It takes courage to live life, especially a life that honours all aspects of who we are. Many of us are
painfully contorting to meet externally set expectations, like those of family, friends, partnerships,
institutions, old belief systems, and a consumerist/individualistic culture. Recognizing our own life’s
expectations—those that come from our deepest, most knowing/feeling selves– requires facing parts of
our Self that we may have denied or buried. As a counsellor, I lean into depth psychology (per Carl Jung)
and existential-humanistic therapy to help people gently unearth more aspects of themselves and find
the courage to integrate these parts into their whole being. Doing so sets the stage for a more
meaningful and grounded life and the ability to better weather life’s storms.
Prior to becoming a counsellor, I spent more than a decade as a communications professional. The
significant overlap between communications and counselling skills allows me to meld language,
metaphor, and humour with openness, curiosity, and attentive listening.
I understand therapy not only as a counsellor, but also as a client. My personal inner work has been my
greatest teacher on suffering, individuation, the therapeutic relationship, and the essentialness of joy,
connection, and gratitude through it all.
I would be honoured to walk with you on your therapy journey of self-reflection and discovery. It can be
a scary and vulnerable task, but you needn’t go alone. I will listen without judgment and offer empathy
and a safe holding space for whatever needs to be held. I’m here to support you in examining that which
you courageously bring into our sessions.
Lastly, a bit about me: I’m a proud Filipina-Canadian and was raised in Edmonton, Alberta. I came to
Vancouver more than 20 years ago, was stunned by the West Coast, and never looked back (or east, in
this case). When I’m not working, I’m reading, dancing, singing, or laughing with family and friends.
It takes courage to live life, especially a life that honours all aspects of who we are. Many of ...
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My fundamental orientation to counselling is existential. At its heart, this approach doesn’t distinguish between cognitions (thinking) and affect (feeling) and the somatic (body). Instead, it (and I) attempt to make contact with the whole of one’s being. After all, we don’t refer to ourselves as “human brains” or “human bodies” but as human beings. This is why talk therapy participates in healing the body, but it also explains why attention to the body can help heal what we generally call mental illness. And in the midst of it all, feelings are the endlessly rich source of information that help connect thinking to the body.
In this way, I don’t think of my practice as curative. Rather, I think of the movement that is achieved in therapy as-being-towards-authenticity: i.e., when one’s interior and exterior and thinking, feeling, and bodily experiences are in concert. The task of therapy, then, is simply to learn to speak in and with one’s own voice.
My fundamental orientation to counselling is existential. At its heart, this approach doesn’t dis...
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Beginning counselling is an intimidating process and I congratulate you for making it this far! It is an impressive accomplishment to take action with your mental health and you should be proud of yourself. I have included some thoughts around my approach to counselling and a bit of background information into who I am. If you feel I would be a good fit as your counselor, I look forward to working with you!
Counselling is a space for growth, stabilization, recovery, and healing – and while we all have the tools to maintain, improve, and stabilize our mental health – I believe that the best results can be achieved collaboratively. I can provide a supportive, non-judgemental space to help you access these tools. By following a combination of evidence-based practice and semi-structured talk therapy, I look to use a model that meets you where your needs are. If you require directive care, I will provide that, if a more loosely formed treatment plan is required, I will gladly support you. My priority as a therapist is to provide the best possible care and work with you to find an approach that suits you.
I maintain a client-centered approach that recognizes the complicated systems life presents. I believe we are all constantly shaping and being shaped by our environments and it is important to recognize the influence these systems can have on us. I have training with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an approach that looks at the interplay between emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. If this approach feels beneficial to you, we can incorporate it!
I have worked with Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community offering community development support and within the Fraser Health Authority on a Mental Health and Substance Use team. More recently, I worked as a Therapist providing individual care to adults in Kitchener, Ontario and group therapy to Indigenous youth on the Six Nations Reserve in Oshweken, Ontario.
