About Your Couples Therapists

The Inspiration for my Work

As a couples therapist, I bring a lifetime of experience and a variety of skills to my work.

During the 27 years that my husband David Rubinstein and I have worked together, we have sought out many forward thinkers who have made a difference in the world of couples therapy. We have attended conferences, trainings, online workshops and seminars to learn as much as we can about how to help couples feel safe and secure in their relationships. Ultimately, our connection with Dr. Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, has had the largest impact on our work. We found that his approach spoke to us as couples therapists. It also reflected our personal values and focus on love. Dr. Tatkin is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy® (PACT). We still meet with him and our close colleagues regularly, benefiting from the further development of his approach.

For many years, I have been integrating Dr. Stan Tatkin’s approach to couples therapy into my practice. I am a Level 11 PACT practitioner.

In the last five years, I received training in several Energy Psychology modalities, which I have incorporated into my work with couples, including: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Intention Tapping (IT), and Energy Medicine (Eden Method). More recently, I have been on a spiritual journey that I share with my clients when I find they are on a similar path, resonate with it, and find peace and strength from that approach.

Education and Experience

As Marriage and Couples therapists, David and I have typically focused on meeting with one couple at a time. But we have also facilitated in-person and online couples workshops, which were primarily educational. I find the energy and interaction among participants in these workshops exhilarating, and they offer great learning opportunities for all.

While completing my Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University, I worked with groups of women survivors of sexual, physical and emotional abuse at Family Transition Place in Orangeville, Ontario. This experience was very beneficial in understanding the issues some couples clients bring to therapy.

Prior to becoming a psychotherapist, I was certified as a Life Skills Coach, Journal Writing Instructor, and Myers-Briggs Certified Practitioner (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator™). During that time, I co-facilitated a drug addiction program offering group counselling for recovering alcoholics, and I also facilitated workshops on parenting skills, corporate communications skills, and career planning strategies.

My Personal Style

I am an energetic and inspirational therapist. I experience life with joy and humour, which comes into play in my client sessions. Over the years, I have developed deep listening skills and a compassionate way of communicating that helps my clients feel safe and secure when they are with me. That being said, I am direct and to the point when needed, so couples don’t waste their time repeating unproductive ways of relating to each other in session. With my ongoing studies in energy psychology, I have been able to help clients create more inner calm and peace — as individuals, and as a couple. We work together to create an atmosphere of joy, respect, and collaboration. My goal is to help my couple clients feel safer and more secure in each other’s care.