Find a Therapist in Anmore, British Columbia.

You may be wondering what counselling and psychotherapy looks like. Typically, I will spend some time, perhaps a session or two, getting to know you and your concern in some depth. Then together we decide on a goal and the best way for us to spend our time together. This may involve exploring thoughts, behaviours, and emotions, solving problems, working on skills, or making sense of past experiences. My hope is that, through our work together, you will feel clearer, more focused, and connected with your life and the people in it.

Person-Centred and Humanistic therapy is an umbrella term for a range of different types of therapy that focus on a person’s unique potential and strengths. Instead of concentrating on what is wrong with a person in therapy, this type of therapy works from the understanding that you are inherently lovable and worthy. In therapy, we identify and work through internal blocks to self-acceptance and personal growth, helping you replace self doubt with self confidence, and create a more meaningful and fulfilling life for yourself.

I look forward to supporting and guiding my clients to discover their strengths. I work with children, adolescents, adults and families to help bring more healing, growth and change. Building on a framework of warmth, empathy and compassion, my goal is to create an atmosphere in which you feel safe to explore even the most difficult areas of your life.

As a psychotherapist, I offer a safe and warm environment to explore your concerns with non judgmental approach. The work will inspire empowering conversations which will foster resiliency and change. The results of counselling can be an overall sense of strength and well being. My counselling style takes into account each persons unique needs, goals, and current challenges to develop lasting change.

Psychotherapy is a broad term that includes counselling, mental health, and therapy. My approach to psychotherapy is geared toward the specific needs of each client. Not one approach works for everyone and so I don't try to help all my clients with one type of therapy. Instead, I do an initial assessment on the phone and then at the first session and then base my treatment approach from the information gained. I also ensure that I check-in with my client as we continue our work to ensure the approaches being used are proving helpful and adjust accordingly to their input and as more information is provided.

I use a two pronged approach in assisting clients . The first is called CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is highly used in counselling. It increase a clients awareness and enhances their education and skills. The second component, and I believe the most important, is the Reduction of Emotional Charge connected with the issue. Some times CBT is sufficient to bring about permanent change. But often people relapse because the emotional stimulation/reaction had not been reduced & they default to their old coping mechanisms.

Psychotherapy (or counselling) is ‘talk therapy’ – where you, as the client, share: your experiences, goals, challenges, presenting concerns, both verbally and nonverbally. Through this communication a therapeutic relationship (or alliance) is formed. This relationship acts a safe space for you to explore, excavate, evaluate, take new risks, etc. In a large way, engaging in the therapeutic relationship is ‘practise’ for the real world. I, as the therapist, will work with multiple modalities (or theoretical orientations) within our dialogue and engagement, which will serve to help us reflect, challenge, bear to light, collaborate, as well as model things (such as security, compassion, etc.).

Psychotherapy or counselling is helpful to address whatever issues you may be facing in your life in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. At West Coast Counselling, we use your goals as a framework from which to build therapy around. We may use cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative or solution-focused therapy, to name a few, in which to help you manage your issues.

Diving in to our selves and our unconscious minds can yield unexpected gifts. Sometimes individuals are called to do so because of problems in their lives or symptoms that cause them discomfort, and at other times for personal growth and self-innovation. Through guided self-exploration, you can heal and grow. You can experience increased life satisfaction, a greater sense of meaning and purpose, and a broadened awareness of your past and present choices so that you can improve the ones you make in the future.

My approach to Psychotherapy incorporates mind, body, spirit and emotions. While talk therapy is an essential component, a somatic approach to Psychotherapy allows for the possibility of deeper healing and more permanent change as the body holds the information we need to heal. Therefore I take a body centred approach to healing while drawing on an extensive range of other psychotherapeutic approaches. Each session is tailored to where the client is at in the moment and from the belief that somewhere in all of us, no matter how deeply we have been wounded, we have the resources we need to heal.

The circumstances and issues that you are dealing with are unique to you, but you don't have to face them alone. Every individual has different experiences, perceptions, feelings, thoughts, beliefs, values, attitudes, cultural backgrounds and "upbringings". Counselling sessions are private and confidential, and can provide a way for you to explore your problems and really tune in to your feelings. This is an opportunity to speak freely about your circumstances and release pent up feelings, without having to worry about what others think or feel, and without receiving unwanted advise from family, friends or coworkers. At the root of the problem, there are very real, legitimate and understandable reasons for feeling the way you feel, thinking the way...(view profile to read more)

As a Gestalt therapist, I help individuals to work toward their wholeness and to be able to meet their particular needs. I believe every individual is unique. Therefore, while Gestalt therapy is my main approach, I draw from other approaches based on individual needs and I help them toward their recovery with the most appropriate techniques. Some of the other approaches I am using include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Human Centered Approach, Emotion Focused Therapy, Internal Family System, and OEI. Having experience with clients from diverse backgrounds, holding multicultural perspectives, and using techniques from various modalities, I am confident I can better help you in your healing.

Through a warm and compassionate lens, I aim to provide a safe place where you can tell your story. I will partner with you to sort through what is going on in a way that allows for you to feel seen, heard and understood, and in a way that helps you see how much sense your thoughts, feelings and actions make. Using methods such as Emotion Focused Individual Therapy, Attachment, Mindfulness, Self-compassion, CBT and psychoeducation, I will act as a guide as to help you become unstuck and move forward. It can be challenging to reach out. Doing so gives you the opportunity to learn new tools, develop life skills and find healing. It would be privilege to meet with you.