Individual Counselling
In-person sessions available for Greater Victoria residents and virtual sessions throughout British Columbia
Individual counselling support can help you or your child to…
Manage emotions
Get control of anxiety
Move through depression
Navigate life transitions
Process difficult experiences
Evaluate relationships
Explore identity
Develop positive self image
Learn practical strategies to manage stress
Personalized counselling support can help children (6+), teens, and adults build resilience and cope better with life stressors
Counselling for Children (6+)
Is your child having some challenges and you’ve tried everything you know to help them but things still feel stuck?
Perhaps your child’s behaviours are challenging or they say things that concern you. Or their mood swings are dramatic and feel unmanageable. You are being held hostage by their BIG feelings and not sure how to negotiate!
Maybe your family is navigating a life change and you think your child would benefit from talking to someone who is unbiased.
Having feelings acknowledged and validated can go a long way in supporting a child’s acceptance to change.
Your child may have a mental health diagnosis and/or be neurodiverse. These labels are information to better understand how your child thinks and behaves, and to strategize how to best support them.
There is nothing “wrong” with them, they are just being themselves. We can help them be their best selves and make choices that set them up for success.
Some of the common feelings children have difficulty managing include:
Anxiety
Sadness
Guilt
Shame
Anger
Frustration
Disappointment
Insecurity
Low self-worth
Counselling can teach children how to be aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. When they begin to see how these are connected, they are better able to make some shifts and gain some control.
More often than not, children’s behaviour is their way of acting out some big and confusing feelings. In a child’s counselling session, we will get curious about these feelings and become attuned to naming them.
We name them to tame them. We tame them by listening to what these feelings have to say and then choosing how we will respond to them.
Children need caring adults to help them do this. Parents are often encouraged to take part in the counselling process with their children.
The goal is to become their emotional coach who models how to express feelings and then how to let them go.
Some of the ways children express these feelings include:
Aggression (physical or verbal)
Avoidance
Bullying
Lying
Meltdowns
Controlling behaviours
Sleeplessness
Toileting issues
Resistance
Counselling can also help children learn more about themselves and develop a love and acceptance of who they are.
It is important that they feel this love and acceptance from their caregivers as it is our job as adults to meet children where they are at.
If you’re looking for a safe space for your child to explore their feelings and feel supported in their current challenges, we like to meet with parents first. Together we will determine how your child can benefit most from counselling. Whether that be coming in on their own, splitting or sharing the session with a sibling and/or parent, or sometimes parents access counselling on their child’s behalf to learn ways to support their child who may be resistant or not ready for counselling themselves.
Counselling for Teens
Adolescence is full of changes and it can feel like a roller coaster ride. You’re not a kid anymore and you’re not an adult yet. It’s like you’re stepping off the small island of your childhood and reaching for the giant island of adulthood, and sometimes it feels like you’ve fallen down the chasm in between.
Life at this stage can feel very dramatic, unpredictable, and sometimes out of control. Your need for belonging and independence push and pull you. Your parents are still trying to guide you, but you might resist their help or want separation from them.
What do they know anyway, right?
You might be struggling with moods that feel out of control, such as:
Anxiety
Depression
Suicidal ideation
Loneliness
Shame
Low self-worth
Body dysmorphia
Anger
Existential confusion
We hope you know that you don’t have to struggle alone.
Counselling is a safe space to share what you’re going through and feel understood and supported.
It’s your chance to talk to someone in a judgement-free and confidential zone.
Maybe you’ve tried to get control of these feelings, but the thoughts keep persisting and you may have developed some ways of coping that aren’t actually helpful.
Perhaps this leaves you feeling frustrated, discouraged or even hopeless.
Unhealthy coping behaviours include:
Self harm
Drinking alcohol
Substance use
Unhealthy relationships
Bullying
Shoplifting
Binging and purging
Controlled or restrictive eating
Pornography
A counsellor will hear you out and share observations to help you find clarity and meaning about your experiences.
You will be acknowledged, validated and sometimes challenged to look at things from another perspective.
There are also helpful strategies to cope with negative thoughts and feelings, so you can be more in control and feel more confident.
No matter how big the problem or how deep the pain, it can get better when you invite someone to walk alongside you as you find your way.
Life can be hard, but you can do hard things with the right support.
Counselling for Adults
Do you have a story that needs to be told?
Has life thrown you some curve balls and it’s been difficult to manage?
While you know it’s part of life to have good times and hard times, maybe it seems like the hard times outweigh the good. If you’re in a difficult season of life, counselling can help you find your way through.
Whether you’re in a challenging relationship or struggling to find healthy relationships, counselling is a safe place to share your frustrations and be heard. There may be a past trauma that needs processing or hurt that needs healing.
Be seen and have your feelings validated so that you can figure out your next steps.
Take heart - life doesn’t have to be this hard and you don’t have to figure it out alone.
When you share your story in counselling, you are putting it out on the table for us to look at together.
You will be guided to notice themes and patterns, which can help make sense of your experiences
You will be encouraged to feel your feelings so that you can let them go
You will increase your awareness of the various parts that make up your inner world and will cultivate a closeness with these parts
You will become more attuned to the connections between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Your focus will shift to that which you can control and you will accept what you cannot control
These shifts will empower you and give you some relief from the tiring struggles. Ultimately, you will gain greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-acceptance.
Who doesn’t want that, right?
Perhaps you’re tired of listening to that inner critic that tells you you’re not good enough.
This long-held belief that you are not worthy of love and belonging is getting in the way of your life enjoyment and satisfaction. It’s keeping you from going after the job you really want. It’s discouraging you from being open to new experiences and connections.
This sense of shame, of feeling like something is wrong with you, has you stuck.
Counselling can help you with:
Anxiety
Depression
ADD / ADHD
Single life
Relationship struggles
Low self-worth
Grief
Trauma / PTSD
Negative childhood experiences
Abuse