Vie Psychology

Dr. Stephen believes that our personalities are shaped by the deep relationships we have with our parents, siblings, and significant friends. While childhood experiences anchor our personality development, the evolution of our personality is shaped by these significant relationships as we go through life. A challenge of these influential relationships is that as we are shaped by these significant individuals, we are constantly struggling to achieve our unique sense of individuality. Individuality refers to how we perceive ourselves and our self esteem, the boundaries we set in our relationships, and how differentiate ourselves from others. For example, in a marriage, one spouse will have expectations of how the relationship functions but each spouse has personal needs that may conflict with the relationship functions. In working with clients, Dr. Stephen sees people for the unique individuals they are. Every individual has a unique history, unique experiences, and unique characteristics. The only way to fully understand an individual is to understand the personal life context that has given way to the person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.