WelcomeWisdom is found on the journey you did not want and gained on the road without a map.
(Research Participant, Butlin, 2018)
Helen J Butlin, PhD
Registered Psychotherapist
About My Practice
“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” - Ben Okri
I provide support in-person and online/phone for individuals to dscover personal wisdom and a sense of wholeness in the midst of life’s challenges, tensions and complexities.
My office is in London, Ontario and I also offer online sessions serving clients throughout Ontario.
I am a registered psychotherapist (College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario) in private practice bringing over twenty years of clinical experience in health care where I specialized in trauma, ICU, palliative care and oncology.
I am certified in the trauma therapy modality of EMDR (Emotional Memory Desensitization and Reprocessing) and am a Certified Member of the International Practitioner Association of EMDRIA. Since 2009, when I discovered Dr. Kristen Neff’s article on “Self-Compassion versus Global Self-Esteem” showing the many evidence based benefits to integrating self-compassion into our lives, I have personally practiced mindful self-compassion and received certification in Mindful Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy with the Centre for Mindful Self-Compassion.
I also have specialized training in Compassion Fatigue & Vicarious Trauma therapy for front line practitioners and my practice is listed with the Ontario Medical Association for supporting physician mental health and well-being. I have more recently integrated my training in the practice of Polyvagal Therapy which targets healing for the nervous system and teaches us how to integrate a deeply attuned awareness to stress responses, trauma triggers, reactivity, survival modes, dissociative traits, numbing out, or shutting down and learning to anchor into attunement with our nervous system to rehabilitate regulation, anchoring, and well-being. Throughout my work in health care and in private practice I have guided people to discover their own unique and effective ways for developing deeper resiliency in life and work, as well as in those times when healing and recovery is needed from anxiety, depression, trauma, post-traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, vicarious trauma, and workplace stress.
Each person’s beliefs, values, goals, spirituality, hopes, are important and we work with these through practical, in-depth psychotherapy and counselling.
I offer a steadfast commitment to create a compassionate space for each client, whatever the situation and personal concerns.
Finding your wisdom….
My doctoral research participants told me that our wisdom is often invisible to ourselves and that it becomes more visible through dialogue and compassionate relationships which offer acceptance and support. This is a guiding principle of my practice.
In individual sessions we work through the challenges and ‘impossibles’ towards greater insight, inner balance, self-compassion, hope, meaning and the (re)discovery of your own unique purpose and direction in life.
My practice is evidence-informed with research papers published in medical journals and book chapters; presentations, keynotes and workshops given at international and national conferences along with co-authoring the book:
“Just Stay: A Couples Last Journey Together”, (Words Indeed, 2012)
There is a wise way through anything…
together, we find it
Sessions
Some reasons why people reach out:
- Anxiety, depression & stress reduction
- Trauma (including EMDR)
- Compassion fatigue, burnout & vicarious trauma
- Polyvagal Therapy - regulating our autonomic nervous system with ‘anchoring’ strategies
- Spiritual & existential distress states (see video above)
- Mindfulness & Self-Compassion practices
- Bereavement & traumatic loss
- Workplace stress & recovery
- Post traumatic stress
- Relationships
The initial session includes a discussion of your own situation and reasons for seeking support.
The individual sessions I offer are:
COVID-19 - Virtual session and in-person options.
Fees:
Intake session is 75 minutes:
$225 +HST = $254.25
Subsequent full one hour sessions:
$180 + HST = $203.40
Health Care Benefits:
Many workplaces now include Registered Psychotherapists in your benefits coverage. Please call your insurance carrier to confirm.
In the first session we will develop a plan of care including the potential number of sessions you can expect it to involve (average is 6 – 12).
There is a regular re-evaluation of your goals and needs. You may opt out or request to change your plan of care at any time.
Each session includes developing skills in mindfulness and self-compassion practices. I’ve found these are foundational life skills that help us to clear the inner noise of fear, worry, stress and overwhelm. These are simple practices that can be included in every day life to help us to access our personal wisdom for making critical decisions, healing from trauma, grief, loss and coping with illness and other life-altering situations. They also help us in work situations, parenting, relationships and research has shown that mindfulness and self-compassion are key elements for sustaining well-being and strong mental health.
