I’m a daughter, a step daughter, a little sister, an older sister, a middle child, and also the youngest. I’m a woman, a mother, a wife, a friend, and an “ex” of many things. I wear all of these hats with love, joy and pride. I love travelling to far-off lands and experiencing different foods, sights and cultures, but I’m also quite frightened to fly. I love spending time with my family and feeling like I’m contributing to a better world. I’m a true introvert at heart, which has made my career choice a blessing. I get to spend every day in deep, meaningful, one-on-one conversations with amazing and interesting people. All of this fills my bucket and makes me successful at what I do.
My pathway to a career in counselling began at the Justice Institute of B.C. in 2011, where I took several courses offered through the Centre for Conflict Resolution. I was amazed by how the skills I acquired changed my life and how I communicate with others. I was also deeply moved by how open people were about trying to incorporate these skills into their own lives.
In 2015, I began my studies at Vancouver College of Counsellor Training, where I learned about different counselling theories and how to use them. In 2016, I stumbled upon an amazing organization, Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) in Vancouver, and I enrolled in their Violence Prevention and Intervention Program. The program challenged me to reassess some of my beliefs, and I continued to learn a great deal from the brilliant women who work there, as well as the ones who accessed its services. I started volunteering on the BWSS Crisis Line and I continued to volunteer as a counsellor there until the end of 2019.
Aside from my volunteer work, I’ve continued my education by taking courses in Focusing-Oriented Therapy, Brainspotting, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) through the Vancouver Crisis Centre, and most recently training with the AEDP Institute. I also receive continued supervision, individually and with a group of incredibly talented counsellors. I continue to be amazed by the different therapies available, and how they have proven to be effective in making changes in my life, as I am a firm believer that I need to experience the therapies I offer in my practice before they are offered to clients.
In 2019 I opened my private practice in Fort Langley, BC and began working with the wonderful people of the Fraser Valley & Vancouver. As life has changed and continues to shift I have moved my practice to Kelowna, BC where I continue to offer my services online and in-person to people across BC.
Click here to schedule a free consultation or contact me directly at info@tangibleconnections.ca or call or text at 778-888-1915.
Master Therapeutic Counsellor, Registered Counselling Supervisor
RCS #2150 – Registered Counselling Supervisor – ACCT – Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada 2024 – present
MTC #2150 – Master Therapeutic Counsellor – ACCT – Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada 2023 – present
RTC #2150 – Master Therapeutic Counsellor – ACCT – Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada 2017 – 2023 – A member in good standing since 2017.
Level 1 Brainspotting Therapist – Brainspotting Canada – 2021
Level 1 AEDP Therapist – AEDP Institute – 2022
Level 2 AEDP Therapist – AEDP Institute – 2023
2024
AEDP Advanced Skills Course: “Liberating the Core Self from the confines of Heterosexist Oppression in AEDP” – Ben Medley and Kate Halliday –AEDP Institute.
Clinical Supervision in Counselling & Psychology Level 1 – Justice Institute of British Columbia.
Clinical Supervision in Counselling & Psychology Level 2 – Justice Institute of British Columbia.
AEDP Seminar: “Working with Complex and Sexual Trauma” – Judy Silvan – AEDP Institute.
AEDP Advanced Skills Course: “Memory Reconsolidation at Work Across States in AEDP: Portrayals and Metaprocessing” – Ronald Frederick, PhD – AEDP Institute.
2023
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 3: “STATE 1: THE TOP OF THE TRIANGLE of EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH DEFENSE AND ANXIETY” – Karen Pando-Mars, MFT – AEDP Institute.
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 4: “STATE 2 WORK: THE PROCESSING of CORE AFFECTIVE EXPERIENCE” – Ben Medley, LCSW – AEDP Institute.
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 5: “THE PROCESSING of TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE & THE INTEGRATION OF TRANSFORMATION INTO SELF STATE 3 & STATE 4 Work” – Karen Pando-Mars, MFT
– AEDP Institute.
San’yas Anti-Racism Indigenous Cultural Safety – Sanyas.ca
2022
AEDP Immersion Level 1 – AEDP Institute.
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 1: “HEALING FROM THE GET-GO, UNDOING ALONENESS & THE CLINICAL ROADMAP for AEDP’s TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY” – Karen Pando-Mars, MFT
– AEDP Institute.
A Competency Based Framework for Effective Supervision Practices – Level 1 – Kristy Higgins, MTC, TIR, MBTI, RTC, RCS.
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 2: “ATTACHMENT & RELATIONAL WORK: UNDOING ALONENESS IN CLINICAL ACTION” – Kari Gleiser, PhD
– AEDP Institute.
2021
Focusing-Oriented Therapy Training: Working with the Child Self Module – Donna Steadman.
Brainspotting: Phase One Training – Brainspotting Canada.
2020
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk on How the Body Keeps the Score: Intensive Trauma Treatment Course (Online Course) – Bessel Van Der Kolk.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk on the Global Coronavirus Crisis: Steering Ourselves and Our Clients Through New & Developing Traumas Course (Online Course) – Bessel Van Der Kolk.
31st Annual International Trauma Conference
2019
Focusing-Oriented Therapy Training: Trauma Module – Donna Steadman.
Focusing-Oriented Therapy Training: Dream Workshop – Dr. Leslie Ellis & Donna Steadman.
2018
Finding the Way In: The Fundamentals of Focusing-Oriented Therapy – Dr. Leslie Ellis.
ASIST – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training – Crisis Centre.
2017
ACCT – Couples Therapy Skills and Ethics.
Neurolinguistics Programming
2016
Diploma of Professional Counselling – Vancouver College of Counsellor Training.
Violence Prevention & Intervention Volunteer Program – Battered Women’s support Services
2011
Foundations of Collaborative Conflict Resolution – Work Place Focus – Justice Institute of British Columbia.
Negotiation Skills level 1 – Justice Institute of British Columbia.
Resolving Conflict on the Front Line – Demonstrating Leadership at Work – Justice Institute of British Columbia.
Resolving Conflict in Groups Level 1 – Effective Team Dynamics – Justice Institute of British Columbia.
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2024
AEDP Seminar: “Liberating the Core Self from the confines of Heterosexist Oppression in AEDP” – Ben Medley and Kate Halliday
Clinical Supervision in Counselling & Psychology Level 1 – Justice Institute of BC
Clinical Supervision in Counselling & Psychology Level 2 – Justice Institute of BC
AEDP Seminar:”Working with Complex and Sexual Trauma” – Judy Silvan
AEDP Seminar: “Memory Reconsolidation at Work Across States in AEDP: Portrayals and Metaprocessing” – Ronald Frederick, PhD
2023
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 3: Karen Pando-Mars, MFT STATE 1: THE TOP OF THE TRIANGLE of EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH DEFENSE AND ANXIETY.
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 4: Ben Medley, LCSW STATE 2 WORK: THE PROCESSING of CORE AFFECTIVE EXPERIENCE.
AEDP Essential Skills 1 – Module 5: Karen Pando-Mars, MFT
THE PROCESSING of TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE & THE INTEGRATION OF TRANSFORMATION INTO SELF STATE 3 & STATE 4 Work.
A Competency-Based Framework for Effective Supervision Practice Level 2 – Kristy Higgins, MTC, TIR, MBTI, RTC, RCS.
San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety – Provincial Health Services Authority in BC
