Not eligible for reimbursement by benefit plans. I feel grateful and privileged to be in a position to be able to build trust and safety with others. It takes courage and strength to seek support and to share our stories and I do not take this honor lightly. I look forward to meeting new individuals who want a supportive person to walk alongside them as we share, learn and growth together within our journeys.

I also work within the helping field outside of Island Clinical Counselling as I serve the public. I have over thirty years’ experience within the helping profession field which has given me the privilege to live and learn daily from others as we share our experiences and continue to grow together. I have worked with children, youth, and families from a variety of programs such as outreach, schools, crisis intervention services and social services. I work from a strengths-based approach that is trauma-informed as I walk alongside my clients to achieve the goals they are seeking. I have a great appreciation and passion for Indigenous communities and their unique cultural identities and have been honored to walk alongside them in many capacities throughout my career. I understand the value of working with community support to assist community members and to bring these collective minds together to strengthen and support individuals. I am happy to work within family systems and with individuals including children and youth alike to support their diverse and individualized needs including that of respecting everyone’s identity.

I look forward to meeting with you and walking alongside you to support you in your healing journey as we share and learn together through this human experience. It is my goal and passion to bring to you a culturally sensitive, individualistic, and non-judgmental approach that is open, honest and client driven to support you in taking the steps you need to move forward within your journey. It is my goal to support you in driving the change you wish to achieve through my strengths-based, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive practice.

Areas of Focus:

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Anxiety Disorders, Panic Disorders, Phobias

Sleep Issues, with a focus on Insomnia

Depression and Depressive Disorders

Trauma Therapy

Couples Counselling/Relationship Issues

Support for major life transitions, such as support to post-secondary students

Stress Management

Support for caregivers of and for individuals with diverse abilities

Spiritual Support

Family Counselling

Autism

Dyslexia and other Learning Disabilities

ADHD Supports

Neurodivergent Individuals

Intellectual Disability

Identity Support

Education, Certification, and Specialized Training:

Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care from the University of Victoria

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University

Current Intern ​Certificates in:

Suicide Intervention

Cultural Diversity

Comprehensive Behavioural Interventions

At risk youth

I hope to enjoy using a multitude of therapeutic modalities and approaches such as solution-focused therapy, client centered, humanistic approaches, narrative therapy, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapies.

Age ranges served: all ages.

Email: monica@islandclinicalcounselling.ca Phone: 778-762-3750 ext. 119 Pronouns: She/Her

Location:  Monica works out of our downtown location on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Not eligible for reimbursement by benefit plans. I feel grateful and privileged to be in a posit... Read More

I consider it an honor to be invited into people’s lives through the counselling relationship. Working alongside clients as they strive for the relationships they desire and the personal growth important to them is such an inspiring journey to be on. Life gets difficult for us all at times and I love helping people find the direction and perspective they are looking for. I work to create a genuine and empathic connection with each person I see in therapy. Sharing our struggles can be difficult and that’s why it’s important to me that you feel seen and deeply respected in our time together. Feedback is important to me. I always welcome your thoughts about how our approach is working for you or needs to be adjusted. I tend to be a fairly direct counsellor. It’s important that you feel clear about where we are in the process toward our goals together.

I am new to the Cowichan Valley and am excited to explore all the natural beauty of the area. In my free time, I enjoy a lot of nerdy things such as comic books and getting recommendations for the next great sci-fi tv show to watch. I also love being active with my husband and our daughter, going on a hike or doing a workout. Our golden lab, Epic, is our daughter’s constant companion and is happy to join us in every adventure. I hope we get to connect soon. Please reach out!

Education and Training:

Bachelor of Science in Psychology & a Minor in Sociology from Union University Masters in Counselling Psychology from Trinity Western University Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship – Couples Sexually Competent Therapist Training Transgender & Gender Diverse Competency Training San’yas – Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behahviour Therapy (DBT) Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) Emotionally Focuses Family Therapy (EFFT)

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) since 2012.

Areas of Specialty:

Couples Counselling:  I love working with couples. There may be hard things going on, but when two people show up to couple’s counselling, it’s overwhelmingly because the relationship is still important to them and they want to make it better. My work with couples relies on Emotionally Focused Therapy. This helps couples identify the negative cycles they get caught in and then we work to out-smart that cycle together. Helping the couple feel cared for and connected to their partner, even within differences, is vital to helping the relationship thrive.

