Fascination with human behaviour and the unique and varied way we each navigate life has been at the core of me for as long as memory serves. During the Aid's Pandemic an unmasked reality of suffering became all too clear. Doing palliative work I learned the value of holding space for someone while simply listening and being present for them. So inspired by the examples of resilience, strength and spirit, a helper was born.
While raising my family I studied integrated energy practices at Langara College. Volunteering at Women's Recovery Centres, Friends for Life and Native Health Society I became increasingly aware that I required a greater skill set to therapeutically support clients with the emotional releases they often experienced. So it was back to school to study counselling and psychology at the Counsellor Training Institute.
Fortunate to find employment after graduation in 2004 at the B.C. Compassion Club Wellness Center, (a consensus run, not-for- profit that provides subsidized complimentary health care for those in need) I was able to hone my skills as I worked closely with a talented and experience-varied group of practitioners. For sixteen years I had the privilege and honour to sit with a wonderfully diverse group of people whose commonality was living with chronic or terminal illness and often repetitive trauma and marginalization. They have greatly informed my practice and my humanity and sustained my sense of awe at the resilience of spirit. My work is rooted in a non-hierarchical, person to person therapeutic relationship. Holistic in nature, addressing mind, body and spirit. Drawing from multi-disciplines, I work to meet the needs of the individual. My goal is to empower clients to live and thrive according to their own values and belief systems.
After an intentional pause that was greatly extended by the pandemic I am very excited to be back working within my East Vancouver Community at Tonume Integrated Health. During this last unprecedented year when self-care has become essential to achieving and sustaining mental health and a sense of well-being, I feel blessed to have grown up on and continued to live on the West Coast. The abundance of water and forest, coupled by a climate that allows for tennis and hiking year long, skiing in the winter and spring, and camping and soft-ball in the summer has allowed me to return to work feeling grounded, centred and looking very forward to sitting with clients once again.
Back to work also is Archie, a six year old Golden Lab. Archie and I met when he was a pup through Pacific Assistance Dogs, with the goal of socializing and training him to be an assistance dog. That meant that he accompanied me everywhere. Archie masterfully failed that program! Although he executed all tasks, he did not preform them swiftly or with enthusiasm. However Archie has proved himself invaluable in the counselling room, demonstrating a limitless capacity for empathy and an innate ability to transform moments when words fail. Those who have had this experience “Thank Dog for Archie!”
All welcome, there are no life challenges too big or too small.
Safely meet in person utilizing best safety practices.
No cost 20 minute 'meet the counsellor', by phone or person to person, it is your preference, and comfort level.
Affiliated Organizations:
- Spirit Matters Holistic Counselling
- M.P.C.C. (Master Practitioner, Clinical Counsellor)
- R.P.C. (Registered Professional Counsellor)
- Canadian Professional Counsellors Associations #1851
- H.P.P. (Holistic Health Practitioner)
- Registered Funeral Celebrant
