Why where you live matters for how you heal & why you don't have to leave it to get support. I grew up on the Sunshine Coast. My son capturing the sunset at Diver's Rock in Lund, BC The particular quality of light on the water in the morning. The feeling of standing at the edge of a forest so dense it holds its own weather. The way the mountains from that part of BC don't just sit in the background. They press in, they're present, they're part of the air you breathe. I carry

A metaphor born from the landscape I live near the Fraser Valley. On clear mornings, I can see where the mountains begin; sharp-edged and snow-capped, the peaks holding their cold long after the valley has thawed. The Fraser River moves through this landscape with a kind of quiet authority, carrying what the mountains have released all the way to the Pacific. I have thought a lot about that river. And the more I work with trauma, and with clients who carry memories that feel

My opinion on pathologizing mental health & the use of DSM labels I personally resist labeling and pathologizing most mental health issues I see in my counselling practice, as negative connotations are often associated with these labels. For instance, I prefer to reframe a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder as an adaptive and completely sensible nervous system and psyche response to difficult relationship dynamics at an early age. These are coping mechanisms that we

At this point in my career, I’ve come to appreciate three key aspects of trauma recovery, which I have affectionately named "the essential ingredients of nervous system recalibration". And while “nervous system recalibration” can sound like a complex feat, the three essential ingredients are actually quite simple (to explain, anyway). The primary ingredient, the base of the recipe (like flour) is a safe environment . Through the trials and tribulations of working with people

As I walked home from my son’s school this morning, after secretly following him and his friend there to ensure they made it safely, I thought to myself, “I’ll tell you what’s not a great career choice for an anxious mom – federal corrections”. Hearing sensational crime stories in the news is one thing, but sitting down face-to-face with the people responsible for the crime is another. You’re no longer afforded the privilege of keeping those involved at arm’s length when you

As a new therapist, you’re often told to “niche down”, to specialize in a certain type of client. Some say the more specific the niche,...

Betrayal trauma begins in relationships where safety should be guaranteed. It happens when the very people or systems we depend on for...

Today, my manager at work informed me that I had made a mistake, and asked to schedule a meeting to review my error. I have perfectionist...

Yoga has been close to my heart since I moved to Vancouver at the age of 17 and my sister-in-law introduced me to the Semperviva studio...

Competence in discussing and understanding experiences of racism and micro-aggressions is an essential skill for all counsellors. This...

Cost shouldn't be the reason you don't get support. Here's what you may already have access to. One of the most common reasons people delay starting therapy isn't reluctance — it's money. Counselling feels like a luxury when you're already stretched, and the assumption that it must be paid out of pocket stops a lot of people before they ever make the first call. The reality in British Columbia is that there are more funding pathways than most people realize. Some of them appl