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This is somewhere to set it down.
An hour that belongs only to you, with someone who already knows the audition room, the long contract, and the strange quiet after closing. I'm a Registered Clinical Counsellor. Before that, I spent fifteen years where you are now.
Here is some of what actors bring into my office. If one of these catches on somewhere, that's reason enough to be curious.
“I can't stop replaying the audition.”
The nerves that walk in before you do; the post-mortem that won't end.
Nothing I do is ever good enough.”
You give yourself notes no director would dare.
I'm lonely, and I'm never in one place.”
A company becomes family for twelve weeks, then dissolves.
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“I don't know what happens after this contract.”
Money, housing, the arithmetic of a freelance life.
“I think I might be done — and that terrifies me.”
Stepping back, changing shape, or making room for something else.
WHY I UNDERSTAND THISBefore I trained as a counsellor, I spent fifteen years as a professional actor and singer — at Stratford, the Shaw Festival, with Mirvish, and on tour. I know what a review does to the body at 11 p.m. I know closing night can feel like bereavement, and that no one outside quite believes it. I know what it is to build a life on other people's yeses.I'm now a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a master's in counselling psychology and therapy. My work is experiential — AEDP, attachment-based and somatic approaches, CBT and ACT — which suits people who already live through their bodies and imaginations.
Before becoming a counsellor, I spent fifteen years working professionally as an actor and singer, including work at Stratford, the Shaw Festival, with Mirvish, and on tour.
That experience gave me an understanding of the performing arts that goes beyond observing it from the outside. I know the vulnerability of auditions, the intensity of rehearsal and performance, the uncertainty between contracts, and how closely creative work can become tied to identity and self-worth.
I continue to work within the professional theatre community as Company Counsellor for Bard on the Beach.
Each repertory season, I support company artists and theatre professionals alongside their work onstage and behind the scenes. Staying connected to the industry keeps my understanding of the pressures performers face current and grounded in the realities of professional theatre.
Alongside my counselling practice, I teach acting and performance at the post-secondary level and have taught at institutions including the Canadian College of Performing Arts and Sheridan College.
I also lead workshops and speak with arts organizations on topics related to mental health, creativity, performance, and the particular challenges of building a life in the performing arts.
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a master's degree in counselling psychology and therapy.
My work draws from experiential and evidence-informed approaches, including AEDP, attachment-based and somatic approaches, CBT and ACT. These approaches can be especially relevant for performers, whose work already asks them to engage deeply with their bodies, emotions, imaginations, relationships, and sense of self.
Not ready to book anything? Start here. Reading is a perfectly good first step, and the clearest window into how I think about this work.
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Losing a passionate career in the arts can shatter your personal identity. Discover how to reclaim yourself, rebuild self-worth, and find renewed purpose beyond the spotlight.
The touring life isn't all glamour and applause. Discover the hidden toll it takes on performing artists and how they can reclaim their mental health on the road.
We’ll work together to discover positive transformation through active listening and evidence-based techniques, leading to increased self-awareness, self-esteem, and work-life satisfaction. Embrace the journey of self-discovery and empowerment.
If you are a new client, reach out to Robin directly through email. She will invite you to set up an account through the Jane app, an online platform that is user-friendly and secure. Through Jane you can manage your personal information, fill out the confidentiality agreement and book an appointment directly by selecting a date and time that works best for you.
During the first session, we'll spend time getting to know each other and setting goals for therapy. I'll ask you to tell me about your experiences and what you hope to achieve through therapy. We'll also discuss any problems or symptoms you're facing, your personal strengths, and any challenges in your life. It's important to see if therapy feels like a place where you can share your thoughts and feelings safely and build trust with me over time.
We will meet on a weekly or bi-weekly basis building a trusting relationship and exploring together your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Through active listening, empathy, and evidence-based techniques, we will identify patterns, develop healthier coping strategies, and work towards your goals.
Over time, you may experience a range of positive outcomes such as increased self-awareness, renewed self-esteem, replenished energy and enhanced emotional regulation. You may develop healthier coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and adversity, leading to more satisfying relationships and overall work-life satisfaction. As you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your patterns of behaviour, you may notice you are honouring yourself more through value-centered action, healthy boundary setting and informed, empowered decision making.
