About Jill
Hi there, I’m Jill. I hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and am currently completing supervised hours toward registration as a Registered Clinical Counsellor in BC. Before sharing a bit of my professional journey, I want to begin with how I approach counselling.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~ Victor Frankl
My invitation in counselling is to help you create and stay with that space. It’s a pause where you can notice what is present, make choices that are meaningful, and practise new ways of responding to life’s challenges. In that space, you can access your own inner wisdom, resilience, and capacity for growth. Together, we will use your personal stories and meaningful history to guide the counselling process. We will use narrative and mindfulness based approaches to support your experience.
Since 1993, I have been honoured to walk alongside people as they navigate life transitions, living with illness, grief, loss, identity shifts, and times of deep change. Earlier in my career, I worked directly as a counsellor with children, youth, adults, and families, offering both individual and group support across hospice, hospital, outdoor camp, and school-based settings, including work with pregnant and parenting adolescents. In more recent years, I provided leadership within Island Health’s Palliative & End-of-Life Care program, while remaining closely connected to clinical practice through mentorship and consultation. Following a significant loss in the summer of 2024, I became clear in my desire to return to counselling work that focuses on deep, meaningful client relationships.
When I am not working, I can often be found on the trails with family and my two young golden retrievers, Maui and Sunday, or enjoying the sunrise at one of the many beautiful beaches in central Vancouver Island.
Clinical Experience and Areas of Focus
• Grief and bereavement across the lifespan, including perinatal and child loss
• Living with chronic illness and life-limiting conditions (children, youth, and adults)
• Caregiver support and wellness
• Health-care navigation and advocacy
• Maternal mental health and parenting transitions
• Pre- and post-natal mental health
• Life transitions across the lifespan
• Stress management
• Health-care provider support and wellness
• Compassion fatigue, burnout, and moral distress
• Anxiety and mood changes
• Resilience and post-traumatic growth
• Spiritual care
Education & Training
• Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology — Yorkville University
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology — University of Calgary
• Advanced Studies in Mental Health — Mount Royal College
• Psychosocial Care of the Dying – Victoria Hospice
• Training in cognitive, somatic, narrative, and mindfulness-based approaches
• Play and Sand Therapy — Alberta Play Therapy Association
• Suicide Intervention Training (Basic and Adolescent Levels) — SIEC
• Critical Incident Stress Debriefing — Level 1
• Childbirth Education — Level 1
• San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
• Nature-Based Therapy — Introductory Workshop
• Member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Populations & Session Types
• Ages: Children, youth, young adults, adults
• Sessions: Individual, family, and couples counselling
Availability
• In-person sessions at the Parksville Clinic
• Virtual sessions from the comfort of your own space
• Nature-based sessions (where appropriate)
Age ranges served: all
Session types: Individuals, couples, families, online and in person
Email: jill.gerke@islandclinicalcounselling.ca
Phone: 778-762-3750 ext. 116
Fees: $70, offering the Pay What You Can Program for those in need
Location: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays in Parksville and online
Choisissez un service, puis une durée et un mode — les heures à droite suivent votre choix.
