Female Therapists in Nanaimo, BC

I firmly believe that each person has the potential to overcome the effects of their difficult life experiences. I am committed to walk alongside you on your path towards healing from depression, anxiety, (complex) trauma, abuse, and other mental health challenges. Providing a safe, non-judgmental environment, I tailor my methods to your needs. I love and have experience working with individuals and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds. My expertise is in supporting those struggling with traumatic experiences as well as difficulties related to cultural and relational contexts.

I have 30 years of work experience in the area of substance abuse and concurrent disorders, in various roles such as Director of Clinical Services at a Residential Treatment Center, an Inpatient and Outpatient Counselor. I have extensive clinical experience working with individuals, couples and families within an outpatient clinic setting, school based prevention program, harm reduction program and a withdrawal management program. I have presented addiction workshops within both a community and university setting for the public and professional sector.

Perhaps you are wondering how to feel more present, engaged, connected & happy in your day to day life. You may be noticing a lack of fulfillment, autopilot survival mode, lack of presence, anxiety about the future, difficulty with rest/slowing down & motivation/energy, uncertainty, challenging emotions, isolation/hyper independence, uncomfortable sensations, worry & rumination, low self confidence/self esteem & disruptive/confusing symptoms. All of these symptoms are understandable & make sense in the context of life events. It is possible to reconnect with your empowered self, respond to life challenges & enjoy simple presence.

Congratulations! You've taken the first step toward seeking support for yourself or your family. This takes courage, so I commend you for being here. I believe that we all possess the potential within us to heal and grow into the healthiest, most confident, successful version of ourselves. Life presents challenges and sometimes we all need someone to guide us along the way. Connection, compassion, creativity, collaboration and a touch of humour reside at the heart of my counselling style. My integrative approach is customized to your situation and draws from a variety of theoretical approaches.

I am a Registered Psychologist, and have been working in the field of mental health for over 20 years. I have a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a Depth-oriented focus, and a Master's degree in Counselling and Creative Arts Therapies. I provide psychotherapy, crisis intervention, pychoeducation, & group facilitation. I have years of experience working with sexual assault & incest, trauma, addictions, eating disorders and mood disorders. My therapeutic approach is integrative, and I combine CBT, DBT, somatic, psychodynamic, humanistic, depth-oriented, insight-oriented, interpersonal, and existential philosophies into my practice.

I am committed to offering you insight into areas of your life you want to change and the tools to do so. Known for my forthright style, expect me to push you while balancing this with humour and compassion. Over the years I have helped many people get out of unhealthy relational patterns.

We each have our own story and through a safe and compassionate space, I will support you in gaining the insight and awareness necessary for personal change. It takes courage to make this first step and in choosing to move forward, you have already started. Having grown up as an identical twin, I am keenly aware of the unique challenges, needs, and desire for individuality we all face. With this in mind, and with the understanding that people approach counselling for many different reasons, we will move forward together in a way that best meets your individual needs.

It is my hope that through counselling, people who struggle with life’s adversities will grow and change towards living and feeling empowerment, love, and compassion. I work with individuals on a range of areas including relationships, trauma, grief, loss, addiction, anxiety, and depression.

Brain injuries or adverse life events can significantly impact the brain's ability to self-regulate and this gives rise to difficult mental states such as anxiety, depression, rage, irritability, difficulties with attention and mental focus, etc. Patients who seek treatment from me often carry labels such as bipolar disorder, personality disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, etc. Regardless of labels, the core symptom that majority struggle with is extreme level of emotional arousal that the nervous system has difficulty inhibiting. They feel either "jacked" (or hijacked) or energetically/emotionally collapsed.

I offer personalized therapy that is grounded in research and relationship; in-person & online; child, teen, & individual adult counselling. I want to connect you back to you. You may have experienced trauma in your life such as: unsettling events or experiences, to challenging or abusive relationships that left you feeling wounded, and alone. You may feel blocked or triggered. This may manifest as: anxiety, depression, numbness, flashbacks, trouble sleeping, addictions, or even the need to be perfect. You may find it hard to connect with others, or navigate certain situations. You just want to feel calmer and happier.

It is part of being human to at times feel stressed, stuck, overwhelmed, or discouraged - wanting some kind of change but finding that things stay the same in spite of our efforts. There are understandable reasons for this. We have a human mind that tries to keep us safe but can limit us to seeing things in the same old ways. We inhabit a human body with a complex nervous system. We live in relationship with other people and have developed patterns of relating. We may have had difficult experiences that have put our mind and body into a “protective mode”. And with support, we have great capacity for healing and growth.

Sometimes it can feel like we're stuck, lost and have to try to figure it out alone. I'm here to support you in redefining who you are and what you want. Create the life you truly deserve by working through the tough stuff and embracing your unique abilities. I believe that connection is what helps us to heal and grow. My practice is based on building an authentic connection with you in order to help you become empowered to reach your goals. I work with clients across Canada via video chat and phone.

I have worked with people who have experienced intergenerational abuses who struggle with a variety of addiction. I have worked with people who struggle with anger, depression, coping, parenting styles, communication, and organization of daily tasks.

Hello, I’m Rachael, a registered clinical counsellor in British Columbia, based in Nanaimo BC and accepting online clients throughout BC. I offer both individual and relationship counselling.

Life is hard to enjoy when you're not getting through to your kids, spouse or family. Maybe you miss being carefree and less snappy. The family is disconnected and everyone is doing their own thing. It's difficult to get motivated to come together and when you do, it doesn't go well. Handling typical life challenges is difficult and no one is listening. No wonder your fuse is short and the kids are quick to yell or cry. It's like there's a pattern that can't be stopped. Feeling overwhelmed is normal in this situation. This is hard and we can start to make sense of things so you can feel better!

Are you struggling in your relationship? Do you get frustrated at your partner, your mother, your co-workers or your boss? Have you thought that if you moved jobs, or countries, or changed your relationship that life would change; only to realize that you are having the same experience all over again? Sometimes we wish that people would just do what we want them to or be a certain way so that we can feel better. Often we think our relationships need to change when change must really begin within ourselves. If you are ready to look at who you are in your relationships, I'm here to help you discover who that is and why!

I specialize in the area of trauma including acute, chronic, or complex as well as the resulting grief, anxiety, depression, and addictions that may have developed. I am passionate about helping women understand that the coping mechanisms that evolved were functional and helped you survive in times of difficulty. These may now show up as patterns that hold you back and cause you to think, feel, and behave in ways that no longer serve you. I believe everyone has the capacity to heal and the ability to learn new skills to become free of overwhelming fear, anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction.

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC 11661) who believes passionately in the human-spirit’s ability to heal and overcome adversity when we face issues such as a mental health disorder, trauma, increase in stress, life transition or loss. At times we may have difficulty accessing our inner healing resources, thus the support of a mental health professional may be needed. It would be my honour to walk beside you on your journey to improve your mental health. I work with youth, individual adults and parents/caregivers in my practice located in Nanaimo, BC.

I entered the counselling psychology field wanting to more deeply understand myself and others, and in particular why my family functioned the way that it did. This led me to an interest and education focusing on Adlerian theories and in family systems. Family of origin work continues to be a passion of mine, understanding the patterns and roles that we can automatically repeat or conversely change with insight and support. I have worked in diverse clinical areas but more recently I have started to focus on perinatal and postpartum mood and adjustment, along with fertility related issues and birth trauma and processing.