Compassion Focused Therapists in V6K
Semra Lamky
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), MA, MACP, RP(Q), BS
Verified Verified
6 Endorsed
Vancouver, BC V6K (Online Only)
As a therapist, I believe that providing clients with a nonjudgmental, supportive, and safe environment encourages self-awareness, self-exploration, and self-compassion while working together as a team when exploring their life challenges. As a bicultural woman, mother, and wife, I find managing too many roles and responsibilities challenging, which can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, and low self-esteem. I can assist you in navigating these challenges while remaining focused and engaged, working towards and achieving your life goals and authentic self.
As a therapist, I believe that providing clients with a nonjudgmental, supportive, and safe environment encourages self-awareness, self-exploration, and self-compassion while working together as a team when exploring their life challenges. As a bicultural woman, mother, and wife, I find managing too many roles and responsibilities challenging, which can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, and low self-esteem. I can assist you in navigating these challenges while remaining focused and engaged, working towards and achieving your life goals and authentic self.
Regina Banales-Lopez
Counsellor, RTC
Verified Verified
Vancouver, BC V6K (Online Only)
Waitlist for new clients
I want to understand who you are and unpack the contents of your mind with you. When traumatic events or negative experiences aren’t processed, they can take shape in behaviour, habits, feelings, thoughts and relationship dynamics. I offer a therapeutic journey to disarm the loops in your mind and work towards loosening their grip in your life. Whether you're feeling anxious, jaded, overwhelmed, empty, frozen, or feel your experiences are embarrassing or shameful, I believe you are worthy and deserving of being met with acceptance, care and connection.
I want to understand who you are and unpack the contents of your mind with you. When traumatic events or negative experiences aren’t processed, they can take shape in behaviour, habits, feelings, thoughts and relationship dynamics. I offer a therapeutic journey to disarm the loops in your mind and work towards loosening their grip in your life. Whether you're feeling anxious, jaded, overwhelmed, empty, frozen, or feel your experiences are embarrassing or shameful, I believe you are worthy and deserving of being met with acceptance, care and connection.
The human experience can sometimes provide challenges along the way and it's natural to feel a little stuck or disconnected at times. We might come across feelings of shame, frustration, overwhelm or loneliness with what life has thrown at us and we don’t know where to turn. Through genuine warmth, compassion & presence, I try to cultivate a soft landing place for my clients so they don’t have to struggle with life’s circumstances on their own. While I touch on neuroscience and change, I also use a holistic, trauma-informed, collaborative approach where I welcome all diverse parts of my clients to be witnessed in the light with me.
The human experience can sometimes provide challenges along the way and it's natural to feel a little stuck or disconnected at times. We might come across feelings of shame, frustration, overwhelm or loneliness with what life has thrown at us and we don’t know where to turn. Through genuine warmth, compassion & presence, I try to cultivate a soft landing place for my clients so they don’t have to struggle with life’s circumstances on their own. While I touch on neuroscience and change, I also use a holistic, trauma-informed, collaborative approach where I welcome all diverse parts of my clients to be witnessed in the light with me.
I work with children, youth, adults, couples and families including people from all backgrounds experiencing different challenges. I have worked with individuals struggling with relationships, intimate relationships, communication, grief, loss, addictions, substance misuse, trauma, sexual identity, coping with diagnoses, academic struggles, career challenges, body dissatisfaction, low-confidence, low-self esteem, depression, anxiety, OCD, personality disorders and bipolar. I guide my clients through the change they want to accomplish thus helping them cope better in the face of future challenges.
I work with children, youth, adults, couples and families including people from all backgrounds experiencing different challenges. I have worked with individuals struggling with relationships, intimate relationships, communication, grief, loss, addictions, substance misuse, trauma, sexual identity, coping with diagnoses, academic struggles, career challenges, body dissatisfaction, low-confidence, low-self esteem, depression, anxiety, OCD, personality disorders and bipolar. I guide my clients through the change they want to accomplish thus helping them cope better in the face of future challenges.
Hi there, I'm Nicole. I live in the stunning Sea to Sky corridor, offering online counselling services to clients throughout BC and in-person sessions at Peak Experience Counselling in Squamish, BC. Therapy holds the potential for profound self-discovery and understanding. Through introspection, individuals can cultivate greater self-compassion, understanding, and joy. Therapy is a supportive space to explore personal patterns that may hinder personal growth. Together, we work to release these patterns, while fostering supportive resources, acquiring new skills, and creating a personalized toolkit for moving forward.
Hi there, I'm Nicole. I live in the stunning Sea to Sky corridor, offering online counselling services to clients throughout BC and in-person sessions at Peak Experience Counselling in Squamish, BC. Therapy holds the potential for profound self-discovery and understanding. Through introspection, individuals can cultivate greater self-compassion, understanding, and joy. Therapy is a supportive space to explore personal patterns that may hinder personal growth. Together, we work to release these patterns, while fostering supportive resources, acquiring new skills, and creating a personalized toolkit for moving forward.