For more on self-compassion and mindfulness, you can watch a video by
Dr. Kristen Neff here.
Retreats & Groups
Upcoming workshops and retreats:
The Red ShoesClaiming Your Own ‘Hand-Made Life’ with Helen J Butlin PhD
Registered Psychotherapist
A Retreat For Women in beautiful Tobermory!
Location:
Dates TBD based on expression of interest
Princess Hotel, Tobermory
Give yourself the gift of space and time to be you! Nestled in the scenic town of Tobermory surrounded by green forests, majestic rocks and the blue-green waters of Georgian Bay, we will have time together for feeding soul, mind and body. The four days will weave a magical chance for renewal: reconnecting with nature, art, storytelling, self-compassion, guided meditations, short creative writing inquires, and group sharing with Helen’s guidance and facilitation.
Jennifer White with her magical harp will also be weaving into group times her Celtic storytelling and harp music. A feast for heart and soul!
Retreat Journey:
We will explore the fairy tale of The Red Shoes using the insights given by Clarissa Pinkola Estes best-selling book (for over 30 years now!) Women Who Run With Wolves. The Red Shoes teaches us to stop the relentless tap dance of making others happy at the expense of ourselves. It challenges us to reclaim the ancient inner wisewoman wisdom that is our birthright and which – when heeded - enables us to live truly free from the collective scripts about who we ‘ought’ to be. The tale of the Red Shoes shows us why we must create our own, unique creatively alive “hand-made life” woven from all our unseen, often unclaimed, strengths and gifts, intuitions and dreams. This wisewoman within, reclaimed, provides us with fierceness and compassion to embrace our human foibles and to go with the flow with life’s messiness piecing together our hand-made, unique life. This retreat will guide you inward to listen to your own knowing intuition about life and living… for your life.
Jennifer White is a Celtic harpist and storyteller from London, Ontario. She will be offering her magical music and stories through our four days together. Click here to hear Jennifer’s rendering of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”.
Afternoons are free to play, relax, take artist and flower farm owner Brenda Kerton’s Doodle and Watercolour Workshop, (Click Here to Learn More) or enjoy one of the many trails on the Bruce Peninsula hiking trails. Included is a 90 minute cruise of the famous shipwrecks and the unique geology of Flowerpot Island.
If you’re drawn – please email Helen with your expression of interest at helenjbutlin@gmail.com. If we’ve not met already, we will have a virtual chat to ensure it is right for you and so we can meet each other (if we haven’t already!). Then you can decide if you want to register.
Feedback from previous groups:
"This retreat helped me gain clarity….special and magical!"
- Victoria V.
“I so enjoyed your inviting and warm spirit within the group. It was a very thoughtful and healing environment.”
- Cynthia H. Counsellor
"It was such a lovely and helpful of peace, introspection, and joy."
- Anonymous
Blog
The Wisdom Distillery Podcast #1
“Go For Moments, Not States!”
January 29th, 2023
“Go for moments, not states” can be used as a rudder to guide you through your day, especially when its a hard day. If you need more peace, find moments of peace, create moments of peace, notice and appreciate moments of peace, no matter how fleeting.
There is no arriving, because life is not static!!! Life, including our inner life, is flux and flow, ebbs and high tides, storms and calm. Listen on to hear more about how to work with this focus, day by day and rewire your nervous system towards knowing what to do when the waves in life get bigger.
The Wisdom Distillery Podcast #2
“Be The River”
May 8th 2023
Finally, it’s April and the earth is warming, sun is peeking through more often and the flowers are showing the blooms. Joy glimmers abound in spring for me.
It’s also the time of year where in the northern hemisphere, the rivers are filling with rain water and snow melts so this river theme swirled for this month’s podcast sharing wisdom drawn from nature’s way in life.
