Trauma Therapy With Direction
If you’ve been carrying something for too long, and you’re tired of holding it alone, you’re in the right place. My work with you will have point, it won’t just be a listening ear. I’m going to remind you where you want to go and kindly challenge you to create the life you long for.
What Brings People Here
Many people come to therapy feeling haunted, scrambled, or disconnected — even after years of “doing all the right things.” You might feel stuck in old patterns, overly self-critical, numb, frozen, anxious, or exhausted from holding it together. Some clients arrive knowing exactly what happened to them; others just know that something still doesn’t feel right.
Often, there’s a sense of:
“Why can’t I get over this already? It happened so many years ago.”
Feeling too much, or not enough
Difficulty trusting yourself or others
Repeating relationship patterns that don’t feel good
Knowing you’re capable, but not being able to let go of the fear that people are going to find you out
What Becomes Possible
Through trauma informed therapy, people begin to feel more grounded in themselves and less controlled by old experiences. We can’t erase the past, but we can change how you live with what happened and how it impacted you. Your body can know it’s over, you’re safe now.
This can mean:
Coming to peace with old memories
Feeling more in control of your emotions
Stronger, more secure relationships
A more encouraging inner voice
Greater ease in your body and daily life
Compassionate Couples Counselling in North Vancouver
Registered Clinical Counsellor offering trauma-informed therapy in North Vancouver
It’s a pattern. We know it’s a patter, because there are only a few responses that we have when we are scared or hurt in love and we have them from cradle to grave. The fights look different and have incredible nuances, that I care about hearing, but let me break it down for you.
We can
Turn away and shut down - This looks like going silent during an argument, falling into shame/guilt and feeling like a bad person so you stop engaging, not replying to texts or calls, drinking or using a substance to soothe your pain in the midst of a fight
Protest and push someone away - This looks like criticism, telling someone they don’t truly love you in the hopes that they’ll reassure you they do, calling repeatedly, trying to prevent someone from taking space during an argument
Breaking down - This looks like losing yourself in your rage, saying things you deeply regret even as you’re saying it, threatening to end the relationship, losing your ability to hear what the other person is saying altogether
Turn back - Here we come to the good news. We get to be clear, we get to be brave and vulnerable, we get to learn the language of love that helps soften our partners out of their hard shells. We get to tell them what we were really thinking in the moment when we hurt their feelings. We get to reassure them.
Repair/Reconnect - Every couple, every friendship, every parent and child, every boss and employee, everyone we come into close contact with will encounter conflict, bit and small. It’s normal to disagree about things, it’s normal to hurt each other’s feelings accidentally. We all make mistakes and have bad days. What makes great relationships different is the people in it are self aware - they know their own strategies they use to try and keep themselves safe and the stories they start to tell themselves in hard moments, and they’re able to make the hard choices to take care of themselves and their loved ones. I’d love to support you in discovering how.
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls.” Khalil Gibran
Who I am
I’m a reader. I’m a learner. My personality was forged in the -50 degree winters of Manitoba where you know your neighbours and you show up for people because you never know when your furnace will go out in the cold and you’re going to need each other! I’m someone who loves connecting deeply (and shallowly) with friends and family. I’m a new, but passionate tennis player. I’m a lover of country music and comedy, and I’m someone who adores this work.
I grew up in a town of 250 people, where you care about each other simply because you have the time and space to. That’s something I try to recreate in my practice; I want it to be small and intentional. I don’t pack my schedule so full that I end up rushed or distracted. I offer 60-minute sessions instead of 50, because I want there to be room to slow down. I see a limited number of clients so I can offer attentive, personalized care.
I also believe in doing the work myself. I’ve done my own EMDR therapy. I meditate, practice yoga, journal, and do trainings on new research and modalities constantly. I’m always exploring how to create more internal steadiness and peace in my own body so that I can show up fully for you and share the things that truly help.
I’m driven, and I love a new challenge. I had just graduated from a political science degree and was taking some time off of school to study for my LSATs when I stumbled onto some counselling courses and realized how alive I feel helping people make these kinds of changes in their lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. I offer in-person therapy in North Vancouver as well as online sessions across British Columbia.
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I work with adults and couples. I have a particular focus on trauma and on working with male survivors of sexual abuse, while also supporting people of all genders and backgrounds.
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This is unique to you. We begin with a check-in, set an intention, and then explore — sometimes looking at the past, sometimes staying in the present to notice patterns and create meaningful shifts in your week.
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No. We move at your pace. Therapy here is about safety first. You won’t be pushed into anything before you’re ready.
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Most clients attend weekly or bi-weekly sessions, especially during trauma work. As people improve, they typically begin to space out sessions over longer periods of time. Frequency is something we decide together.
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While conversation is important, I also use trauma-informed approaches such as EMDR and Internal Family Systems that work beyond insight alone, helping the nervous system process experiences more fully.
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Yes. Confidentiality is taken seriously and follows professional and legal standards, with a few standard exceptions that we’ll review together.
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Yes! Direct billing is available for several insurance providers. I also provide receipts for extended health benefits and am registered with CVAP.
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A free 20-minute consultation gives us both a chance to see if working together feels right. If it doesn’t, I’m happy to provide a referral to one of my brilliant, trusted colleagues.
You don’t have to walk this path alone.
I’d love to go on this journey with you. Let’s chat.
Have questions before getting started? Read our FAQs or contact me