Counselling together can support your journey towards becoming a heart-empowered individual by expressing the unexpressed & by shedding layers covering the truth of who you are. Slowing down + listening to the wisdom of the heart + interpreting our body signals as it speaks to us is vital to bringing balance in our lives. When we align with our heart’s intuitive guidance, we lighten our being and manifest a bridge to infinite possibilities.
Counselling together can support your journey towards becoming a heart-empowered individual by expressing the unexpressed & by shedding layers covering the truth of who you are. Slowing down + listening to the wisdom of the heart + interpreting our body signals as it speaks to us is vital to bringing balance in our lives. When we align with our heart’s intuitive guidance, we lighten our being and manifest a bridge to infinite possibilities.
Laura Avila
Counsellor, MC, RCC
Verified Verified
5 Endorsed
Vancouver, BC V6K
Waitlist for new clients
Sometimes life feels very overwhelming and we can feel lost and disconnected, or even struggle with our self-worth. I work with couples and individuals who want to understand their behaviours and improve their communication and connection. You may struggle with your romantic relationships or friendships, or find yourself repeating the same patterns with different people in your life. Sometimes you feel anxious in your relationships, or don't feel connected at all. You may want to feel more at ease in your relationships with others and especially with yourself, experiencing less anxiety and feeling grounded when making decisions.
Sometimes life feels very overwhelming and we can feel lost and disconnected, or even struggle with our self-worth. I work with couples and individuals who want to understand their behaviours and improve their communication and connection. You may struggle with your romantic relationships or friendships, or find yourself repeating the same patterns with different people in your life. Sometimes you feel anxious in your relationships, or don't feel connected at all. You may want to feel more at ease in your relationships with others and especially with yourself, experiencing less anxiety and feeling grounded when making decisions.
Ira (Ee-Ra) Yakubovitz
Registered Social Worker, MSW, Ira Yakubovitz, RSW
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Vancouver, BC V6K
Helping people to find their way through mid-life’s challenges and transitions. Life can be a wonderful mix of challenges and opportunities. Lately it may feel like mostly demands and responsibilities have been piling up on your plate, getting heavier by the day. You're doing your best to push through it, to show up– after all you have some life experience under your belt. You put your best efforts forward, but it’s not always clear how to navigate the challenges ahead. You find your mind spinning in circles around the question “how did I get here?”It might be quite overwhelming and lonely on this journey.
Helping people to find their way through mid-life’s challenges and transitions. Life can be a wonderful mix of challenges and opportunities. Lately it may feel like mostly demands and responsibilities have been piling up on your plate, getting heavier by the day. You're doing your best to push through it, to show up– after all you have some life experience under your belt. You put your best efforts forward, but it’s not always clear how to navigate the challenges ahead. You find your mind spinning in circles around the question “how did I get here?”It might be quite overwhelming and lonely on this journey.
Hi, I'm Nicole (she/her). Maybe you're feeling stuck...you know what the problem is but not what to do next. Maybe you've been experiencing worry, or a sense of 'what's the point?' about your life. Maybe you're feeling really alone. Maybe you've recognized that the past is creeping into your present, and old patterns are affecting the relationships you are in today. Maybe you've even been to therapy before but haven't seen the change you want to see. If you're in a space where you're not feeling like yourself, you're not alone, I have felt this way too, and I know how much courage it takes to even start considering asking for help.
Hi, I'm Nicole (she/her). Maybe you're feeling stuck...you know what the problem is but not what to do next. Maybe you've been experiencing worry, or a sense of 'what's the point?' about your life. Maybe you're feeling really alone. Maybe you've recognized that the past is creeping into your present, and old patterns are affecting the relationships you are in today. Maybe you've even been to therapy before but haven't seen the change you want to see. If you're in a space where you're not feeling like yourself, you're not alone, I have felt this way too, and I know how much courage it takes to even start considering asking for help.
Welcome! I'm Carly, a Registered Clinical Counsellor providing compassionate, trauma-informed therapy for ADHD, anxiety, attachment trauma & burnout recovery. At the core of my counselling is an unyielding belief in human resilience and our potential for growth. When we are genuinely understood and our struggles are seen, healing occurs. My approach is collaborative, radically empathic and grounded in neuroscience & practical tools (DBT, CBT, IFS). Together we will hone your innate capacity to understand your patterns, release the impacts of trauma, and learn new coping skills. I would be honored to help you come home to yourself :)
Welcome! I'm Carly, a Registered Clinical Counsellor providing compassionate, trauma-informed therapy for ADHD, anxiety, attachment trauma & burnout recovery. At the core of my counselling is an unyielding belief in human resilience and our potential for growth. When we are genuinely understood and our struggles are seen, healing occurs. My approach is collaborative, radically empathic and grounded in neuroscience & practical tools (DBT, CBT, IFS). Together we will hone your innate capacity to understand your patterns, release the impacts of trauma, and learn new coping skills. I would be honored to help you come home to yourself :)
Patricia Petersen
Counsellor, RCC, SEP, CCC, MA
Verified Verified
4 Endorsed
Vancouver, BC V6K (Online Only)
You are asking the big existential questions. Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? 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.
