural misunderstandings, developmental challenges, ageism and women’s issues.  Sophie also has Indigenous training and has worked with many First Nations, Metis, Inuit and Indigenous peoples. Sophie has supported individuals who are dealing with life changes associated with aging.  This includes handling retirement, changes in physical and mental ability, long term illnesses, and shifts in personal independence.

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

Sophie understands that struggling with anxiety and depression can be debilitating, overwhelming and painful.  Whether feelings of anxiety and depression are triggered by events, prolonged stress, brain imbalances, past experiences or an unknown reason, it can take over your life and make it difficult to function in your day to day.  It is even more painful when people around you do not fully understand your experience, and give you surface level advice like “stop worrying” or “look at your life – you should be happy”.

Sophie is a good person to sit down with and explore what is happening for you.  She is comfortable talking about emotions.  Sophie will be present and supportive as you become more comfortable exploring, managing and lessening difficult emotions.  As things start to make sense, including what is going on now and what went on in the past, it becomes possible to regain a sense of control.  Along with a sense of control will come new skills to manage your anxiety and depression.

Grief and Loss

Loss is a part of life - loss of a special person in your life, a pet, a job, a relationship. Grief is a natural response to loss. The depth of grief may be surprising or overwhelming. Grief and loss may be felt as physical pain, anxiety, depression, anger, guilt/shame, breakdown in connection with others, and longing. Grief may impact many areas of life, including creating financial or physical health concerns. Sometimes grief can be traumatic, or trigger past memories of loss and trauma.

Many people are uncomfortable with grief and loss. It is not uncommon for friends or family to provide surface level advice or change the subject when grief or loss is brought up. Sophie will be with you as you talk about, feel and resolve your grief and loss. Although nothing can be said to make a loss better, sometimes just having a person to be with in the pain can be helpful. Everyone reacts differently to grief and may need something different. Sophie can also work with you to help develop ways to manage the grief so that you can manage life.

RELATIONSHIP CHALLENGES

Relationships are a fundamental part of humans’ lives and can bring so much joy but can also bring distress and pain.  Social media and television tell us that relationships must be perfect to be worth it.  Reality is quite different.  Relationships are wonderful, confusing, disappointing, lonely, scary, frustrating, and deeply felt.  They are also the trigger for many issues, such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, addictions, and choices that we might regret even a few minutes later.

Different types of relationships can require different types of interactions.  Not everyone is as skilled at dealing with their boss, their child, their partner, or their friend in the same way.  Sophie can provide you a second opinion, advice or place things out which can help you  sort out relationship confusion and distress.

DEALING WITH THE PAST

Sophie has a strong belief that how we handle our emotions now (positively or negatively), is rooted in our prior relationships and attachment experiences.  How our caregivers, family and friends interacted as we grew up may have become the model we unintentionally follow as adults.  From the parent who said as a child “I will never say this to my children, and then I did”, to the partner who sees that they are repeating negative cycles from their own parents.  Sophie can assist you in acting in line with your own values and goals.

Dealing with the past may include dealing with traumas (large and small), dealing with loss, dealing with feeling not good enough, not loveable, not worthy or the small voices that have somehow taken over current life.

LIFE STRESSORS AND CHANGES

Life is full of stresses.  Grief and loss.  A job change, a relationship breakdown, an illness or injury that impacts ability over time can all create stress.  Sometimes it is not something that happens to us, but something that happens to our friend, partner, child, or family member.  Sometimes it happens on television or elsewhere in the world.  Fear about climate change, fear about wars, political leaders, and natural disasters can all create a kind of chronic distress and life stress.  That distress can come out in mood, in how we interact with others, or in simply us trying to withdraw from life.

Therapy for life stressors and life changes is all about having a place to unravel all your thoughts.  It is about having someone who will not shut you down, turn you away, or change the topic.  Therapy for life stressors is about finding a way to have power over your choices.   This includes being able to manage your feelings and thoughts.  Sophie can help you move out of the thought loops.  Her goal is for you to be able to plan, organize and take action, and in control.

TREATMENT APPROACHES

Sophie utilizes Emotionally Focused Therapy to help individuals understand what unhelpful emotions and patterns keep repeating in their relationships.  Through therapy, her clients become able to stop themselves from repeating old negative loops.  Instead, you can mindfully choose what they need, how to ask for it, and how to feel heard and accepted.   Emotionally Focused is the gold standard approach for helping individuals and couples heal both historical and current relationship challenges.

Sophie utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help individuals get to a place of being ok with difficult feelings.  This means feeling safe to have emotions that were previously ‘not allowed’ or discouraged as a child.  This means that you can feel that you have value and can choose to live without being trapped by or ruled by difficult emotions.  It isn’t about never feeling angry, or sad, scared, or frustrated.  It is about being able to have emotions and come out feeling confident and able.  For example, if you feel you want to socially connect, but suffer from social anxiety, Sophie is able to help you be more ok in groups or even just with a few people you care about even with anxiety.

Background and Education

Sophie is completing her degree in Master of Counselling from City University.  She has worked for the Alberta Government in policy and development in the areas of Ministry of Status of Women, Mental Health Addiction, and Ministry of Health in Continuing Care.

Previously, she was a behavioural interventionist at the Centre of Autism where she provided one on one support to children with Autism and their families.  She has also worked as social skills leader where she co-facilitated a social skills program for children and teenagers of a variety of ages with difficulties interacting successfully with others due to social skills challenges.

Sophie provides daytime, evening and weekend appointments to best meet her client’s needs.