Grief Therapists in Vancouver, BC

Welcome to Integrated Counselling and Somatic Therapy. A gentle question for you: if you take a little moment to gently pause... and just notice your breathing... May I ask: what is most important to you? Knowing the answer is sometimes easy, sometimes elusive. It usually lights the way forward. If you are struggling with unresolved trauma, anxiety, grief , depression, relationship or career issues or feeling dissatisfied with life, growth and healing are attainable. If you'd like to know more, please go to: www.benbasscounselling.com.

Hi, I’m Nicole. I live in the beautiful Sea to Sky corridor & accept online clients throughout BC. I believe that through therapy all people have the opportunity to learn and understand themselves on a deeper level. With this inner exploration one can experience more understanding, self compassion, and open space for more joy in life – starting today. Therapy can support clients to explore personal patterns that may no longer be serving them. Together clients and therapists work to safely let go of those patterns while building supportive resources, discovering new skills, and creating a personalized tool kit to move forward with.

I believe that people deserve a place to feel seen, heard, and supported. In our sessions, I strive to provide a non-judgmental and open space where you can express yourself and explore your inner world so that we can create change together. While it is true that counselling can be challenging, I also believe it can and should include humour, hope, and be a comfortable place for you to learn and grow. If you are in a place where you are ready to make a change, I will support you to address concerns such as anxiety, depression, ADHD/ADD, parenting, interpersonal and relationship challenges, grief and loss , trauma, and careers.

My name is Johanna and my goal is to provide a productive and supported space where you can better understand yourself and achieve meaningful change. No matter how dire the circumstances appear to be, I believe that change is always possible. My motto is “keeping it real”, and I hope to be your fearless ally in your counselling journey. Starting counselling can be both daunting and uncomfortable, and I find it important to make this process as transparent, accessible and insightful as possible.

I entered this field as a way to heal my own wounds while trying to work through the sudden and tragic loss of a family member. I am often reminded of the quote by A.E. Housman - 'I, a stranger and afraid, in a world I never made', and know what it's like to lose hope in a rapidly changing world, with many things supposedly outside of our control. My intention is to use my real-life experience as a way to offer hope and possibility to those who’ve had to deal with similar pain, grief , and suffering in their lives.

***Please email me directly if you do not see availability through my online booking system - I will try my best to fit you in*** We all have our own unique realties and it is my passion to assist you in uncovering unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours, while working through uncomfortable emotions to allow for a more enjoyable and fulfilling life. ​Whether you or a loved one are dealing with or affected by addiction, are thinking of making a career change, looking to explore a past hurt, or are navigating a loss - you’ve come to the right place. ​

Are you feeling like your life is out of balance? Perhaps you put other's needs before your own, feel anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed? Maybe you do things to cope that you'd rather not do, like food, alcohol, anger, or other distractions. Maybe you've been through a big change or loss , or experienced other traumas that still hurt? My kind, client-centered approach, and nearly 30 years of experience as a Counsellor, can help you raise your awareness, interrupt patterns, and tune in to what's really important in your life. Together we can explore new ways of expressing yourself and connect you to your meaningful, authentic life.

Something's in the way. Sadness, anxiety, loneliness, stress, worry, depression, substance use, loss . The world is heavy, and that weight can be paralyzing. You know that you have something to offer. You're compassionate, creative, intelligent, sensitive, loving, and yet strong-willed, skeptical, and maybe even a bit rebellious. It seems as though you don't fit the mold, but it's the mold that doesn't fit you. Social isolation, feeling disconnected from others, from the world, adds to the weight, to the pain. If you could only break free from the self-doubt that cultures and institutions feed, the world might just open up for you.

If you're struggling with your sense of self-worth, or going through a tough loss or transition, you may want some support. I'd welcome the chance to work along side you. Finding the right fit with a therapist is really important for counselling to be helpful. It should be with someone who really understands what is happening for you, someone professionally qualified to help, and someone who you feel comfortable talking to. Therapy involves effort. The good news is that you won’t be doing it alone. The alliance between us means that I'll be there to support you, ready to work with you while you create your path forward.