Self-Compassion Is A Pathway Into Our Wisdom
February 1st 2021
Self-compassion opens the hidden, overgrown, seemingly impenetrable door to a living, organically instinctive, intuitive, deeply caring, fiercely courageous life rooted in a phenomenon we call ‘wisdom’.
And if ever there was a time we need wisdom, personally and collectively, it is now during a global unravelling in this pandemic.
Why I believe self-compassion is the game-changer
January 1st 2020
What I have found, as have many of my clients, is that a practice of self-compassion is, indeed, the game changer in forging a more sustainable and fundamental sense of well-being in life.
Writing this piece for participants on an online retreat focusing on finding one’s wisdom through self-compassion, in the midst of a global pandemic, I still find this practice of self-compassion to be a crucial ingredient for sustaining our spirits and mental health, and crucially for sustaining hope during this upheaval.
Finding Wisdom..
February 22nd 2019
Hi, I’m Helen.
Welcome to my reflections on, “Searching for Wisdom”. As humans, being wise is perhaps the singular most needed and significant aim that may just make the most crucial difference to our world and in our relationships.
I’ve spent the past 20 years walking alongside people and supporting them in my psychotherapy practice. The process supports a discovery of personal wisdom which will guide and sustain through life’s inevitable hardships and challenges. My specialty for many years was supporting people living with cancer, a crucible for wisdom formation.
Do You Consider Yourself Wise?
April 9th 2019
Most of us don’t. Yet, you undoubtedly have cultivated your own ‘hand-made wisdom’, just as Beth, Carrie, and Denise (participant pseudonyms) did in my doctoral study.
If you have lived through challenges, change, loss, grief, trauma, struggle, mental health challenges or any of the curves and difficulties that life can include i.e. being human, then you’ve had to cultivate your own “hand-made” wisdom for getting by.
What Do Art And Wisdom Have In Common?
May 12th 2019
The Art Class Adventure!
I painted this picture with a friend recently who generously took me to her art class with a group of very kind and far more expert painters than I. I had to dive past a deep reluctance to want to stretch myself to paint in an art class with people I’ve never met! It gave me some musings on wisdom and art perhaps being rather similar in process.
Publications
Doctoral Research
Butlin, Helen, “Searching for wisdom: A phenomenological investigation of womens’ perspectives following participation in an ovarian cancer supportive care group” (2018). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 5856.
Journal Articles
Butlin, H., Kinsella, E. A., Garcia, C, & Bauman, G. (2016). Searching for wisdom in oncology care: A scoping review. Palliative & Supportive Care. 15(3), 384–400.
Butlin, H., Williams, A., Garcia, C. S., & Salter, K. (2017). PracticeCALM: Coaching anxiety lessening methods for radiation therapists: A pilot study of a skills-based training program in radiation oncology. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy. 47(2), 147–154.
Butlin, H. (2015). Psycho-oncology: Searching for practical wisdom? Palliative & Supportive Care, 13(5), 1495–1500.
BOOK
Fazakerley, J., Butlin-Battler, H., & Bradish, G. (2012). Just Stay: A couple’s last journey together. Toronto: Words Indeed Press.
Book Chapters
Butlin, H. 2017. Soul-medicine: An autoethnography. In J. Higgs & D. Tasker, Loftus, S. (Eds.), Community-based healthcare: The search for mindful dialogues. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Butlin, H. (2017). The legacy. In L. Butler-Kisber, J.J. Guiney Yallop, M. Stewart, S. Wiebe (Eds.), Poetic inquiries for reflection & renewal. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: McIntyre Purcell Publishing.
Blogs
Butlin, H. (2016). The Materiality of Motherhood in Academic Research: Notes on ‘Workflow’ from a Mid-Life Doctoral Mother. LSE Review of Books blog. 24 March.
Butlin, H. (2017). “From the Heart of Health Care” (Poem). Practice Futures website, Higgs, J., Tasker, D.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Helen J Butlin, PhD
Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO)
Academic Qualifications
2018. Doctorate of Philosophy. Western University, Faculty of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, supervisor, Dr. Glenn Bauman, Chief/Chair Oncology, Western University and London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON. Thesis title, “Searching for Wisdom: Phenomenological perspectives of women living with ovarian cancer after participation in a supportive care group.”
2015. Registered Psychotherapist. Canadian Association of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).
2012. Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma, Training the Trainer Certification with Francoise Mathieu. Kingston, ON.
2012. Compassion Fatigue Therapist, Certification. Green Cross, USA.
2001. Specialist in Spiritual Care, Certified Specialist, Canadian Association of Spiritual Care (CASC). Sunnybrook Hospital, ON.
2000. Specialist in Spiritual Care, Residency. St. Michael's Hospital. Toronto, ON.
1996–1999. M.Div. Regis College, Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto. (Summa Cum Laude).
Publications:
Doctoral thesis
Butlin, Helen. (2018). "Searching for wisdom: A phenomenological investigation of womens' perspectives following participation in an ovarian cancer supportive care group" Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 5856.
Journal Articles
Butlin, H., Kinsella, E. A., Garcia, C, & Bauman, G. (2016). Searching for wisdom in oncology care: A scoping review. Palliative & Supportive Care. 15(3), 384–400.
Butlin, H., Williams, A., Garcia, C. S., & Salter, K. (2016). PracticeCALM: Coaching anxiety lessening methods for radiation therapists: A pilot study of a skills-based training program in radiation oncology. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy. 47(2), 147–154. Epub ahead of print.
Butlin, H. (2015). Psycho-oncology: Searching for practical wisdom? Palliative & Supportive Care, 13(5), 1495–1500.
Book Chapters
Butlin, H. 2017. Soul-medicine: An autoethnography. In J. Higgs & D. Tasker, Loftus, S. (Eds.), Community-based healthcare: The search for mindful dialogues. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Butlin, H. (2017). The legacy. In L. Butler-Kisber, J. Guiney Yallop, M. Stewart, S. Wiebe (Eds), Poetics inquiries for reflection & renewal. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: McIntyre Purcell Publishing.
Book
Fazakerley, J., Butlin-Battler, H., & Bradish, G. (2012). Just STAY: A couple’s last journey together. Toronto: Words Indeed Press.
Blog
London School of Economics Book Review
Butlin, H. (2016). The Materiality of Motherhood in Academic Research: Notes on ‘Workflow’ from a Mid-Life Doctoral Mother. LSE Review of Books blog. 24 March. http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2016/03/24/the-materiality-of-research-the-materiality-of-motherhood-in-academic-research-notes-on-workflow-from-a-mid-life-doctoral-mother-by-helen-butlin/.
Practice Futures
Butlin, H. (2017). From the Heart of Health Care (Poem). Practice Futures website, Higgs, J., Tasker, D.
http://www.practicefutures.com.au/journalists-views
Master's Thesis
Butlin, H. (1999). Toward a theology of embodiment: (Re)claiming embodied knowing of the sacred in theology. (Unpublished). University of Toronto, Regis College, Toronto, ON.
Teaching Assistantship
2015, January–April. “Philosophical Foundations of Qualitative Research,” Western University, London, ON. For Dr. Elizabeth Anne Kinsella.
Academic Teaching
2019-2020, September – July. Lay Theology Program (LTh), Huron University, London, ON. “Introduction to Thanatology”, “Praying with Ancient Mystics”, “Praying with Modern Mystics”, and the Spiritual Formation Retreat for Deaconate candidates and LTh students.
2017, March. “Mindfulness in Clinical Practice.” Western University, Occupational Therapy Program, London, ON. Guest teacher in mindfulness course for Dr. E. A. Kinsella as part of Occupational Therapy Master's Program.
2017, March. “Mindfulness in Clinical Practice.” Western University, Occupational Therapy Program. Guest teacher in mindfulness course for Dr. E. A. Kinsella for occupational therapy students.
2017, February. “Poetic Phenomenology.” Western University, Faculty of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences. For course in Advanced Philosophical Foundations of Qualitative Research with Dr. E. A. Kinsella.
