If you are looking to get help through counselling, RMT or acupuncture in Langley or Surrey and need direct billing options, we may be able to help. There are a number of providers that now allow counsellors to access direct billing.

Sandtray is an evidence-based therapeutic technique or tool involving kinetic sand and mini figurines/objects that opens up many possibilities for growth and healing. It can complement talk therapy by engaging the mind-body connection, or it can be done quietly to help a person process their internal world and emotional experiences.

As you begin the search for the right counsellor, you might be wondering how to get started, and what to look for. This blog will give you some tips on what to consider as you search for an in person or virtual counsellor near you.

In-person counselling, also known as traditional counselling, usually takes place in your therapist’s office or counselling center. It’s a type of therapy that involves meeting with your counsellor in a physical setting where you connect through spoken conversation and body language.

If you have never been for counselling before, you may think that you are going to come and lay down on a couch and talk about your feelings, and then walk out. And that doesn’t sound very inviting! So I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what you can expect when you come to an in-person session.

Stress shows up differently among all individuals. Some may experience physical symptoms like aches and pains, chest pain, trouble sleeping, headaches, stomach issues and/or jaw clenching. Others may experience emotional and mental responses like panic attacks, irritability and/or depression. Here I share some ways to manage stress and how it shows up in your life.

EMDR works on the premise that when we experience a traumatic event, we have a combination of three things that are stored within us. This blog gives you a quick overview of how it works and how it might be a choice for your therapy process.

There are many people who may believe a Registered Social Worker may not be able to provide therapy. I would like to help explain how a Registered Social Worker can provide therapy and share some of my experience with the hope that I can help support you, and others to understand the differences and similarities!

When you begin the counselling process you might have a specific concern to address or maybe you just want to be proactive about your wellbeing. As your counsellor it is my job to help you clarify what it is you want to get from attending. It is always good to start off with a short term and longer term goal so that you can measure the benefits of coming with clear targets.

In counselling not only noticing positive moments but also spending focused time on what it’s like to feel them, experience them physically and pausing to really experience that positiveness – those are all powerful in healing.

When you spend time focused on, or privileging the positive, you can begin to create new neural pathways in your brain. These new pathways are supportive strength factors. They help you to experience yourself, others, relationships and experiences in positive, newfound ways.

You may be considering couples (or marriage) counselling for you and your partner. Perhaps you’ve been together for what feels like a hot second. Maybe, you feel you’ve been together forever and the relationship is feeling a little stagnant. Conflict may be high, or it could be the mundaneness of your relationship that you’re finding makes for a feeling of being stuck. And you’re wondering if marriage counselling can work for you.

Sometimes when your “to do” lists feel unending, the idea of connecting with your partner can feel like one more thing on that list. You would love to just float away to some tropical island and have unlimited time to focus on your relationship, but when you wake up to a blaring alarm, complaining kids, or a snoring partner, the reality of life sets in. You go from task to task only to discover you are two ships passing and some days you might start to wonder, is this is all there is?

You are not alone if the thought of sharing your emotions brings up some fear or frustration. One reason sharing deeper things about yourself can be so challenging is that you might feel you are opening yourself up to either intimacy or judgment.

The Change Triangle is a tool that can help with experiencing improved emotional health. It can support you in reconnecting with yourself in ways you may have ignored, shut down, or become even a bit anxious about through your life and past experiences.

Navigating the demands of culture while having a voice in your own life can be challenging. My hope is that with some of the tips mentioned here, you will be able to find ways to embrace and accept parts of yourself that make you proud.

Disappointment manifests when our hopes and expectations are not met.   It doesn’t feel good when things don’t go as we envisioned and the passage of time doesn’t always make a difference.  And now here you are at the end of January, wondering why you haven’t been able to get rid of those lingering feelings of disappointment. 

The holiday season is often portrayed as a happy time of celebration, connection, and gratitude. However, like most celebrations, it can be a complex experience for many people, especially if you have experienced loss. While a loss can encompass the death or absence of important people, pets, and relationships in your life, the experience of grief can also be connected to a loss of tradition, closeness, or an imagined future you hold for yourself and others. Holiday grief feels more real and present this year as many of us have been rocked by natural disaster, distance, and the ongoing collective trauma of the pandemic.

What’s the connection of our thoughts to our mood/mental health? It’s a bit of a chicken -and -egg debate most people with anxiety/depression symptoms report having negative thoughts. These thoughts can grow from being criticized, bullied, neglected, abused, or any number of kinds of traumas. Jennifer talks about how to understand your negative thoughts.

The word trauma often causes people to think that we only deal with the really big stuff, so you might think that what you’re dealing with isn’t really big enough to go to counselling with. And yet nothing could be further from the truth.

In counsellor-speak, we understand that there is what we call big “T” trauma and little “t” trauma, and all of it matters.

Are you wanting to build your friendship with your spouse? Start by asking questions that help you get to know each other again.