Integrative Therapists in V9T
As a client-centred therapist I take a holistic and collaborative approach that is integrative of other therapies, as I believe everyone is unique and therapy is not "one size fits all.
Do you feel like you are unable to calm? Do you feel anxious and judged by others? Do you feel restless, irritable, and stuck in "on" mode in this ready-to-react mode? Do you have persistent negative thinking, emotional fluctuations, and repeating the same actions and patterns? Do you feel stuck and unable to lift your mood? These are among some of the many symptoms of trauma. Trauma changes the nervous system and the ability to regulate our nervous system is directly correlated with our mental health. EMDR, CBT, DBT, and Somatic therapy can help heal the nervous system, by processing and releasing trauma stored in the body.
As a client-centred therapist I take a holistic and collaborative approach that is integrative of other therapies, as I believe everyone is unique and therapy is not "one size fits all.
Do you feel like you are unable to calm? Do you feel anxious and judged by others? Do you feel restless, irritable, and stuck in "on" mode in this ready-to-react mode? Do you have persistent negative thinking, emotional fluctuations, and repeating the same actions and patterns? Do you feel stuck and unable to lift your mood? These are among some of the many symptoms of trauma. Trauma changes the nervous system and the ability to regulate our nervous system is directly correlated with our mental health. EMDR, CBT, DBT, and Somatic therapy can help heal the nervous system, by processing and releasing trauma stored in the body.
Trained and informed in various modalities including CBT and somatic therapy, I blend modern psychology, neuroplasticity, quantum energetics and ancient wisdom to offer integrative holistic counselling.
Experiencing major life transitions or relationship challenges can feel overwhelming and isolating. Whether you're seeking healing, navigating significant changes, or striving for personal growth, my practice provides a supportive, non-judgmental and compassionate space. If you find yourself battling recurring patterns, limiting thoughts and beliefs, and are ready to explore new possibilities, I'm here for you. Let’s reclaim your voice, empower your agency, and find freedom with tools that resonate with your values, dreams, and aspirations.
Trained and informed in various modalities including CBT and somatic therapy, I blend modern psychology, neuroplasticity, quantum energetics and ancient wisdom to offer integrative holistic counselling.
Experiencing major life transitions or relationship challenges can feel overwhelming and isolating. Whether you're seeking healing, navigating significant changes, or striving for personal growth, my practice provides a supportive, non-judgmental and compassionate space. If you find yourself battling recurring patterns, limiting thoughts and beliefs, and are ready to explore new possibilities, I'm here for you. Let’s reclaim your voice, empower your agency, and find freedom with tools that resonate with your values, dreams, and aspirations.
Ryan Boyer with Sacred Owl Integrative Counselling
Counsellor, MEd, PATGC, CCC
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Nanaimo, BC V9T
Walking through life feeling a sense that there must be something more. Tired of feeling lost with no outlet in sight. You have been carrying a heavy load for a long time and want to find peace and acceptance. You feel called to step into who you truly are and break through the shackles of your struggling. I can help you to find your inner peace and heal through old wounds. Let us walk together toward your inner peace; healing what needs to be. Through some special methods like compassionate connection and truly seeing who you are, healing will happen...goals will be achieved...and oh yes that inner peace!
Walking through life feeling a sense that there must be something more. Tired of feeling lost with no outlet in sight. You have been carrying a heavy load for a long time and want to find peace and acceptance. You feel called to step into who you truly are and break through the shackles of your struggling. I can help you to find your inner peace and heal through old wounds. Let us walk together toward your inner peace; healing what needs to be. Through some special methods like compassionate connection and truly seeing who you are, healing will happen...goals will be achieved...and oh yes that inner peace!
Addiction, eating disorder, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, phobia, and insomnia etc. are most often symptoms, but not the root of the problem. Very often, through childhood and adulthood, many traumatic experiences (such as bullying and abuse) left us with psychological injuries. And we use various above-listed symptoms to deal with experiences that made us feel sad or scared, even for short-term. The real healing/solution is, therefore, to clean the injuries, and develop new coping skills. This approach also applies to unexpected traumatic life experiences, such as accidents, natural disasters, illness, and grief.
