Wendy Kirk BA, MDiv, Clinical Member OSP

I remember when my older daughter called one day, and asked, “When will life become easy?”  I smiled to myself, and said, “What makes you think it will be easy?”  She responded, “I don’t know why I call you about these things.  You never tell me what I want to hear.” 

Recently, I was thinking of puzzles that I used to do, called ‘Impossibles’.  The picture on the box was similar, but not the same.  There was no border, and there were four extra pieces.  They were a metaphor for what was happening in my life at the time.  They allowed me time to think, and figure out what pieces went together, however unlikely.  They also showed how, when the smaller pieces start to fit together, then the overall picture starts to make more sense.

Life is stressful for most of us. We have many conflicting demands on our time and our resources, and it is hard to find the time to think purposefully through significant events in our lives. It takes a great deal of courage to look at difficult things in life, and walk through them. 

Flexibility is something that I value.  I draw on a variety of approaches when doing therapy, depending on each client and their needs, and which approaches might work best.  If you are in distress when entering therapy, I will work with you on how to reduce the overall impact on your daily life and your level of functioning; then you can focus on discovery and change that will help you move beyond the place where we first met.

We can be more authentic, and be more congruent across the various areas of our lives – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.  Let’s celebrate your achievements and insights. We are all made up of far more than the sum of our parts, and there is richness in each life that yearns to be discovered and nurtured. The quiet moments wait to be cherished, and the small wonders become the lights when the way is dark. We have a culture that values things being easy and fast, and believes that hard is bad.  I believe this is an error.  We need to go through the difficult times to grow, to become more than we have been.  I believe that everyone has their own journey, and that the joy is in the journey. Let’s discover a healthier way to live together. 

Whether working with individuals, couples or families, the focus is on shifting perspective to be able to approach life in a new way, gaining insight, while finding ways to cope with current limitations.  Because of my office’s location, I am able to be quite flexible about appointment days and times.  When working with families, I have sometimes gone to their home, and worked with them in their own environment.  For people who work with me at a distance, I connect with them by phone or internet.

I have worked extensively in the lgbtt2sisq community, and in the womyn’s movement.  I am fluent in American Sign Language, and have worked for many years in the deaf, deafened and hard-of-hearing communities in a variety of roles.  I also have many years experience in the criminal and family justice systems. 

Thank you for taking time to read my profile.  I look forward to hearing from you, so that we can set up your consultation appointment.  My office is located near the Don Valley Parkway and Lawrence Avenue East in North York.  For more information, please visit my website.