My work experience also includes Kayak Guiding, Outdoor Education, and Search & Rescue in the Coast Guard – the last of which has informed my understanding of the effects traumatic exposure can have on an individual. This background has left me with a robust understanding of independence in the natural world and the healing powers nature can offer. Outside of work, my interests include snowboarding, reading, cooking, and fitness. I was raised in Victoria, British Columbia and have a deep appreciation for the West Coast and all it has to offer.
Beginning counselling is an intimidating process and I congratulate you for making it this far! I...
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Hello and welcome! My name is Ann and I am a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) and art therapist, offering both virtual and in-person counselling and art therapy services. I approach my work as a counsellor and art therapist with the philosophy that every human being is the expert of their own life, and holds an innate capacity and wisdom for healing. I like to think of therapy as a journey on which I am a fellow traveller, walking alongside you with genuine compassion, curiosity, and acceptance. On this journey, my role is to offer support and encouragement, create a space for connection, expression, and discovery. I work from a holistic lens that incorporates the interconnectedness of emotional, social, systemic, spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of wellbeing.
As someone who has personally experienced the value of therapy, I understand the importance of building a therapeutic relationship grounded in trust, authenticity, and safety. Our work together will be trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and collaborative. We will move at a pace that feels good for you. Together, we will uncover how your life experiences and intersectionalities have shaped you, build tools to support you during life’s challenges, and strengthen your relationship with yourself and others.
I believe that the identities we hold have a significant impact on how we experience and interact with the world - I identify as a white, cisgender immigrant woman. I was born in Switzerland and immigrated to Canada with my family when I was a child. I grew up on the unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səlílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and this is where I continue to work and live. I am dedicated to continued learning about the intersectionalities I hold and, and how I can support and uplift the voices of those impacted by racism, colonization, and discrimination.
In an attempt to meet the unique needs of each individual, my therapeutic approach integrates several modalities. These include, but are not limited to, art therapy, existential therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectal behaviour therapy, internal family systems therapy, intersectional feminist theory, attachment theory, and Adlerian theory. I have experience working with trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, ADHD, self-worth, grief, loss, relationships, sexuality, life transitions, and more. I am passionate about engaging in ongoing learning at personal and professional levels so I can provide the best care possible to each of you. On a personal level, some things that bring me joy are painting, being by the ocean, cafe dates with friends, and going on spontaneous adventures!
I am currently accepting clients and it would be my honour to connect with you.
Hello and welcome! My name is Ann and I am a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) and art therapi...
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My philosophy as a counsellor is founded on a collaborative approach. Together, we explore perspectives, abilities, strengths you can draw from, as well as barriers that may be impeding the changes you seek. We are all experts of our own lives and you possess important knowledge, skills, and abilities vital to making changes in your life. Two counselling theories I identify most with include: Narrative Therapy and Existentialism.
I speak French, Spanish, and English and can offer counselling services in all three languages.
My philosophy as a counsellor is founded on a collaborative approach. Together, we explore perspe...
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My practice blends scientific research, counselling theory, and clinical experience into a singular approach. It enables people to literally reconstruct the neural pathways that guide daily living. From experiences of stress, difficult emotions, and physical pain, to the quality of everyday relationships, this approach has proven clinical results.
Change is always hard. Whether something or someone in our life needs to change — or it already has — or we’ve decided that something inside ourselves needs to shift, it’s never easy. But living with the feeling that something isn’t right is hard too — it can leave us with frustration and resentment in our relationships, dip us down into depression and exhaustion, or put us in a pattern of all-too-familiar anxiousness, submissiveness, and anger. If any of this sounds familiar, counselling can help.
Trust, and change, and introspection are risky, and so counselling can seem scary. The most important factor in the success of therapy is the relationship between you and me. Research tells us that when we connect, our conversations bring out the parts of yourself that already know how to adapt, to change, and to heal.
My practice blends scientific research, counselling theory, and clinical experience into a singul...
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