You are asking the big existential questions. Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? 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.
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I always have been drawn to uncovering the complex ways we are impacted the experiences in our lives. In particular the impact of trauma on our resilience and on our 'stuck' places. Our bodies carry the weight of our histories and the histories we inherit. In reprocessing trauma it is necessary for us to be attuned to these somatic experiences and to foster the wisdom stored within our bodies.
I always have been drawn to uncovering the complex ways we are impacted the experiences in our lives. In particular the impact of trauma on our resilience and on our 'stuck' places. Our bodies carry the weight of our histories and the histories we inherit. In reprocessing trauma it is necessary for us to be attuned to these somatic experiences and to foster the wisdom stored within our bodies.
Therapy is about the connection between your therapist and you. I believe that this relationship is at the foundation of healing and I pride myself on providing a nonjudgmental and safe environment for my clients.
Therapy is about the connection between your therapist and you. I believe that this relationship is at the foundation of healing and I pride myself on providing a nonjudgmental and safe environment for my clients.
Are you waiting for just the right moment to arrive before you can really start living your life? Do you struggle with any of these...anxiety, overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, fatigue, burnout, procrastination, lack of meaning and purpose, shyness, perfectionism, depression, lack of follow through, hyper-vigilance, fear of intimacy, body dysmorphia, or self-isolation? You are not alone in this. Would you like to have healthier boundaries, stop seeking approval from others, and be more present in your life? It is my passion to share the tools and experience I have gained in order to be of help.
Are you waiting for just the right moment to arrive before you can really start living your life? Do you struggle with any of these...anxiety, overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, fatigue, burnout, procrastination, lack of meaning and purpose, shyness, perfectionism, depression, lack of follow through, hyper-vigilance, fear of intimacy, body dysmorphia, or self-isolation? You are not alone in this. Would you like to have healthier boundaries, stop seeking approval from others, and be more present in your life? It is my passion to share the tools and experience I have gained in order to be of help.
Sorting out life's challenges on your own can be overwhelming, but you don't have to face them alone. I'm here to help you navigate these issues with the support you deserve. Negative thoughts or a history of unhealthy relationships might be holding you back from finding peace and relief. Together, we'll uncover what needs to change for you to live a healthier, more balanced life. We'll focus on healing, fostering a sense of overall well-being, and creating a path to wholeness and wellness.
Sorting out life's challenges on your own can be overwhelming, but you don't have to face them alone. I'm here to help you navigate these issues with the support you deserve. Negative thoughts or a history of unhealthy relationships might be holding you back from finding peace and relief. Together, we'll uncover what needs to change for you to live a healthier, more balanced life. We'll focus on healing, fostering a sense of overall well-being, and creating a path to wholeness and wellness.
Essence Counselling- Certified Hakomi Therapist
BSc, CHT, MTC, RTC
Verified Verified
Vancouver, BC V6K
You are stressed or bored or feeling stuck in your relationships. You are looking for personal growth or professional development You are looking for a new meaning, a new purpose and making a difference in your daily life. You are ready to grow or create new experience in your relationships but don't know how.
You are stressed or bored or feeling stuck in your relationships. You are looking for personal growth or professional development You are looking for a new meaning, a new purpose and making a difference in your daily life. You are ready to grow or create new experience in your relationships but don't know how.
Cammi Manchur ADHD-Psychotherapy-Art Therapy
Counsellor, MCP-AT, CCC, BCATR
Verified Verified
2 Endorsed
Vancouver, BC V6K (Online Only)
Are you feeling lost? Disconnected? Do enjoy working with dreams, art, or other creative means to gain a greater understanding of who you are? I work with clients to creatively heal, grow, and find meaning in their lives. I work from a Jungian oriented perspective. My practice is sex-positive and welcomes individuals into a creative, and often nerdy, space of compassion and non-judgment. I am proud to be allied with the Queer community and to be part of the neurodivergent community. I also have my own lived experience with ADHD.
Are you feeling lost? Disconnected? Do enjoy working with dreams, art, or other creative means to gain a greater understanding of who you are? I work with clients to creatively heal, grow, and find meaning in their lives. I work from a Jungian oriented perspective. My practice is sex-positive and welcomes individuals into a creative, and often nerdy, space of compassion and non-judgment. I am proud to be allied with the Queer community and to be part of the neurodivergent community. I also have my own lived experience with ADHD.
