These are the questions people most commonly ask about therapy, coaching, EMDR, IFS, and working with me. Don't see your question? Email bethany@symplicated.com or book a free discovery call.
I work with all adults, and my greatest experience (and my happiest clients) tend to be mid-life women who are struggling with food, eating, body image, and their relationship with themselves. While mid-life women navigating food and body image are my specialty, I work with all adults ready to do deeper work - virtually across Ontario for therapy, and worldwide for coaching.
I start each session by asking what you would like to focus on, and we go from there. Sessions can cover emotions, eating, body image, relationships, boundaries, anxiety, trauma, patterns you want to change, or anything else that feels present for you that day. You are always in the driver's seat.
We start with a free discovery call to see if we are a good fit. From there, I can use EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and the Enneagram alongside coaching tools to help you understand your patterns and make real, lasting changes. I offer accountability and self-compassion (not one without the other) and lots of curiosity and grace along the way.
There is no obligation to continue working with me. If at any point what I am offering is not working for you, you are welcome to tell me. I'd like to adjust what I'm doing so that it works for you. That said, if it's just not working, we can pause or stop, and you can restart at any time, too. I want what is best for your growth and I completely understand if that turns out not to be me. Listen to the podcast episode where I discuss with two colleagues how to find the right professional fit.
You probably already know the answer to this one, right?
I will offer therapy and coaching using my full range of skills and tools, and I will ask questions, offer observations, and suggest strategies throughout the process. Progress depends on many factors, including your own engagement with the work between sessions. I cannot guarantee specific outcomes, but I do promise to show up fully for every session.
Therapy (or psychotherapy) focuses on healing past wounds, processing trauma, and managing mental health. It is a regulated health profession in Ontario.
Coaching is forward-focused and goal-oriented, available to clients anywhere in the world, and not regulated.
I offer both: therapy within Ontario as a Registered Social Worker, and coaching worldwide as an ICF-accredited coach.
If you are dealing with trauma, anxiety, significant mental health challenges, or want to access benefits coverage, therapy is likely the right fit. If you are outside Ontario, or you are ready to build toward your goals rather than process the past, coaching may be the better choice. Not sure? That is exactly what the free discovery call is for.
It depends on the situation and can be discussed on our discovery call. Some clients find that moving between therapy and coaching work is helpful at different stages; others keep them distinct. I am happy to talk through what might work best for you.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy for processing traumatic memories that feel stuck. It uses bilateral stimulation (often eye movements, but we'll likely use butterfly tapping) to help the brain complete processing of painful experiences so they no longer feel raw or intrusive. It is effective for trauma, PTSD, anxiety, grief, and shame.
IFS (Internal Family Systems) is a therapy approach that helps you get curious about the different 'parts' of yourself: the inner critic, the people-pleaser, the anxious part, the one that copes with food. IFS does not try to get rid of any part; it helps you understand what each part is protecting. When those parts feel heard, they relax and your inner world becomes less chaotic.
The Enneagram is a personality framework that identifies nine core types, each with distinct patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. In therapy, I use the Enneagram not as a box to put you in, but as a doorway to deeper self-awareness -- helping you understand the patterns that keep showing up in your relationships, your eating, your work, and your sense of self.
I am based in Kitchener, Ontario, and I offer sessions virtually only; no in-person appointments. Virtual sessions give you full flexibility to meet from wherever you are comfortable, whether that is your home, your office, or anywhere else with a private connection. You might be surprised to learn how many people use their car as their own private space to meet with me!
Therapy is available to clients in Ontario and some other parts of Canada, as my registration is with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Coaching is available to clients anywhere in the world. If you are unsure whether therapy or coaching is available to you based on your location, please reach out and we can figure it out together.
You can book directly through my Jane booking page, where you can choose the session type and length that suits you. If you are new, I recommend starting with a free discovery call to make sure we are a good fit before booking a full session.
Sessions are available in 30, 45, 60, and 90 minute formats. How often we meet is entirely up to you. Some clients prefer weekly or bi-weekly sessions for a period of time; others book as they go. There is no right or wrong frequency - you are in the driver's seat. That said, I do prefer to work in 4-session blocks, meaning every 4 sessions, we'll check in to see that we're moving in the right direction.
Please notify me at least 24 hours in advance if you need to cancel a scheduled session. I will make every effort to reschedule without penalty. I reserve the right to invoice for missed sessions where less than 24 hours notice is given.
I bill you directly, and you can seek reimbursement from your benefits provider. I am registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and hold a Masters of Social Work, so please check with your benefits provider to see whether RSW/MSW services are covered under your plan. I am also registered with Medavie Blue Cross.
You are looking for coverage for a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with a Masters of Social Work (MSW). These are the credentials that most Canadian benefits plans recognize. Contact your plan administrator to confirm before your first session if you want to use benefits.
Invoices are sent after each session. If you are in Canada, you can pay by e-transfer or credit card. Outside of Canada, payment is by credit card. Payment is expected within one week of receiving your invoice.
Yes! This is one of my deepest areas of expertise. I work with clients dealing with sugar addiction, food addiction, ultra-processed food addiction, emotional eating, binge eating, chronic dieting, and the body image challenges that come with all of the above. You can find out more on my Issues page and my Sugar Free page on Symplicated.com.
Common signs include eating past fullness regularly, feeling unable to stop once you start certain foods, using food to cope with emotions, feeling shame or secrecy around eating, and repeatedly trying to cut back without success. If food feels like it has control over you rather than the other way around, it is worth exploring. If you mention this question during our discovery call, we can start with some assessments to give us a better idea of where you're at.
Yes. Research on the neuroscience of food addiction shows that highly processed food (particularly those engineered to hit the 'bliss point' of sugar, fat, and salt) can trigger the same reward pathways in the brain as other addictive substances. Many people struggle with these foods and feel significant shame about it. This is not a willpower problem; it is a biology and environment problem.
I work with emotional eating, binge eating, chronic dieting, restriction, and body image challenges. If you have a diagnosed eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or ARFID, please reach out to discuss whether my approach is the right fit for your specific situation. In some cases a higher level of care or a more specialized team may be more appropriate.
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