Addiction, eating disorder, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, phobia, and insomnia etc. are most often symptoms, but not the root of the problem. Very often, through childhood and adulthood, many traumatic experiences (such as bullying and abuse) left us with psychological injuries. And we use various above-listed symptoms to deal with experiences that made us feel sad or scared, even for short-term. The real healing/solution is, therefore, to clean the injuries, and develop new coping skills. This approach also applies to unexpected traumatic life experiences, such as accidents, natural disasters, illness, and grief.
Understanding the need for change is a big first step. Then getting the energy and nerve to find a therapist and make that first appointment can seem insurmountable. Congratulations on making it this far! Issues with emotional regulation, interpersonal communication/skills, and problematic substance use can derail our best attempts at a satisfying life. Using an individualized and integrated approach of DBT and Talk Therapy with the cheer of Solution Focused, we can work together to understand how your biology, environment and psychology can be readapted to help reach your goals. There will be infographics and worksheets! (Yay?)
Understanding the need for change is a big first step. Then getting the energy and nerve to find a therapist and make that first appointment can seem insurmountable. Congratulations on making it this far! Issues with emotional regulation, interpersonal communication/skills, and problematic substance use can derail our best attempts at a satisfying life. Using an individualized and integrated approach of DBT and Talk Therapy with the cheer of Solution Focused, we can work together to understand how your biology, environment and psychology can be readapted to help reach your goals. There will be infographics and worksheets! (Yay?)
If you are feeling overwhelmed in your life or relationship, I am here to inspire hope and to help empower you to navigate life with calm confidence. It is normal to need support; sometimes help is required to understand why you are feeling stuck so that a perspective shift can take place, ultimately leading to a more meaningful life experience. Through a deeper understanding of self, the architecture of change can be built, new skills can be learned, enabling the potential for personal and relational transformation.
If you are feeling overwhelmed in your life or relationship, I am here to inspire hope and to help empower you to navigate life with calm confidence. It is normal to need support; sometimes help is required to understand why you are feeling stuck so that a perspective shift can take place, ultimately leading to a more meaningful life experience. Through a deeper understanding of self, the architecture of change can be built, new skills can be learned, enabling the potential for personal and relational transformation.
Like many people, I grew up in an environment where we didn't talk about our struggles and emotions. From an early age, I learned to keep the difficult things inside and deal with my emotions on my own. In 1999, I became a crisis phone counsellor and realized that I wasn't the only one who had had this kind of experience. I realized that a lot of people felt the way I did and kept their emotions inside. For the first time, I learned how healing it could be to share struggles with supportive people.
Like many people, I grew up in an environment where we didn't talk about our struggles and emotions. From an early age, I learned to keep the difficult things inside and deal with my emotions on my own. In 1999, I became a crisis phone counsellor and realized that I wasn't the only one who had had this kind of experience. I realized that a lot of people felt the way I did and kept their emotions inside. For the first time, I learned how healing it could be to share struggles with supportive people.
Are you repeating the same patterns and reactions, wondering why you can't get them under control? Do you find it challenging to regulate your emotions? Maybe you have negative thoughts that don't allow you to live the life you want to? Feeling anxious or always assuming the worst in life and relationships? Or maybe you can't seem to shake that low mood. If you're feeling stuck in unhealthy ways and hoping to change negative patterns, gain clarity on your thoughts and behaviours, or wanting to process trauma, we can work together using evidence-based approaches to help you make those positive changes in your life.
Are you repeating the same patterns and reactions, wondering why you can't get them under control? Do you find it challenging to regulate your emotions? Maybe you have negative thoughts that don't allow you to live the life you want to? Feeling anxious or always assuming the worst in life and relationships? Or maybe you can't seem to shake that low mood. If you're feeling stuck in unhealthy ways and hoping to change negative patterns, gain clarity on your thoughts and behaviours, or wanting to process trauma, we can work together using evidence-based approaches to help you make those positive changes in your life.
Vancouver Island Therapy
Counsellor, MA, RCC, CSAT, RSW, CCC
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Nanaimo, BC V9T (Online Only)
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.
