Gabriella Hilkes she/her
M.A., R.P. (Qualifying)
Practicum Therapist
Gabriella brings a highly personable approach to her therapy, helping clients to feel comfortable and at ease when in a room speaking to her. She focuses on creating a safe and affirming therapeutic space in which clients feel that they can be themselves and know that they are well supported. Gabriella’s ability to recognize and respond to other’s emotional needs and moods promotes a clinical setting in which clients feel understood, heard and cared for. From a logistical standpoint, Gabriella’s dedication to hard work and self-discipline lends to excellent preparedness for the work that she engages in with her clients.
Gabriella is passionate about helping her clients to find the strength and resilience that all humans hold within themselves so that they can increase their well-being and attain their chosen goals. She is particularly drawn towards working with teenagers and young adults because she recognizes the importance of creating a therapeutic space that is relatable, relevant, empowering, and appealing for younger people.
When she is not practicing therapy, Gabriella makes time for her own self-care which includes maintaining physical health through exercise, reading and learning for pleasure, cooking or baking, and spending time with family and friends.
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Gabriella provides therapy to youth and young adults (ages 13+)
Background
Gabriella completed a Bachelor of the Arts in Psychology and a Master of the Arts in Psychology at Carleton University. She is in the process of completing a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology at the University of Ottawa. In addition to her strong academic history, Gabriella has experience as a Crisis Line Responder with the Distress Centre of Ottawa where she utilized training in active listening, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention/intervention. She has relevant experience as a Recreational Therapy Assistant at the Royal Ottawa Hospital for Mental Health where she interacted with inpatients undergoing mental health treatment. Gabriella also has experience assisting in the facilitation of Youth Dialectical and Behavioural Therapy (DBT) informed groups with COPE Well Groups.
Areas of Focus
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Anxiety/Worry
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Stress
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Perfectionism
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Depression
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Self-esteem
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Interpersonal Relationships
Therapeutic Style
Gabriella’s therapeutic approach is grounded in compassion. She is client centered and values building a strong therapeutic alliance through the creation of a safe and non-judgemental therapy space where clients feel ‘heard’ and supported. Gabriella uses an integrative and eclectic approach that draws upon various evidence-based therapeutic methods and allows her the flexibility to tailor therapy to a client’s specific needs and concerns.
She uses Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help clients learn to identify, question and change their thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs related to the emotional and behavioural reactions that cause them difficulty. She uses Dialectical and Behavioural Therapy (DBT) to empower clients by helping them to learn and integrate specific skills required for optimal functioning (mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness). Helping clients to build self-compassion is also an important component of Gabriella’s therapy treatment so that clients develop the capacity to be patient and kind with themselves as they grow and change.