2016, May. “Work–Life Balance: Myth or Possibility?” Western University, Faculty of Oncology. Radiation Oncology Residents Academic Program.
2016, June. Co-taught with Dr. Carla Garcia. “Death and Dying in Clinical Practice.” Western University, Faculty of Oncology. For radiation oncology residents.
2016, March. “Mindfulness for Clinicians.” Western University, Medical Education Program. For Professor Edmond Lui.
2015 and 2016, March. “Mindfulness in Clinical Practice.” Western University. Guest teacher in mindfulness course for Dr. E. A. Kinsella for Occupational Therapy Master's Program.
2015, March. “Mindfulness for Clinicians.” Western University, Medical Education Program. For Professor Edmond Lui.
2015, March. “Mindfulness in clinical practice.” Western University, Occupational Therapy Program. Guest speaker in mindfulness course for Dr. E. A. Kinsella for occupational therapy students.
2013, January–April. “Death and Dying in Clinical Practice.” University of Western Ontario, Oncology Residents' Academic Program, London Regional Cancer Program. Co-designed and taught with Dr. Carla Garcia (psychiatry).
2013, September–2014, February and 2011, November–2012, April. “Work–Life Balance: Myth or Possibility?” University of Western Ontario, Oncology Residents' Academic Program, London Regional Cancer Program, Designed and taught.
2013, February. “Spiritual Support in Oncology.” Western University. Occupational Therapy Student Symposium.
2013, April. “Spiritual Care at End of Life.” Western University. Guest speaker, Thanatology Program.
2012, April. “Spiritual Issues in End of Life.” Western University. Guest speaker, Occupational Therapy Student Symposium.
2010 and 2011, April. “Dark Night of the Soul: Navigating Spiritual Struggle.” Huron College, Western University. Sessional faculty, Continuing Education Program.
2009, September–December. “Dark Night of the Soul: Guiding Individuals Through Spiritual Crisis.” Huron College, University of Western Ontario. Sessional faculty. Designed and taught course.
Invited Conference Keynotes, Workshops, Presentations
2019, June. 9th International Colloquium of the International Association of Catholic Bioethics (IACB). Medically Assisted Dying: Finding a wise way forward. Le Monastéres Augustine, Quebec City, Quebec.
2019, July. International Meaning Conference. Spoken word poetry performance. I Am Sophia - Poetic-phenomenology doctoral study findings on wisdom through the perspectives of women living with ovarian cancer and Poetic Resistance for Reclaiming the Social Imaginary. Birbeck College, London, England.
2017, March [Workshop]. PracticeCALM: Principles and tips for radiation therapists. National Radiation Therapy Conference, Toronto, ON.
2016, November [Presentation]. Spiritual distress screening and resilience in oncology. Windsor Cancer Research Group International Conference, Windsor, ON.
2016, May [Workshop]. Finding wisdom: Living with ovarian cancer. Survivors' Day, International Ovarian Cancer Research Conference, Niagara Falls, ON.
2015, March [Keynote]. PracticeCALM: Supportive care in radiation therapy practice. National Radiation Therapy Conference, Toronto, ON.
2014, October [Keynote]. Dignity therapy: For patients, families, and staff. SouthWest Regional Palliative Care Training Day, London, ON.
Peer-Reviewed Regional, National, and International Conference Presentations
2019, Oct. 7th International Symposium of Poetic Inquiry. I am Sophia - A poetic-phenomenology of wisdom through the lives of four women. Halifax, Nova Scotia.
2015, April [Workshop]. Autoethnography: A hand-in-glove research methodology for clinical spiritual care professionals. Canadian Association of Spiritual Care, Annual National Conference. Hamilton, ON.
2014, April [Facilitated Poster Presentation]. The art of medicine: Intuitive wisdom in clinical practice. Creating Space IV Symposium at Canadian Conference of Medical Education. Ottawa, ON.