LGBTQ+ Concerns: As a part of the queer community myself, it’s so important that the diversity in gender, sexuality, identity, and all its intersections have their place within our work together. I strive to create a space where each of these parts experiences welcome. Helping individuals manage gender dysphoria and couples managing the impact of transitioning on their relationship is such important work. I love helping people grow into fuller acceptance of themselves and reject any shame about being different.

Ethical Non-monogamy: Many couples find themselves isolated and disoriented when beginning to explore opening up their relationship. They are looking for more flexibility in their relationship but don’t want the changes to threaten the security and happiness they also enjoy. I’ve found couples greatly benefit from counselling support when navigating relational and/or sexual openness, especially at the beginning. They avoid unnecessary pain and pitfalls when they ensure they are on the same page and agreements are clear. Whether its polyamory, swinging, “friends with benefits” or any other type of openness…. Let’s talk about it together.

Sex/Sexuality Counselling: Talking about sex can be so tricky. It’s easy to joke about, but what about when things go wrong? Finding a trusted professional can feel scary and very vulnerable. I’ve worked extensively with individuals and couples looking to improve their sexual dynamic or change unhelpful patterns. Couples can often struggle when there is a discrepancy in sexual desire, one partner wanting more sex than the other. I love helping them better navigate this difference, reducing tension and sexual frustration, and finding the fun in sex again. Many men also work with me to improve their sexual difficulties such as performance anxiety erectile dysfunction, premature or delayed ejaculation, and unwanted sexually compulsive behaviour. Growing up in Purity Culture has had very real and damaging impacts on how so many people relate to their sexuality and their bodies. It is such important work to get rid of the shame around sexual desire so that you can enjoy the sexual experiences you desire. We can unpack that together.

Therapeutic Modalities:

Emotionally Focused Therapy - Couples

Strength-based & Person Centered

Attachment-based

Sex Therapy

Gottman Method

Narrative

Exposure Response Prevention – for OCD

Age ranges served: Adults Email: david@islandclinicalcounselling.ca Phone: 778-762-3750 ext. 124 Pronouns: He/Him Location: David works Fridays in the Duncan office.

I consider it an honor to be invited into people’s lives through the counselling relationship. Wo... Read More

Welcome! Thank you for taking the time to read through our bios and for choosing the counsellor who feels like a good fit for you or your family! If that is me, I am thrilled and honoured to meet and support you in your journey.

For the past 5 years, I have been living, working and playing alongside the Halalt and Cowichan Tribes communities in what is also known as the Cowichan Valley. In addition to becoming a Registered Clinical Counsellor, I also have 10 + years of experience working with children, youth, families, adults, as well as individuals who are neurodivergent or have a developmental disability. This experience has been gained through a diverse range of community, education, and therapeutic settings.

My approach is rooted in empathy, respect, and collaboration and is structured around creating a safe space where my clients can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences without judgment. I believe in the power of human connection and tailor my therapeutic approach to meet the unique needs and goals of each client. Whether you’re seeking support to navigate difficult feelings, improve communication in relationships, or cultivate a greater self-awareness - I’m here to walk alongside you.

Education and Training:

Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care from University of the Fraser Valley

Master of Counselling from City University

Certificates in:

Applied Suicide Intervention Training (ASIST)

Trauma-Focused - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Areas of Focus:

• Anxiety

• OCD

• Depression

• Life Transitions

• Individual Counselling

• Grief and Loss

• Stress and Burnout

• Children and Youth

• Self-Esteem

• Women’s Issues

• Family and Relationship Conflict

• Autism

• ADHD

• Physical and Cognitive Disabilities

• Spiritual Support

Therapeutic Modalities:

• Solution Focused

• person-centred

• Narrative

• Activity and Play-Based modalities

• Strength-Based

• Art Therapy

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

If we sound like a good fit, feel free to book a free 15-minute consult where we can connect and discuss the next steps.

Age Ranges served: All Email: melissa@islandclinicalcounselling.ca

Phone: 778-762-3750 ext. 117

Pronouns: She/Her

Location: Melissa works out of the Duncan office on Tuesday and Thursday evenings as well as some Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Welcome! Thank you for taking the time to read through our bios and for choosing the counsellor w... Read More