Therapists in West Vancouver, BC

Queer and Trans friendly and accepting new clients! I'm a Registered Clinical Counsellor and 5th generation settler on the unceded Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ territories. I received my masters in counselling psychology from UVic and I focus on working with those who want support with Grief and Loss, Trauma, Gender Affirming Care, Anxiety, Depression, lgbtqia+ Identity, Relationships, Self-Compassion, Perfectionism, and more. If you want a compassionate, feminist counsellor, read on!

Alishia is a strength based multicultural counsellor with extensive experience in treating children, youth and adults. Alishia is certified in a variety of therapeutic models such as: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Expressive Play Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy (EMDR), Solution Focused Therapy and Mindfulness & Somatic techniques. Alishia works with the Ministry of Children and Family Development as a Child and Youth Mental Health Clinician providing clinical care to children and their families.

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, extreme emotion fluctuations, 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. CBT, DBT, and Somatic therapy can help heal the nervous system, by processing and releasing trauma stored in the body.

Have you been feeling stuck, or otherwise wanting to fix some behaviour, or area of your life? We can help. We help individuals who are looking to improve areas of their life. We help people with ADHD who want to learn techniques to live a more structured life. We help people wanting relief from anxious thoughts that are preventing them from the people, places, and things that they care about. We also help individuals seeking to improve their relationships. We help people who want to improve their communication skills, who want to feel more confident and to optimize aspects of their lives.

I offer my clients support and guidance to access and trust their inner wisdom, so that they can gain clarity on their struggles and refine their sense of purpose and direction. I also provide clients with the necessary tools to help them achieve their goals. As human beings we have a common desire to better connect with ourselves and others, and become more present and engaged with our lives. I believe that good counselling can help clients achieve insight, connection, and freedom from their personal struggles. I help clients work through struggles such as grief, depression, anxiety, relationship and family conflict.

I am a certified clinical counsellor working with individuals, couples, children and families. My practice encourages a holistic approach where I help clients to heal by providing tools for awareness and recognizing their entire human and life experience in an integrative approach to healing the mind. The therapeutic modalities used in session will depend on the client’s needs. However, I have a specialized focus on complex trauma, PTSD, anxiety and depression, abuse, stress, emotional overwhelm and work/life balance. The work I do is a person centred approach, following the needs of the client to where they want to go.

My purpose is to assist you in facing and processing traumatic / adverse life experiences that could have resulted in anxiety, depression, PTSD, addictions, anger issues, etc. Together, we will explore and unravel the nature and roots of what prevents you from living a happier life. Despite the possible challenges that may arise on this way, please know that you have a huge potential to live your life based on what is right with you. As a clinician, I am committed to do to the best of my abilities for facilitating this process and helping you reach your goals.

There are no clinical issues that I am not comfortable with. I will hold space for whatever you bring and especially enjoy peeling back the layers of those with childhood trauma who find it impacts their ability to experience safe relationships as adults. I can help with issues related to addiction, and the fall out effect on families and relationships. I really enjoy helping people deal with personal impact of narcissism, BPD and emotional regulation disorders in a parent, children or spouse. I also welcome those with BPD and Quiet BPD. I can also help anyone caught in the turmoil of infidelity. You will find clarity with me.

I find hope in what seems to be hopeless situations and clients trust that I can help without judgment. Listening to my clients' personal stories is both an honour and a privilege; feeling heard and understood is often their first significant step towards change. Mostly what I've found is that in my 30 years in the field of psychology and mental health, most of us can work through most of life's little challenges. When you have a challenge that you can't quite get past on your own - There's Counselling for That!

As a psychologist, I believe in my clients’ resilience and ability to overcome challenging life conditions. Sometimes however, clients can benefit from professional help that is empowering and safe and promotes clients’ readiness to address concerns and receive evidence-based treatment. I provide effective cognitive behavioural interventions that integrate mindfulness, multicultural and social justice perspectives. My approach to therapy and assessment is collaborative and relational. I have completed an externship in Emotion focused therapy as well training in EMDR.

"TRUE POWER DIMINISHES NEITHER SELF OR OTHER" (Mariah Moser). To connect to that power requires the guidance, courage and commitment to understand whats keeping you trapped in self destructive patterns. If you're feeling overwhelmed, numb, afraid or angry, I can help. If you're on the edge of making changes in your life but are feeling stuck, I can help you cross that threshold. In sessions, my intention is to build trust and a sense of safety so that we can explore the challenges that you are facing.

As an Indigenous/mixed person, my life’s paths and experiences encouraged the sharing of my gifts so that I may be in service to others. I’m deeply connected to and inspired by ritual, ceremony, community, and the personal journey of walking the complex edges of life. With a trauma informed lens, I weaving relational somatic psychotherapy and grief work to be a gentle guide and advocate, to hold space and offer support for life's current and unexpected challenges.

My work is relational, emotion-focused, and experiential. Relational means establishing a unique and real connection with people — i.e. not being a “blank slate” therapist. Emotion-focused means helping people pay attention to old emotional patterns that may no longer be serving them. Experiential means going beyond just talking about patterns. It means offering actual in-session experiences of doing things a different way — working together to form new and preferred patterns that are conducive to one’s therapy goal(s).

Have you been to therapy and still feel stuck? We get it. You are looking to get results in healing your trauma, anxiety/panic, troubling relationship patterns, limiting beliefs or mental & emotional turmoil? If you're looking for something different than your average therapist, you have come to the right place! FreeMind Therapy is a virtual private practice specializing in both brain-based approaches, as well as the latest cutting edge psychotherapies. Check out our team of therapists below, and allow our unique blend of therapies get you feeling clear and free!

You know the best way out is always through...but "through" is HARD, especially when you're experiencing painful emotions and you're not sure where to start. So let us help you through. Breaking free from deeply-rooted self-doubt, anxiety, body image concerns, relational conflicts, and struggling self-worth isn't something you need to do alone. We've got you! You'll fit right in with us if you're ready to change your relationship with yourself, to really get to know who you are, and finally heal from the patterns that are holding you back.