Gisele Harrison

About Me

EMDR Therapist since 2001: Intersectional feminist anti-oppressive approach; structural dissociation; ego state therapy; somatic psychology; polyvagal theory; attachment theory, yoga and mindfulness. Accepting EMDR consultees for individual and group consultation. Completed Consultant In Training process under the direction of Melissa Benintendi and Jennifer Savage owners of Beyond Healing Center (Notice That Podcast & Beyond Trauma Podcast). My consultation style includes teaching a thorough case conceptualization process rooted in somatic psychology, attachment theory, polyvagal theory and rooted in an intersectional feminist anti-oppressive lens. I first learned about EMDR during the second internship of my Master of Social Work program in 1998. My supervisor had completed the training and allowed me to observe some of her sessions. I was impressed with the results she and her clients were reporting. I completed level I (February 2001) and level II (June 2005). I am committed to obtaining ongoing training and consultation and have attended several advance training workshops and programs to compliment my EMDR practice including: structural dissociation; Internal Family Systems Therapy; Schema Therapy; Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy; MBSR; Working with Dissociation; several Art of EMDR retreats, Intensive Somatic Integration Trauma Training, Somatic Integration and Processing Case Conceptualization (levels 1 and 2). As such I have also completed workshops under the direction of: Bridger Falkenstein, Jen Savage, Melissa Benintendi, Caleb Boston, Arielle Schwartz, Peter Levine, Dolores Mosquera, Kathy Steele, Roger Solomon, Kathleen Martin, Cindy Shrigley, Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, Deb Dana, Terrence Real, Esther Perel, Michael Stone, Jon Kabat Zinn, Saki Santorelli and many more. I keep up to date on new developments in EMDR therapy through participation in consultation groups with colleagues, consultees, my own individual consultation, ongoing training, and by faithfully listening to the "Notice That" and "Beyond Trauma" podcasts. I have personally gained so much relief from EMDR as a client and have been using it successfully with my own clients since 2001. I have been providing long term counselling to folks struggling with Trauma, Complex Trauma, Dissociation, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Attachment, Self-Esteem and Grief since 1998. I have been an intersectional feminist anti-racist activist for over forty years and continue to explore how my location in the world affects how I see myself and others and how our lived experiences vary depending on ability, gender, race, age, class, size. I put conscious effort in providing an approach that is intersectional and 2LGBTQA+ Further to my own regular EMDR therapy, I have also experienced EMDR as a client and in many practicum experiences from the Art of EMDR to re-completing Basic Training almost 20 years after completing my first Basic Training. I am passionate about learning and helping clients to feel liberated from oppressive experiences that have impacted how they see themselves and their experiences. My goals in life and in work are to embody the journey that I passionately encourage people to take with me throughout the counselling process. I have an almost daily mindful meditation and yoga practice, I try to eat responsibly, and I take several breaks throughout the day to breathe, be silent and/or walk my "still in training since October 2010" therapy dog named Molly. I find freedom in my Buddhist meditation practice and in my faith as a Christian. I gather strength, experience and training from studying and learning from the world's religions as well as the world's great philosophers, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. I have a passion for reading and watching films and listening to podcasts and can often suggest the right book or the right film or the right podcast to meet the needs of people seeking my services. I am very well connected in the community and can assist people in making connections with others outside of the work we engage in together. Similarly if there is not a strong connection between us, I am very willing to refer you to someone who may be a better match for what you are looking for. I love to travel and have worked and/or travelled across Québec, Ontario, British Columbia, Cameroun, Uganda, England, France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and much of the United States. I would be happy to hear from you to see how I might be of service.