Click here to book your first appointment.
While anxiety can serve a purpose, persistent and overwhelming feelings can negatively impact your well-being and relationships. This guide presents three evidence-based techniques to help you regulate your nervous system and manage anxiety effectively.
Change isn't easy, but it's possible. At the heart of therapy lie two core components: deepening self-awareness and reparative experiences. Let's delve into some of the techniques that shape my practice and facilitate the therapeutic process:
AEDP is an integrative and experiential form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the importance of emotional experiences, attachment, and transformation. The primary function of AEDP is to help clients process previously unaddressed or unresolved emotional experiences and build a secure attachment with the therapist. Through this process, clients can develop a greater sense of self-awareness, emotional resilience, and well-being. AEDP therapists create a supportive environment that fosters deep emotional processing and helps clients access and transform painful emotional experiences into adaptive and healing ones.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely used and evidence-based therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In CBT, we'll work together to identify and challenge any unhelpful thought patterns or beliefs that may contribute to emotional distress or problematic behaviors. We'll also develop practical coping strategies and skills to help you better manage difficult situations and emotions. The goal of CBT is to empower you with the tools and understanding to create lasting positive changes in your life. By learning to recognize and modify negative thinking patterns, you can enhance your emotional well-being, improve your relationships, and increase your overall life satisfaction.
Humanistic therapy is an approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes the inherent worth and potential of each individual. It focuses on the importance of personal growth, self-awareness, and self-acceptance. The primary function of humanistic therapy is to create a safe and nurturing environment in which clients can explore their feelings, thoughts, and behaviours without judgment. Therapists employing this approach believe that clients possess the innate ability to heal and grow, and they facilitate this process by providing empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuine understanding. Some well-known humanistic therapies include Person-Centered Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and Existential Therapy.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) theory is a therapeutic approach that recognizes that our minds are made up of various "parts" or subpersonalities, each with its own unique traits, roles, and emotions. In IFS therapy, we explore and understand these parts to help create balance and harmony within ourselves. The goal is to develop a compassionate and non-judgmental relationship with our parts, allowing us to address and heal any emotional wounds or unresolved conflicts. In therapy, we'll work together to identify your different parts, understand their intentions, and help them communicate effectively with one another. This process fosters self-awareness, self-compassion, and promotes personal growth, ultimately leading to a greater sense of overall well-being and inner peace.
is a therapeutic approach that combines mindfulness practices with self-compassion techniques to help you develop a kinder, more supportive relationship with yourself. In MBSC, we'll work together to cultivate a non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts and emotions, while also learning to respond to your own suffering with warmth, understanding, and compassion. This approach emphasizes the importance of treating yourself with the same care and kindness you would offer to a loved one in distress. Through guided meditations, experiential exercises, and reflective discussions, MBSC aims to help you build emotional resilience, reduce self-criticism, and enhance your overall well-being. By learning to embrace your vulnerabilities and respond to your struggles with self-compassion, you can foster a more balanced and supportive inner environment, ultimately promoting greater mental and emotional health.
Narrative therapy is an empowering therapeutic approach that views you as the expert of your own life and focuses on the stories you've created about yourself, your relationships, and your experiences. In this approach, we'll explore the narratives that influence your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and identify any unhelpful or limiting beliefs that may be holding you back. Together, we'll work on re-authoring these stories to highlight your strengths, resources, and resilience, ultimately enabling you to create a more fulfilling and empowering narrative. By emphasizing your ability to make choices and take control of your life, narrative therapy helps you shift from being a passive observer to an active participant in shaping your own life story and future.
is an approach aimed at helping you explore unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories that may be influencing your present behaviors, emotions, and relationships. The underlying premise of psychodynamic psychotherapy is that unresolved conflicts from childhood or past experiences can shape a person's current psychological state and manifest as anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. In psychodynamic psychotherapy, the therapist guides the client through a process of self-reflection, helping them gain insight into the unconscious motivations and patterns that drive their thoughts and actions. Key elements of this approach include examining early life experiences, exploring the client-therapist relationship and analyzing defense mechanisms that the client employs to protect themselves from painful emotions or memories.
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