Reaching out for help is a huge step and can be uncomfortable and I believe that building a trusting and safe environment is essential. I help my clients become empowered and active participants to work through challenges such as loss , grief , life transitions, trauma, low mood, anger, and finding meaning in their lives. My previous career as a teacher and athletic coach as well as my Masters in Counselling Psychology have helped provide me with many different perspectives. I work with individuals ranging from youth to adults of any gender and sexual orientation.

Are you grieving a major loss ; facing a big life transition; struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, or overwhelming emotions; working through relationship issues; or are seeking deeper balance, meaning and purpose in your life? Counselling can help you find the time, space and tools to understand your deepest emotions and needs, so you can navigate the challenges you're facing and create the relationships you are longing for.

My approach is collaborative- meaning sessions will feel conversational in style, will always involve humor and I will ask questions to help you recognize themes in your experience and bodily sense. I work from the stance that therapists are often too quick to consider individuals' concerns solely as matters of personal psychology. My philosophy and commitment is to also weigh the social and political aspects of your experience. Our symptoms (sadness, worry, etc.) must be addressed seriously, but we must also acknowledge the contributions of a persons' entire context (political setting, cultural background, race, gender, sexuality,

You are asking the big existential questions. Why am I here? Perhaps you keep looking to self-help books and always taking the next seminar or online course - always looking for the answers outside yourself. You want to feel connected to yourself, your loved ones, and the world around you, yet you feel like you don't belong. You feel loss and grief and are searching for purpose but are living with depression and anxiety and questioning your self-worth.

Are you feeling stressed or overwhelmed by life transitions, losses, crises or relationship challenges? Finding that anxiety is becoming unmanageable in your life? Perhaps trying to find meaningful life goals and make changes?In my counselling work I am passionate about connecting and working with people using a "person- centred" approach, which involves listening and focusing on understanding and respecting the perspective and experience of my clients. I will use a collaborative approach to work with you to gain clarity, understanding and solutions that will support positive growth and change in your life.

I am a Graduate Intern Therapist at Arbutus Counselling where I will continue to develop and expand my knowledge and skills to better serve the needs of counselling clients prior to registration with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors as a Registered Clinical Counsellor in late 2022. We have all had to endure struggles at some point – it’s the cost of admission to this thing called life. At the same time, I believe that we have innate resilience and strength to draw upon and a capacity to change and grow.

I help my clients process grief , trauma and life transitions. Grief may be experienced in death , divorce, change of job, home, friendships, family dynamics and many other aspects of life. By looking at all aspects of the human experience, we can explore the impact these losses have in your day-to-day life and the big picture. We will look at all sides of your loss to create an individualized and well-balanced approach to therapy. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.

It has been for too long that we have not given ourselves permission to fully grieve our losses. Whether it is a fear that allowing the grief to be experienced will be too much to bear, or the belief that we don't have as bad a situation as others, there are many reasons that we don't allow ourselves to grieve fully after our losses. This unprocessed grief will affect us, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Together, we will explore resources around and within you to honor your grief and move through it. Village Grief Counselling is an oasis for individuals experiencing loss .

0ver 15 years of experience in Mental Health, I have dedicated a career supporting adults addressing challenges related to Trauma, PTSD, Grief & Loss , Life/Role Transitions, Relationship Problems and Communication, Addictive Behaviors, Anxiety and Depression. Therapy can be a personal and supportive journey to help you realize your strengths, goals and dreams as you try to overcome many of these challenges. As a therapist who identifies as older, male “person of colour", and an ally of LGBTQ+ populations, I bring to counselling a unique perspective and also acknowledge that it is your story to tell and therefore must be honored.

When you feel that life has handed you more than you can handle, it can be paralyzing. Whether you are struggling with anxiety or stress, grief and loss , or a personal or professional crisis, you don't need to suffer alone. Working together we will help you gain perspective. Through sharing your story and rediscovering your strengths you will begin to feel capable again. When you are serious about wanting to solve problems and make lasting changes in your life, give me a call.