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.
The process of choosing a counsellor begins long-before you arrive at the first session. Often there is a feeling within ourselves that something is just not right. It may be a time marked by a great deal of personal introspection or it could be an intervention from an external source -school, family, friends, your doctor - that motivates contact with a therapist. As a person-centred therapist, I will work with you to establish a meaningful relationship where you feel safe to explore and resolve issues that fit your unique needs at this moment in time.
The process of choosing a counsellor begins long-before you arrive at the first session. Often there is a feeling within ourselves that something is just not right. It may be a time marked by a great deal of personal introspection or it could be an intervention from an external source -school, family, friends, your doctor - that motivates contact with a therapist. As a person-centred therapist, I will work with you to establish a meaningful relationship where you feel safe to explore and resolve issues that fit your unique needs at this moment in time.
Salish Sea Counselling and Consulting
Registered Social Worker, RCSW
Verified Verified
Nanaimo, BC V9T
We all need help sometimes and it takes courage to reach out. Whether it's dealing with anxiety, or feeling that you're not engaged/ enjoying your life, Salish Sea Counselling can support you to refresh your energy, develop positivity and learn new skills. Salish Sea integrates conceptual knowledge, the body/ energetic patterns, mindfulness approaches, spirituality and medical model formulations to support your personal and professional discovery and growth. After a few sessions at Salish Sea, people find they're able to communicate more effectively, be more authentic and live increasingly satisfying lives and take responsibility for the quality of their relationships with others.
We all need help sometimes and it takes courage to reach out. Whether it's dealing with anxiety, or feeling that you're not engaged/ enjoying your life, Salish Sea Counselling can support you to refresh your energy, develop positivity and learn new skills. Salish Sea integrates conceptual knowledge, the body/ energetic patterns, mindfulness approaches, spirituality and medical model formulations to support your personal and professional discovery and growth. After a few sessions at Salish Sea, people find they're able to communicate more effectively, be more authentic and live increasingly satisfying lives and take responsibility for the quality of their relationships with others.
Barb N. Aronchick-Zachernuk
Registered Psychotherapist, MA, MEd, CCC, RCC, RPTSCPT
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Nanaimo, BC V9T
Human beings are complicated-so often we attempt to reach out to others using words to express our thoughts, our emotions, and our behaviours. With children/youth, we see additional communication barriers because of fewer words and limited life experiences. Being part of a family system should bring safety and emotional support but sometimes this is not possible without help. My work is to enable us to become partners in the process of change- discovering strengths, new awareness and building on this. Imagine my holding up a mirror for you, so that with each session, you are able to discover and appreciate more of who you truly are.
Human beings are complicated-so often we attempt to reach out to others using words to express our thoughts, our emotions, and our behaviours. With children/youth, we see additional communication barriers because of fewer words and limited life experiences. Being part of a family system should bring safety and emotional support but sometimes this is not possible without help. My work is to enable us to become partners in the process of change- discovering strengths, new awareness and building on this. Imagine my holding up a mirror for you, so that with each session, you are able to discover and appreciate more of who you truly are.
I am currently working out of We Thrive Wellness Centre in Belleville. I work with individuals experiencing anxiety and challenges in relationships at home, at work and those internal struggles within, struggles of 'who am I' and noticing repeating patterns that aren't serving anymore. One of my favourite quotes is from the Sufi mystic Hafiz, "I wish to show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your being." I generally have a rotating, 20-session space for two clients at a 'reduced rate'.
I am currently working out of We Thrive Wellness Centre in Belleville. I work with individuals experiencing anxiety and challenges in relationships at home, at work and those internal struggles within, struggles of 'who am I' and noticing repeating patterns that aren't serving anymore. One of my favourite quotes is from the Sufi mystic Hafiz, "I wish to show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your being." I generally have a rotating, 20-session space for two clients at a 'reduced rate'.
Dakova Health
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, RCC, FNHA, MCP, EMDR
Verified Verified
Nanaimo, BC V9T
We all go through different problems, experience different life stressors or trauma, and at times everyone needs someone to just listen. Dakova Health has trained and experienced psychologists and counsellors that specialize in different areas of practice to meet your specific needs.
