Hi, I am Bethany - Therapist, Coach, and Fellow Traveler
MSW, RSW, ACC | Kitchener, Ontario | Virtual Sessions Worldwide
Yes, I have credentials. But first I would rather tell you about what brought me to this work.
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by why people do what they do, especially when what they are doing is not working for them. Why do we keep reaching for things that hurt us? Why do the same patterns show up again and again, no matter how hard we try to change them? I did not just study these questions academically. I lived them. And watching others struggle with the same things I had struggled with for decades is what eventually brought me to this work in a formal way.
What I have come to believe - and what shapes everything I do with clients - is that the behaviour is rarely the real problem. Food, sugar, scrolling, busyness, people-pleasing: these are solutions. Clever, creative, often very effective solutions to something deeper that has never been addressed. My job is not to take away your coping strategies and leave you empty-handed. It is to work with you to understand what you have been trying to solve, and to find better ways to get there together.
Want to hear how I work before reaching out? I have been interviewed by Dr. Vera Tarman and appeared on the Food Junkies Podcast and Life After Sugar - you can find all of it on my Credentials page.
Why I Do This Work
I Know What It Is Like to Feel Stuck Because I Have Been There
I started dieting at around age 11. For the next few decades I tried what felt like every diet in existence, and I lost and gained the same 20 to 50 pounds more times than I can count. Every time a diet failed I quietly added it to the evidence that something was fundamentally wrong with me. That maybe I just did not have enough willpower. That maybe I was the problem.
I was also very good at being busy. Productive, achieving, always on to the next thing -- which turned out to be its own way of not dealing with what was underneath. Diet culture told me my body was the problem. Workaholism told me rest was a reward I had not earned yet. Neither left much room for actually figuring out what I needed.
The shift came when I stopped asking "why can't I just get this under control?" and started asking "what is this actually about?" That question changed everything. I learned that my patterns around food and my patterns around everything else were connected - and that they were not character flaws. They were signals. Learning to listen to those signals instead of fighting them is what real change felt like for me, and it is what I try to offer every person I work with.
There is nothing wrong with you. The things you have been doing have made sense given everything you have been through. Now let's figure out what you actually need.
How I Work
My Approach: Compassionate, Warm, Evidence-Based, and Tailored to You
We start with a free discovery call to see if we are a good fit. From there, sessions are client-led. You tell me what is most present for you that day. I use EMDR, IFS, and the Enneagram alongside coaching frameworks to help you understand your patterns, learn new skills, and create real change. I bring both accountability and grace to every session.
- Free 15-20 minute discovery video call to start
- You choose: 30, 45, 60, or 90 minute sessions
- Book online anytime through Jane
- Virtual sessions -- therapy in Ontario, coaching available worldwide.
My Other Hats
Beyond This Practice
I am also co-founder of Symplicated, all about helping you live with less, and co-owner of Senior's Move with my husband, helping families navigate the emotional and practical challenges of relocations.
I've been married to the same amazing guy since 1998, and I parent two incredible young adults who continue to teach me a lot.
These roles keep me grounded in real-life complexity and the value of compassionate support at every life stage.
Other things I love:
- public speaking (yup, weird, I know)
- cycling, especially day-long trips
- playing games with family and friends