Counsellor in Victoria, BC & online BC & Nova Scotia
Ready for change? Let's turn your storm into a story of strength.
Trauma-informed counselling in person at our Victoria office & online.
- Registered Social Worker in BC (#13348) and Nova Scotia (#9201)
- Direct billing to most extended health plans
- CVAP, FNHA & ICBC coverage available
- Free 20-minute consultation
Counselling for the things that are hard to say out loud
I work with individuals in person at our Victoria office and online. Many people come to me tired of toning themselves down. Whatever brings you here, you won’t need to soften it.
Kink-aware therapy, without having to explain the basics
You shouldn’t have to educate your therapist about your lifestyle. I specialize in working with the kink, BDSM and ethically non-monogamous communities, and my practice draws on my own experience in the kink community.
We can work on sub drop, negotiating protocols, community dynamics, shame and identity, or anxiety that has nothing to do with kink, with a therapist who already understands the context. Your desires are understood here, never pathologized.
I work from the frameworks of SSC (Sane, Sober, Consensual) and RACK (Risk-Aware Consensual Kink). Whether you’re kink-curious, new to a dynamic or an experienced player, you’re welcome.
Learn about sex therapy at Strength in HeartMy approach
I balance the science of how the brain and body respond to experience with the deeper work of how we make meaning from it. Every thought, emotion and memory has a neurobiological response. Understanding yours, and finding the words for it, is a big part of coping and healing.
The real change happens when we shift our relationship with the parts of ourselves that carry pain. Many of the stories that define us were written by fear, pain and trauma. Once we can see them clearly, we can start writing new ones.
I feel honoured when a client trusts me with something they’ve never told anyone. There’s a moment when the nerves melt into relief because they feel seen and accepted. That moment, and watching someone fall back in love with who they are, is why I do this work.
How I work
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Trauma-informed practice
- Polyvagal theory
- Harm reduction
- Attachment theory
- Indigenous & decolonial perspectives
My story
I’m from south Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, and my life started off the beaten path. Poverty, addiction and trauma in my family, and a family system disrupted by colonialism, are familiar to me. I lost a parent young and grew up in a grief-soaked home, taking on adult expectations as a child.
Those experiences led me to social work in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and with youth. My own healing and inner work keep my passion for mental health and substance use work alive.
Front-line social work and my own walks on the wild side taught me that life can be raw and unforgiving, and just as beautiful and joyful. Sometimes we just need someone to show up as another human being, so we can make sense of the good and the bad.
Education, registration & training
Education
- Master of Social Work, University of Victoria
- Bachelor of Social Work, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
- Social Service Diploma, Langara College
Registration & memberships
- BC College of Social Workers, Registered Social Worker #13348
- Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, Registered Social Worker (Clinical Specialist) #9201
- BC Association of Social Workers
- Canadian Association of Social Workers
Selected training
- Essentials of Sex Therapy with Tammy Nelson, PESI
- The Treating Trauma Master Series, NICABM
- The Neurobiology of Attachment, NICABM
- Fundamentals of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy, Therapsil
- Indigenous Specific Anti-Racism Training, San’yas
See all training
- Strategies to Help Clients Navigate Rupture and Build Skills of Repair, NICABM
- Working with the Pain of Abandonment, NICABM
- How to Work with the Traumatized Brain, NICABM
- Becoming a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, The Radical Compassion Institute
- Non-violent Crisis Intervention, Vancouver Coastal Health
- Mental Health First Aid: Standard, Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Mandt System Conflict Management
- Harm Reduction and Naloxone Trainer, Toward the Heart
Questions about working with Yvonne
Is Yvonne accepting new clients?
Yes. Yvonne is accepting new individual clients in person at our Victoria office and online.
Can I see Yvonne if I live in Nova Scotia?
Yes. Yvonne is registered with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, so she can see Nova Scotia residents online.
Will my insurance cover sessions?
Most extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Social Worker, and we direct bill most major insurers. CVAP, FNHA and ICBC coverage is also available. Check your plan’s details before your first session.
Do I need to know exactly what I want to work on?
No. Many people start with a general sense that something feels off. Naming what’s going on is often part of the work, and your free consultation is a good place to start.
What happens in the free consultation?
It’s a 20-minute call to ask questions and see whether Yvonne feels like the right fit before you book a full session.