Therapists for Teens in Nanaimo, BC

Welcome! We all love what we do and are here to help you find health, balance and peace. Vancouver Island Therapy is a full service, multi—disciplinary health clinic focused on providing multiple healing services to help you and your family. Located in Nanaimo, BC, we service many communities including; Port Alberni, Qualicum, Parksville, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Duncan to Victoria. Diverse, professional and experienced, our practitioners bring a broad range of experience into their practice with clients. We are here to help emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. Each of us has decades of experience, a unique approach

Vancouver Island Therapy is a full service, multi—disciplinary health clinic focused on providing multiple healing services to help you and your family. Located in Nanaimo, BC, we service many communities including; Port Alberni, Qualicum, Parksville, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Duncan to Victoria.

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.

Ann meets people from a position of warmth, compassion, openness and curiosity. She has a deep commitment to connect and work alongside individuals, couples and families to develop an authentic, trusting relationship, and offers counselling using a collaborative approach. By creating a safe therapeutic environment, Ann’s goal is to support her clients build on their personal strengths and understanding, allowing them to develop the resiliency they require to cope with the challenges they are facing. She helps clients move away from feeling stuck, with a focus on helping them explore their own power and ability to make changes.

Good therapy brings relief, restores hope, and supports your efforts to reality-test beliefs that may be standing between you and the life you really want to live. Good therapy helps you identify and ask for what you really need in your relationships, and in your career. It helps you get to the very core of what's keeping you from living a more rewarding life. As your therapist, I am essentially working myself out of a job as I support you to uncover hidden resources and try out new ways of resolving old problems.

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.

Life can present us with many challenges and it can be difficult to figure out where to go next. These experiences can feel isolating, but you do not have to face this alone. If you are experiencing low mood, decreased motivation, difficulties within your relationships or are feeling overwhelmed, we can work together to find a path forward.

In a world where people are experiencing increased anxiety and isolation it is important to find a place of safety and belonging. I believe people have the resources within themselves to thrive in this ever changing and complex society and it is my responsibility to guide you through the process of finding your own strengths. I have experience working with children and youth who struggle with anxiety issues stemming from family strife, school stress and self-esteem. I do family mediation and work with clients individually or as a couple. Without relationship human beings are lost, we crave connection.

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.

Most people I work with initially seek counselling as a result of some form of suffering. Sometimes this suffering is specific such as symptoms of anxiety, depression, addiction, stress or relationship issues. Other times the suffering is vague, a feeling of something being off, amiss, or worse. In either case, I meet people where they are at, either 'getting to it' (so to speak) and yet taking the time for whatever needs to unfold.

Working with others is my life's passion. It stems from my sincere desire to help people develop insight into their lives and the relationships they are connected through. Culturally sensitive, empathetic, compassionate but direct, I am regarded as non-judgmental and accepting. My professional background is in mental health, addictions, as well as working with couples/families affected by systemic issues. Together we will foster effective communication skills, self-care, health, future goals and building of respectful relationships. It is my sincere pleasure to be part of someone's journey to find deeper meaning in their lives

I work with humans around issues such as anxiety, relational trauma, self-criticism, low self-worth, and struggles navigating connection and conflict, as well as the tension between self-protection and growth. Common concerns that bring people to me include social and other forms of anxiety, low mood, eating and body image concerns, parenting challenges, and communication/relationship issues. I see teens, adults, and couples in my practice.

I have a long history of social and community engagement, which are the foundations in my clinical practice. My involvement with social work has highlighted the gaps in mental health support and interventions for individuals, children, youth, young adults and families.

Are you feeling overcome with stress, anxiety and depressive feelings? Do you find yourself suffering from negative self-talk that contributes to a lack of self-esteem and confidence? Are you lonely, even with people all around you? Do you long to connect with meaningful relationships? Do you find yourself looking for escapes with addictive processes? If this sounds like you, I would love to help you connect to your authentic self by overcoming the negative lens that has been built throughout your life by what others have said, feelings of disapproval, traumatic experiences, societal and cultural conditioning.

Relationship and safety are two core concepts that guide my approach to practice. A grounded understanding in the neurobiology of development and trauma, the role of attachment experiences, as well as contextual factors and a belief in the body’s inherent capacity for healing help inform my assessment and interventions. We heal through knowing ourselves and in connection to the world and the relationships around us.

I offer person-centered, strength-based services to support clients with anxiety, low mood, OCD, trauma healing, addiction, relationships, and sexuality. My areas of focus include: LGBTQIA2+ Affirming Counselling: I offer a safe space to explore sexuality, gender identity, and the umbrella of diverse expressions within the community.

Our environment and connections affect greatly our ability to cope, our wellbeing, mental health, and joy. Whether it's breaking the cycle of negative thoughts, feeling like there is no one to turn to, struggling to identify feelings, or just needing someone to talk to when life is feeling like too much, strengthening our resolve is always beneficial. Together we can deconstruct the negative stories you may tell yourself and rebuild them into kinder, stronger, and more positive stories that help you be authentic and feel connected in mind, body and environment.

Today as a society there are so many stressors that we have to deal with on an individual basis such as mental illness, trauma, struggles with addiction, work and relationship stress that can impact our overall ability to function and succeed. Going through any of these struggles alone is a near impossible task and I am happy that you are looking for someone to walk along with you through life's challenges.

Thinking of going for counselling can be a frightening thought. If you are at this stage you probably feel like your life could be better, your quality of interactions with other people could improve; you want more out of the life you have or are at your wits end in regards to some aspect of your life. Whatever the circumstance my goal is to meet you where you are at and to work together to work towards healing or a better quality of life.