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Who I Am...

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC).  My primary qualifications include: a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia, Canada; a Diploma of Professional Counselling from The Vancouver College of Counsellor Training (VCCT), in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Biological Sciences from King's College London, in London, England; and a Certificate in Education (Post-Compulsory) from the University of Westminster, in London, England. 

 

My counselling background is comprised of a combination of professional, educational, and personal training, and I specialize in healing trauma-, and grief-based mental health concerns.

 

Who I Work With...

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As a healthcare provider in BC, I often collaborate with other service providers to extend mental health services across the community.  Some of the providers I commonly work with include the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), the Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP), Strengthening Abilities and Journeys of Empowerment (SAJE - a program within the Ministry for Children and Family Development that supports youth and young adults with lived care experiences), ICBC, and Telus Health EAP.  I am trained in various trauma-, and grief-informed practices, and my clients include children (aged 6-years and above), teens, and adults.  I understand counselling can often feel like a daunting experience, so I take time to create a space where clients can feel safe, comfortable, and reassured - a place where they can explore their life challenges without feeling stigmatized or isolated.

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Trauma & Grief Experiences...

My path into counselling began following a series of tragic losses in my life.  In 2001 around the time of 9/11 in the United States, I experienced my own "twin tower" losses.  The love of my life - my fiancé died suddenly, and then my beloved dad passed away five weeks later.  I was completely debilitated by the trauma and the grief, but managed to move forward.  Following these painful losses, my beautiful mother succumbed to a short battle with blood cancer in 2013.  In 2019 I lost my fraternal (non-identical) twin brother, and with barely enough time to recover my lovely cat "Gingy" died.  Then, my second fiancé passed away in 2021.  Despite my trauma and grief I have created a path forward that allows me to move through life with deep appreciation for everything I experience.  I have learned to recognize that a full-life is only achieved when we experience the sorrow with the joy.  I truly understand emotional pain, but while trauma and grief rob us of our life force energy, we can learn to replenish it.  We can also integrate the pain of loss, the lessons learned, and the adaptive skills that helped us survive our suffering.  When we do this, we increase our own wisdom - the cherished quality of being wise, and we step out of darkness and into the light once again. 

 

What I Value and Believe...

 

I greatly value people from all different backgrounds and all walks of life.  Having grown up in the diverse and vibrant city of London in the United Kingdom, I developed a distinct curiosity about people and their biology at a very young age.  I wanted to know why human beings are different, how they function, and what makes them unique.  I also wished to learn about the roles of culture and the environment on human development.  I believe our environment plays a key part in how we perceive and experience trauma; not just our physical environment, but our emotional environment, our psychological environment, our spiritual environment, and our religious or non-religious environment.  

 

I believe that personality is a complex mix; formed as a result of child-, and adulthood experiences, together with spiritual purpose, and implemented by the mechanics (genetic factors) of the body.  Each of us are truly unique beings, with different growth trajectories.  Our lives are greatly impacted by different traumas as well as varying socioeconomic, familial, educational, political, religious, climatic, and technological advancements.  All of this creates mental health status - including psychological wellbeing and emotional health. 

 

I value life experiences be they positive or negative, and believe that all material-world/physical-world experiences are linked to a greater spiritual experience/existence.  I believe that while trauma is raw and painful, it offers us the opportunity to develop empathy, compassion, and familiarity for ourselves and others, therefore trauma can increase positive human connections. 

 

I also value being patient and respectful, especially during trauma work.  I believe feelings and emotions are important aspects of trauma and should never be dismissed.  I believe healing from trauma is possible, and that Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) can be achieved with the right cognitive tools, mindset, and help.

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If you would like to book a session - please get in touch.

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~ Soulful Solutions Counselling & Consultancy

supports and empowers members of society

to grow and flourish ~

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