WHY I DO THIS WORK

I genuinely love this work. I love sitting with people, hearing how they think, how they make sense of the world, and how they’ve figured out how to survive. The weirder, more complex, or harder-to-put-into-words your experience feels, the more welcome you are here.

I came to this work not just professionally, but personally.

As a teenager and young adult, I struggled deeply with my mood. I remember how exhausting it was to keep going while feeling so overwhelmed internally. I also remember how frustrating it was trying to “support” that took up a lot of time and energy but didn’t actually make me feel any better. So many services, appointments, and well-meaning people—but very little relief.

That experience shaped how I practice now.

I believe counselling should be effective, not just something you attend. It should help things actually shift—not by forcing you to change who you are, but by helping you understand yourself in a deeper, kinder, and more grounded way.

MY APPROACH

My work is grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy.

IFS is an evidence-based approach that understands that all of us have different “parts” inside us —protective parts, hurting parts, anxious parts, angry parts, numb parts. Instead of trying to get rid of these parts or decide which ones are “right” or “wrong,” we get curious about them.

IFS creates space for all of your experiences to belong.

In my experience, this approach is both gentle and powerful. It helps people make real, lasting changes—not by pushing harder, but by understanding what’s actually going on beneath the surface. For many people, it brings a sense of relief, self-trust, and clarity they haven’t felt before.

While my work is warm, relational, and very human, it’s also grounded in solid clinical training and evidence-based practice. I care deeply about being competent and effective. I want the work we do together to matter.

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK WITH ME

People often tell me I’m easy to be around.

Sessions with me are conversational, supportive, and collaborative. You don’t have to perform, impress, or have the “right” words. You can show up exactly as you are—quiet, unsure, skeptical, emotional, curious, or all of the above.

We’ll move at a pace that feels respectful and intentional. Sometimes the work is deep and emotional; sometimes it’s practical and grounding. Often, it’s both.

My goal is not just to help you cope—but to help you feel more connected to yourself, more hopeful about your future, and less alone in your inner world.

A BIT MORE ABOUT MY BACKGROUND

Before private practice, I worked for many years in the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver doing outreach-based social work with people using substances. I later worked in acute care and hospice settings, supporting individuals and families through mental health challenges, serious illness, and end-of-life care.

Those experiences shaped how I understand suffering, resilience, and the many ways people learn to survive. They also reinforced my belief that healing doesn’t come from judgment or pressure—it comes from safety, understanding, and real connection.

IF YOU’RE WONDERING…

If you’re wondering whether things can actually feel different someday…

If you’re hoping for something that feels real, not just another appointment…

If you want support from someone who gets how hard this can be, both personally and professionally…

There is space for you here.

Things don’t have to stay the way they are. Change is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone.