Therapists in V5T

I am passionate about my work, and have dedicated the last 10 years of my life to helping people create change. My clients are dealing with real life issues - relationships, fertility struggles, adjustment to parenthood, family of origin dynamics, and major life transitions. I aim to create a space where clients are free to explore their fears, doubts, strengths, and needs. Some clients require a faster, more solution-focused therapy process, while others want to meet regularly and have that person to continually connect with and receive support from. I am open to both and see it as a privilege to be invited into people’s lives.

Life’s hardships can break us into pieces. We may feel like we want to throw in the towel. We might lose our confidence in ourselves. We might be oppressed, feeling depressed. We might feel lonely. We might be going through major transitions, grief, heartbreaks. No matter how hard life can get, we can always find the path to freedom. That is where therapy comes in. Therapy encourages you to face life’s hardships willingly, with courage and trust that can be hard to cultivate otherwise.

Every person at some moment in their life reaches a roadblock where they are unsure what to do or who to turn to. Every day may feel like a struggle. Whether it be conflict in your relationship, feeling overwhelmed with life demands or just feeling anxious or stuck, counselling is a safe space that can allow you to address your most private and vulnerable emotions and thoughts. I have over 15 years of counselling experience and I am passionate in helping individuals and couples find their path to a more peaceful future. Together we will discuss your concerns, work toward healing, and find realistic solutions.

It takes courage to seek and begin therapy, and I value and respect that. I am passionate about working with all people, however they choose to identify themselves. I work with adults, young to old. I consider each individual as a "world unto themself"; I work with your goals, your spark, your way. My goal is to help you find the tools to move towards what you most want. I'm on your side. I draw from therapies such as solution focused, trauma based, CBT and ACT. Possibility lies in the present - what we do, how we choose to act, alone and with others - this is the arena of change.

My name is Serena and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #18636) with a Master of Counselling degree from City University of Seattle. In my practice, I draw upon various theoretical approaches like Narrative, Mindfulness, and Solution Focused Therapies, along with my background in biology to ensure therapy is tailored to fit each individual client. I focus on developing safe, supportive, and collaborative relationships that promote empowerment and self-discovery.

I am passionate about supporting people with trauma/ptsd including attachment and developmental trauma. I also specialize in treating depression/anxiety and relationship issues. I believe that when people understand their emotions they can take control of their life. Life is meant to be enjoyed-healing our wounds allows us to have fun and live fully. Building emotional strength means accepting you will experience emotions, they will impact you, and you can ride the wave.

My passion for mental health and wellness started developing in childhood. As the youngest in a family of six, I grew curious about the relationship dynamics, inner characteristics, and environmental circumstances that shape life experiences. My work has paved the way for me to help others find wholeness and meet their full potential. In the therapy room, I offer insight and a new perspective while honouring the context of where each person is coming from.

Therapy is a unique relationship where you can learn about yourself, your past, and who you would like to be, through a process of analysis, discussion, acceptance, and integration. A therapeutic relationship is a space where you can speak openly and freely with a person who is trained to listen and provide insight otherwise not available to you. As a therapist, I meet you where you are at as a person, and try to understand your goals, your background, and your pain. The process is meant to lead to greater interior freedom, that can reverberate out into all aspects of your life.

*Services by student counsellors and Associates available* People we work with describe feeling disconnected, invalidated, and powerless after experiencing trauma and injustice. Some have felt stuck and overwhelmed in the process of reconnecting with themselves, their communities, and in navigating the dominant culture. We support clients in processing their experiences and deepening their understanding of themselves and their relationships. We affirm clients' needs and desires and value reciprocity and collaboration. Honoring clients' knowledge, we invite clients to co-create safety and exercise their self-determination.

I am an individual and family therapist who works with adults, youth and families who are feeling overwhelmed. Common struggles include social and emotional challenges, mental health and/or substance use concerns. I work to empower you to face these challenges in practical, manageable steps, building on your inherent strengths.

Welcome and thank you for being here. Whether you are new to therapy or returning for support, I can help you get unstuck, increase awareness, build practical skills, address underlying themes, break patterns, set boundaries, and get back to a place of greater connectedness to yourself and others. My approach to counselling strives to provide you with a compassionate and validating space to do your inner work. There’s nothing “too small/big” or “weird” that can’t be talked about in therapy so long as you feel safe enough to do so. My aim is to ensure you feel heard, understood, supported and safe in therapy.

Welcome. I have over 25 years experience working with children, teens, and adults dealing with generalized and social anxiety, mood, ocd, perfectionism, self-doubt, body image, sport psychology, relationship and parenting challenges, workplace conflict. My approach is focused on creating a warm, safe space for clients to be able to share and process their feelings. Working from an attachment lens, I use a combination of insight psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and self-compassion techniques to help clients change unhelpful beliefs, thoughts, and feelings into new positive ways of being.

My approach is tailored to the needs of each individual. I emphasize the importance of a strong, compassionate therapeutic relationship and work primarily from a trauma informed, client-centered model. I incorporate elements of emotion focused, narrative, dialectical behavioural, internal family systems, parts work, attachment, strengths/resiliency based, and somatic approaches. I primarily work from a process oriented place by working on issues brought up in the moment and spending time breaking down the beliefs, emotions, and behaviours that accompany each issue.

As a relationship and sex therapist my purpose is to help you and your partner build reconnection. Do you have low self esteem in your relationship? Are you feeling torn about recent infidelity to stay together? Or are you interested in gaining communication tools for your marriage with premarital counselling? In my approach, I seek to deepen the lost sense of connection through empowerment, courage, and vulnerability. I believe there is a space opened for you to explore that new found sense of meaning and growth. If you are ready to explore, I would love to connect.

As a Lebanese-Brazilian cis woman living in so-called Canada, my personal experiences of moving and immigrating to 3 different countries, feelings of not belonging, and constant change have shaped me and my counselling approach profoundly. As I navigated through that, I discovered a deep passion for supporting individuals who are going through similar things. I have training to support people regarding: Anxiety, School Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Loneliness & Feelings of not-belonging, Self-criticism & Perfection

I work with people seeking to build clarity, calm, and confidence in their lives. You might struggle to express yourself and be understood in important relationships. You might be stuck on a treadmill of tired patterns or caught in a state of endless overwhelm. You might find yourself burdened by the conflict, stress, and unpredictability of a busy life. You might be haunted by injustice, of having been wronged, caught by painful memories and unable to carry on. You might struggle with a sharp inner critic, or an injured sense of worth. You might yearn for deeper connection — with yourself, or those you love.

I recognize the challenges and changes that life presents. This is why, through counselling, I seek to help others with empathy and awareness. I believe in everyone’s power to self-transform positively and am passionate about accompanying you on this journey. As a client, I have experienced the power of the therapeutic relationship, which is why I seek to engage in a collaborative, compassionate and authentic relationship with my clients.

While pain is inevitable in our lives, counselling can provide you the support you need to help reduce the suffering you are experiencing. The relationship between a counsellor and client is the most important indicator of success in therapy, and with me you will find a counsellor that is compassionate, genuine, non-judgmental, and transparent. Together we can explore the larger context of your current difficulties to help you better understand your experience, feel more agency and ability to cope, and build upon your strengths and resilience.

I practice psychodynamic therapy, integrating mindfulness and somatic therapy. I often see people who have histories of growing up in invalidating or otherwise harmful environments in which they were not heard, and rarely attuned to. They may be struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, attachment injuries or CPTSD, heightened shame, existential questions, and a desire to develop a better relationship with themselves - they have largely moved beyond immediate trauma responses and are looking to explore more deeply.