About Lisa Marie, FAQ's

• An Interview with Lisa Marie •

DC: "How did you come to be a therapist?"

LMG: "It's tough to answer this question because I never set out to be a therapist. When I first graduated from university I had a degree in psychology and political science, and was torn about my future direction. I had studied both subjects because I had a lot of passion both for people and for politics. I became active in local, provincial and eventually federal politics, but over time I moved increasingly away from active involvement in partisan politics and more passionately into the social service sector. With reflection those 'early years' seemed to be a time where my excitement and commitment to working with people, policy and politicians were all interwoven by my desire to be a part of individual's and communities' process of change. It is this passion for working towards change which has brought me forward to today, and which now finds expression in my therapeutic work.

My thirst for challenge, diversity and new learning has had me move on to a myriad of different positions over the years. The range has included working with young children and adolescents, through to teenage parents and women survivors of abuse, young offenders, adoptive and foster families, and now, with children and families challenged by behaviour and psychiatric disorders.

While I was working with the Society of Special Needs Adoptive Parents (SNAP) I eventually found the particular direction that I had been seeking. Through the coordination of the support and education services for the adoptive families it became apparent that there was a shortage of therapists who understood the unique challenges that some of these families faced. The tenacity, strength and commitment of these families really inspired me to want to be able to work with them to be successful in both their personal and familial goals. So I returned to graduate school - with the clear intention of securing a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, which included a specialization in Couple and Family therapy. I had never been so clear in all of my life.

I knew that the differing abilities and disorders that many of the adopted/foster children were challenged by would require that I have a solid clinical training and skills. Similarly, I chose the Couple and Family therapy specialization because many of the families and couples that I worked with were challenged and tested by chronic and complicated demands that parenting their children presented to them. Some families seemed to exist on a continuously tenuous tightrope between togetherness and separateness. I knew that if I were going to be able to work with similar families, I would need to be exceptionally skilled at helping them balance the multitude of relational pressures that they faced.

Through graduate school I continued to work in the field of counselling with an agency that operated in a cross-program model (from substance abuse to relationship violence, sexual abuse, and a wide array of parent-child relational concerns). This gave me an opportunity to continue to gather experience and skills in a variety of integral domains. Eventually, I emerged into my current position, which is working with families whose children have a behaviour and/or psychiatric disorder. I am currently able to combine this position with a dynamic private practice so that I can bring my therapeutic skills, knowledge and experiences that I have gained through my journey to a wide range of individuals, couples and families.

DC: "What are you most passionate about in your work?"

LMG: "That's simple - relationships! I am committed to helping others create and sustain meaningful relationships. Beyond this basic premise I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite way of working. I love supporting individuals in their process to create change, yet there are other equally fulfilling sets of challenges and satisfactions to working either with wider familial units, or facilitating groups and workshops. Whatever the 'form' of therapy I am involved in, I am continually inspired by each person's/couple's/family's desire to seek and maintain connections, as well as find shared meaning."

DC: "Would you say there is anything different about your way of working?"

LMG: "This is another hard one for me to answer, but I did ask several colleagues, past and present if they could help me out with this question. In the interest of brevity I limited them to a single word, and I'm glad I did as you know how therapists can sometimes talk on....! I must admit that I still blush when I read this list, but here are the words they responded with: passionate; dedicated; caring; knowledgeable; respectful; ethical; compassionate, oh, and thorough! I'm not convinced all of this makes me or my way of working any different, but it sure was nice to hear!

I do think however that one 'different' aspect that I bring to therapy is my passion about politics, and the lessons learned through my involvement in it. Before you think, "Yikes, she preaches to clients about different political viewpoints - let me say quite simply say: "I don't!" What I do mean is that my experiences in the political arena taught me a lot about various 'systems' of governance, and the complexity of the inter-relationships between and within such systems. The way that these systems work can be of great importance in the social services field, and my knowledge of how they work has often served my clients well. Politics has also taught me about the centrality and necessity of advocacy, and this allows me to share and encourage others to develop the crucial skills for personal and collective advocacy around their own goals.

DC: "Why are there pictures of a dog on your website?"

LMG: "'Maggie' is our family dog - a rambunctious, stubborn yet playful Scottish terrier. She has always had a great temperament, and seems to be very attuned to people - so much so that she is also known as 'therapy dog' amongst friends and colleagues. She sometimes visits my office (with client permission) and takes part in sessions. In particular, some of the children I have worked with have found it easier to 'talk with Maggie' about what is happening for them in their lives.

I also decided to include Maggie on my website because she represents one of my core personal and professional values: that relationships and interconnectedness are central to the human spirit. Maggie was and continues to be a 'gift' that represents a significant relationship in my family. I am very keenly aware that I am able to do the work that I passionately love because of the significant relationships that sustain me - so, to include Maggie is to also honour and acknowledge this support and love."

"Connection with others is central to psychological well-being."
Judith Jordan, Ph.D.

• Frequently Asked Questions •

Question:	How do I go about selecting a therapist?
Answer:	I have written an article on the challenges and considerations that go into the process of selecting and working with a therapist. While this was written for a publication that serves the adoption/special needs community, all of the key elements of selecting and working with a therapist are included.
Question:	What is a Couple and Family therapist?
Answer:	Couple and Family therapy is an approach to treatment that does not just consider the detached individual (even if it a single client being interviewed). It also includes the wider set of relationships in which each person is embedded. A family's pattern of behaviour influences the individual, and therefore also needs to be a part of the treatment plan. Couple and Family therapists, such as myself, work in a wide range of areas including (for example): depression, relationship distress and conflict, anxiety, sexuality, trauma, individual psychological problems, and child-parent problems.
Question:	Why use a Couple and Family therapist?
Answer:	Research studies repeatedly demonstrate the effectiveness of Couple and Family therapy in treating a full range of emotional and relational challenges. Studies also show that clients are highly satisfied with the services of Couple and Family therapists. Clients report marked improvement in work productivity, co-worker relationships, family relationships, partner relationships, emotional health, overall health, social life, and community involvement.
Question:	Do you offer therapeutic groups?
Answer:	Most definitely! There has been one key source of learning over my years in the helping field, and this is how very powerful groups can be. Groups honour each individual's strengths and help them achieve their desired goals within a safe and shared therapeutic environment. It has been my experience that therapy and support groups are the preferred choice for many individuals seeking change in their lives. Lisa Marie's workshops and groups page provides a current listing of group therapy options.

Do you have a question that has not been answered?
Feel free to email Lisa Marie at lmg@lmgruger.ca