Do you feel like your anxiety rules your mind and you have no control? You may constantly battle racing thoughts, struggling to focus, and feeling restless about various aspects of your life. While striving for excellence and witnessing others' success, you're often left feeling anxious, inadequate, and behind. Even when you perform well and receive praise, you still doubt your achievements, feeling unworthy or as though there's more you should be doing. It is incredibly challenging for you to communicate your feelings and needs to others because you feel guilty asking for help and fear you may burden others. But there's a way out.
Do you feel like your anxiety rules your mind and you have no control? You may constantly battle racing thoughts, struggling to focus, and feeling restless about various aspects of your life. While striving for excellence and witnessing others' success, you're often left feeling anxious, inadequate, and behind. Even when you perform well and receive praise, you still doubt your achievements, feeling unworthy or as though there's more you should be doing. It is incredibly challenging for you to communicate your feelings and needs to others because you feel guilty asking for help and fear you may burden others. But there's a way out.
Welcome to my practice. My therapeutic intention is to offer a safe and compassionate space where you feel seen, heard, and known - to explore trust, healing and transformation through the basis of relationship. For over 15 years, I have helped people heal from complex and intergenerational trauma, childhood wounds, attachment and relational disruptions, anxiety, depression and other distressing experiences. I work from a holistic lens, collaboratively exploring your history, family-of-origin, cultural and societal influences, and other aspects of your story to pinpoint the factors and areas that need attention, healing and care.
Welcome to my practice. My therapeutic intention is to offer a safe and compassionate space where you feel seen, heard, and known - to explore trust, healing and transformation through the basis of relationship. For over 15 years, I have helped people heal from complex and intergenerational trauma, childhood wounds, attachment and relational disruptions, anxiety, depression and other distressing experiences. I work from a holistic lens, collaboratively exploring your history, family-of-origin, cultural and societal influences, and other aspects of your story to pinpoint the factors and areas that need attention, healing and care.
A Registered Psychologist in Vancouver since 1980, I am passionate about exploring the subconscious mind, assisting my clients to clarify and accomplish their goals, personal and professional. My ideal client has some knowledge of themselves and is deeply motivated to change. Patterns that respond very well to hypnotherapy include smoking, emotional eating, addictions, phobias and insomnia. Hypnotherapy can clear sabotages to success, blocks to self esteem, blocks to creativity, procrastination, fear of public speaking, and help athletes achieve optimal sports performance. Relationships: I love to work with couples experiencing relationship issues, helping them learn to express and listen to each other from the heart.
A Registered Psychologist in Vancouver since 1980, I am passionate about exploring the subconscious mind, assisting my clients to clarify and accomplish their goals, personal and professional. My ideal client has some knowledge of themselves and is deeply motivated to change. Patterns that respond very well to hypnotherapy include smoking, emotional eating, addictions, phobias and insomnia. Hypnotherapy can clear sabotages to success, blocks to self esteem, blocks to creativity, procrastination, fear of public speaking, and help athletes achieve optimal sports performance. Relationships: I love to work with couples experiencing relationship issues, helping them learn to express and listen to each other from the heart.
See more therapy options for V6K
Compassion Focused Counsellors
How does compassion-focused therapy work?
Compassion-Focused Therapy is based on the idea that humans have at least three emotion regulation systems, including one that responds to threats and another that allows us to self-soothe. Those who experienced serious childhood adversity, the theory goes, have a hyperactive threat system and an underperforming self-soothing system, leaving them vulnerable to shame and a hypercritical mindset. CFT focuses on bringing these systems back into balance, helping the client be kinder to themselves and better able to accept kindness from others.
Is compassion-focused therapy a type of CBT?
Compassion-focused therapy is closely related to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and employs many of its techniques. In addition to CBT, CFT also draws from the fields of biology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, developmental psychology, and Buddhism. It also has similarities to some types of trauma-focused therapies.
Is compassion-focused therapy evidence based?
Evidence suggests that CFT can be helpful in the treatment of anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, psychosis, and other mental illnesses. It has also been shown to be beneficial for individuals who may not have diagnosable psychiatric disorders but who still struggle with persistent self-criticism and feelings of shame.
What are the limitations of compassion-focused therapy?
Compassion-focused therapy is still a relatively new therapy, and research on its efficacy is still in its early stages; while some studies have found positive results, many have suffered from quality issues or small sample sizes. And while most CFT clients find it difficult to practice self-compassion at first, some—especially those who actively fear compassion or are deeply uncomfortable being cared for—may not be fully open to the tenets of CFT, potentially limiting the therapy’s long-term effectiveness.