My Approach

Similar to a puzzle or a painting, we often need to step back from something to figure out how it works or where to go next. Easier said than done? That’s where I can help you. I create a safe & dedicated space where you can get out of your head by unpacking what’s in there. With gentle guidance & a commitment to non-judgement & the messiness of learning & healing, together we will make clear what is important to you, what is blocking you, your innate strengths, what you want to do, & how you can achieve a more fulfilling life. My helping approach is person-centered & anti-oppressive. I will meet you where you are at, & we’ll go from there, together.

Offering Virtual Online Sessions Only

Individual Counselling: $140 per 1 hour (50 minute) session

CVAP, FNHA & ICBC coverage available

My Story

I come to you from the traditional unceded territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Squamish Nations, also known as the settler area of Vancouver. I live, work, & play on many Coast Salish territories, including those unceded by the Lekwungen & WSÁNEĆ Nations in the settler area of Victoria. I am a cis-gender woman of Algonquin & German descent, born on Vancouver Island. Though I am privileged to know of my Aboriginal ancestry, I do not identify as an Aboriginal person. However, my ancestry informs & strengthens my allyship.

My own constellation of circumstances in life gave me an early exposure to social work & what we call ‘systems of care.’ This vantage point provided me with a deep acceptance & more nuanced understanding of how our ways of coping & adapting can have unexpected or problematic effects to ourselves & those around us. Personal experiences with substance use in the contexts of addiction & self-exploration, & the effects of childhood attachment disruption, have fostered my passion for the field of mental health & substance use, & my work in this area is what sparked my own journey of healing & inner work. As my own work progresses, I have a growing interest in spirituality.

I’ve been serving the Downtown & Downtown East-side areas of Vancouver for 10 years. I have worked in supported housing, recovery houses, in-patient mental health & substance use treatment centers, community drop-ins, & as part of a youth mental health/substance use care team. I strongly support harm-reduction and trauma-informed practices. My recent experiences delivering front-line mental health services & witnessing systemic oppression in action, have shown me that the system struggles to provide people with the time & space needed to address what’s important to them – & that’s what I really want to do. My aim as a counsellor is to help people reconnect with their true self, and build a life that reflects their values and desires.

Areas of practice

• Substance usage, addiction or otherwise

• Anxiety & depression

• Hoarding & collecting 

• Healthy boundaries, communication, & conflict management

• Mindfulness & other coping skills

• Goal setting & follow-through

• Advocacy & system navigation

Education & Training

• Master of Social Work, University of Victoria

• Registered Social Worker (#13348), British Columbia College of Social Work

• Bachelor of Social Work, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology

• Social Service Diploma, Langara College

• Attachment Theory, various workshops

• Mental Health First Aid: Standard, Mental Health Commission of Canada

• Mandt System Conflict Management

• Harm Reduction and Naloxone Trainer, Toward the Heart

Professional Memberships & Affiliations

• BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW) Registered Social Worker #13348

Rates

Individual Counselling

1 hour session (50 min) - $140 (Sliding scale options may be available)