2013, April [Workshop]. Navigating the breadcrumb trail: A story of hope for chaplains in shrinking health care budgets. Canadian Association of Spiritual Care. Ottawa, ON.
2011, June [Poster]. Soul medicine: Targeted therapy for the fear-factor in cancer. Multi-National Supportive Care Conference. Athens, Greece.
2012, October [Workshop]. Recognizing spiritual distress: Fostering spiritual resilience in oncology. Regional Supportive Care Conference. London, ON.
2011, May [Oral Presentation]. Soul medicine: Targeted therapy for the fear factor. International PsychoSocial Oncology Conference. Quebec City, QC.
Health Professional Education
2021 – present. [Private Practice offering]. Annual weekend physician wellness retreat.
2021, May. [Half day workshop, invited]. LHSC & McMaster Pediatric ICU Fellows. Finding Your Wisdom Compass for Navigating the Work-Life Rapids
2013, October. [Workshop, invited]. Recognizing Clinical Spiritual Distress: Strengthening Staff Resilience. Social Work and Spiritual Care Team Education Session, Hamilton Health Sciences Centre. Hamilton, ON.
2009–2012. Coaching Anxiety Lessening Methods. Training program innovated and researched (2013) in an REB-approved delegated review study for radiation therapy technicians using anxiety-reducing techniques to assist patients to complete treatment; learn reflective practice skills; sustain well-being through compassion fatigue awareness; gain confidence in the “art” of practice for meeting unique and challenging situations when patients are in acute distress.
2012, November. Recognizing Spiritual Distress. Citywide Palliative Care Grand Rounds. London, ON.
2012, October. The Human Spirit Has Strength: Heart Care for Health Care. London Regional Cancer Program, centre-wide staff support session. London, ON.
2012, May. Spiritual Care in Oncology. Cancer Care Ontario Psychosocial Rounds, Ontario Telehealth Network. Toronto, ON.
2012, March. Just Stay: A Couple's Last Journey Together. For the Palliative Care Network. Chatham, ON.
Select Community Workshops and Presentations by Invitation
2013, June. Soul Medicine: Dissolving the Fear Factor. SouthWest Regional Cancer Program, Cancer Care Talks. London, ON.
2009, April. The Art of Being: ‘Being’ When Life Gets busy! Medaille House, Women's Retreat. London, ON.
2006, April [Workshop]. Soul Food for Mothers and Grandmothers. Rennison College, University of Waterloo. Continuing Education Program. Waterloo, NS.
2006, May. Soul Food for Mothers and Grandmothers. Day Retreat, Holy Trinity Church. Aurora, ON.
2005, April. Know Your Own Soul: Renewal for the Front Lines. Day Retreat, St. Joseph's Health Care, Spiritual Care Team. London, ON.
1999, July. Finding Wisdom in the Desert Lenten Retreat. St. George the Martyr Anglican Church. Toronto, ON.
Community Events Offered
2011–2012. Elders and Dreams Speak: Five Elders and Dream Expert on the Times We Are Living In. London, ON.
2011, September–2012, April [Workshop Series]. Claiming Your Shadow for the Dance of Your Life. Co-taught with Mary Hamilton, M.Ed., cofounder of BodySoul Intensives with Dr. Marion Woodman.
Contact
Contact Helen
Please provide the information requested below to inquire about individual psychotherapy sessions, receive free guided meditations, receive advance notice of newly released guided meditations and personal well-being courses.
Helen@helenjbutlin.com
519 - 281 - 8675
484 Waterloo St, London, Ontario
N6B 2P6
Thank you so much for visiting my page
As a registered psychotherapist in Ontario Canada, I have helped many people for over twenty years come through difficult times in their lives.
I hope my website has given you some insight into the type of journey and support I provide in my psychotherapy practice, and that maybe you feel more confident within yourself to seek out this support if you are going through difficult times.
All of my sessions are mindful of COVID - 19 risks and can be offered either online or over the phone or in-person following current public health recommendations.
So please get in touch.
Thanks again and stay safe.
And don’t ever forget..
“Wisdom is remembering two heads are better than one”