We all go through different problems, experience different life stressors or trauma, and at times everyone needs someone to just listen. Dakova Health has trained and experienced psychologists and counsellors that specialize in different areas of practice to meet your specific needs.
Juliana Herlaar
Counsellor, RTC
Verified Verified
7 Endorsed
Nanaimo, BC V9T (Online Only)
Waitlist for new clients
Do you want to feel confident and on purpose? Are you ready to experience deeper more fulfilling relationships? Do you want to experience more ease? When we are children, we learn how to be in connection and our beliefs about what's possible on our relationship with our caregivers and our friends. Sensitive people & people with big hearts often lean towards putting their own needs on the back burner, this can lead to burnout, anxiety, depression & general unhappiness. Work with me through a holistic model to experience wholeness, connection & joy in your life and relationships. Please reach out for a free 1/2 hour consult.
Do you want to feel confident and on purpose? Are you ready to experience deeper more fulfilling relationships? Do you want to experience more ease? When we are children, we learn how to be in connection and our beliefs about what's possible on our relationship with our caregivers and our friends. Sensitive people & people with big hearts often lean towards putting their own needs on the back burner, this can lead to burnout, anxiety, depression & general unhappiness. Work with me through a holistic model to experience wholeness, connection & joy in your life and relationships. Please reach out for a free 1/2 hour consult.
Sit with Mia Psychotherapy
Counsellor, MA, RCC
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Nanaimo, BC V9T
Not accepting new clients
Many young women seek counselling because they have experienced traumatic or difficult situations. I know how these deeply felt experiences can leave us feeling alone, unable to verbalize our distress to those close to us. The lasting impact of past experiences and traumas on current relationships, beliefs and behaviours can keep us feeling stuck in painful patterns. I work with individuals experiencing a range of symptoms including anxiety that impacts daily functioning, disordered eating, body image issues and the impact of sexual trauma. I also specialize in working with those experiencing the impact of complex trauma.
Many young women seek counselling because they have experienced traumatic or difficult situations. I know how these deeply felt experiences can leave us feeling alone, unable to verbalize our distress to those close to us. The lasting impact of past experiences and traumas on current relationships, beliefs and behaviours can keep us feeling stuck in painful patterns. I work with individuals experiencing a range of symptoms including anxiety that impacts daily functioning, disordered eating, body image issues and the impact of sexual trauma. I also specialize in working with those experiencing the impact of complex trauma.
See more therapy options for V9T
Integrative Counsellors
What is integrative therapy?
Integrative therapy is a type of therapy that combines ideas and techniques from different therapeutic approaches depending on the needs of the individual client. By merging elements of different treatments, an integrative therapist aims to offer a more flexible approach than those who practice just one type of therapy.
How does integrative therapy work?
Integrative therapy approaches a client’s mental, physical, and emotional health in a holistic way to discover the sources of their unhealthy behaviour patterns or other challenges and considers the approach most likely to lead to improvement. Among the techniques an integrative therapist may practice are cognitive-behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, EMDR, mindfulness, art or music therapy, psychodynamic therapy, breathwork, family systems therapy, gestalt therapy, and trauma-informed therapy. An integrative therapist regularly evaluates the client’s progress and is prepared to pivot to a different approach if progress stalls.
How long does integrative therapy last?
As with most forms of talk therapy, there is no set duration or end point for integrative therapy; people who find they are making progress typically continue until they feel they’ve addressed the issues that spurred them to seek treatment. New patients should understand that it may take some time for a therapist to land on a treatment approach that best meets their needs, but once they do, they should expect sessions to extend for a number of months, typically including at least 12 sessions.
How effective is integrative therapy?
There are hundreds of types of talk therapy, and research shows that while they vary in form, goals, and frequency, many if not all can produce similarly successful outcomes. But a single approach does not always deliver the greatest, or speediest, benefit, and so even therapists primarily trained in one model will use tools, language, techniques, or exercises from others to shape an effective treatment plan.