Strive Counselling

My name is Micah, and I identify as a female first-generation immigrant. s a Filipino-Canadian, I am motivated to create a safe space for other people of colour individuals to feel fully seen and heard. Concurrently over the last 16 years, I have spent 5 years working with the elderly community (specifically those with dementia and Alzheimer’s), 5 years in healthcare helping families work through grief and loss, 11 years working with adults with acquired brain injury, and 10 years working under a social service capacity with youth across Bangladesh, Africa, India, and Nepal. In my professional identity thus far, I have gained valuable insights and skills that have contributed to my therapeutic journey. As a result, I have developed a holistic and person-centered approach to therapy that integrates evidence-based, strength-based, mindfulness, and somatic-based practices. I believe this approach best equips me to meet your specific concerns and needs. To me, therapy is a space where we can explore, discover, and tackle distressing thoughts, feelings, or behaviours that may be holding you back. In our sessions, you can expect me to provide you with tangible tools and strategies to foster meaningful change, and to create opportunities to experience vulnerability in a safe space. Our work together will focus on raising awareness in the present moment so that you may accept and live a life full of clarity and authenticity.

You deserve to be seen and heard, not just for what you achieve, but for who you are. I specialize in supporting athletes, high achievers, and Asian and racialized individuals navigating anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, identity, cultural expectations, and performance-related stress. Much of my work focuses on helping clients untangle their relationship with achievement, productivity, and self-worth while building a more grounded and secure sense of identity. Many of my clients are capable, driven, and deeply responsible. On the outside, they appear high-functioning. Internally, they may be carrying pressure, self-doubt, anxiety, burnout, or a quiet sense that their worth is conditional on success. Despite their accomplishments, they often feel overwhelmed by the pressure to perform, disconnected from themselves, or unsure of who they are outside of achievement and productivity. I also work closely with athletes and teams across club, varsity, and national team sport environments. My work in mental performance focuses on confidence, emotional regulation, resilience, pressure management, performance anxiety, fear of failure, burnout, motivation, focus, injury recovery, and identity outside of sport. I support athletes through both performance enhancement and the mental health challenges that can emerge within competitive environments. As an Asian-Canadian and second-generation immigrant myself, my lived experiences deeply shape how I approach therapy and mental health. I understand how difficult it can feel to navigate multiple cultural worlds while balancing expectations around success, responsibility, achievement, and emotional expression. Many of the clients I work with carry invisible pressure — pressure to succeed, pressure to make others proud, pressure to not disappoint others, or pressure to struggle silently while appearing “fine” on the outside. I strive to create a space where clients feel genuinely seen, understood, and supported. Therapy with me is collaborative, compassionate, and grounded in curiosity rather than judgment. Together, we work to better understand the patterns, experiences, and beliefs that may be keeping you stuck while helping you build a healthier and more sustainable relationship with yourself, your emotions, and your goals. In addition to my counselling work, I have over 11 years of experience coaching wrestling and have held leadership positions at both the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) and National Sport Organization (NSO) levels. I have also worked with Canadian Women & Sport for the past three years. These experiences continue to shape my understanding of performance culture, athlete development, and the systemic pressures that many individuals face within high-performance environments. My approach to counselling is strengths-based, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and grounded in evidence-informed practices. I believe therapy should feel tailored to you and your unique experiences rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. If you’re looking for a therapist who understands the nuances of Asian mental health, the internal world of high achievers, or the mental demands of athletics, I would be honoured to walk alongside you. I offer a culturally attuned space to unpack these experiences, without shame or blame, so you can move toward a more integrated sense of self.

Hi! I’m Will (he/him); a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Mental Performance Consultant and founder of Strive Counselling. My clinical roots began over the span of a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where I worked extensively with people who use drugs. A simultaneous stint working with inmates at BC Corrections has allowed me to develop not only a deeper understanding of mental health and addiction, but to also foster a greater sense of empathy and compassion for what it means to help people. I have also spent a significant portion of time working at Vancouver Community College, both as an instructor and as a counsellor, where I helped many students with culturally diverse backgrounds work through equally-diverse issues. As a proud Taiwanese-Canadian, I am passionate about fostering cultural humility in my practice, and to learn about the interplay between culture and mental health. Currently, I am a member of the Mental Health Network under the Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport; a nationally-led organization comprised of highly-skilled mental health professionals from across Canada who specialize in various areas sports psychology. As a Mental Performance Consultant, I have had the exciting opportunity to work with high-level athletes from various organizations, including Douglas College Athletics, The Richmond Oval’s High Performance Program, and FightStory (Founded by former ONE FC Champion Angela Lee). In our sessions, you can expect an engaged, committed, and collaborative clinician to help you reach your goals. I am keen on empowering you with the insights needed to create lasting meaningful change. I am excited to help you achieve wellness and reach your potential. When I’m not seeing clients, I enjoy an active lifestyle predominantly occupied by practicing martial arts, including Muay Thai and BJJ. I express myself creatively through carpentry, and seek tranquility through my freshwater aquariums. I am a proud father of enthusiastic girls, and husband to an unconditionally supportive wife.

I’m Amber (she/her); I am an Asian, settler, cisgender woman living and practicing on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. I welcome diverse clients of all cultures, genders, and sexual orientations. I appreciate that we all come with unique stories and histories, and I think it is important to recognize and celebrate how these shape the way that we experience the world. I feel honoured and privileged to walk alongside my resilient clients in their personal healing journeys. I am passionate about EMDR, art therapy, play therapy, and other trauma-informed practices because of their potential to support the transformation and healing of both ourselves and our communities. My role is to hold space for you to come as you are and for your experiences to be met with compassion, curiosity, and tenderness. I believe that we all have the capacity to heal and grow especially in relation to others. Together through our work, we can begin to undo the aloneness that often comes with having negative experiences. I have a deep compassion and respect for the experiences that my clients entrust in me and through a collaborative approach, I hope to honour your lived experiences. Together we will establish a direction in our work that feels supportive of your goals and values. I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, my Bachelor of Education, and my Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology at UBC. I have additional training in the areas of trauma, attachment theory, emotion-focused therapy, and narrative approaches. In addition to counselling, I have also worked as an elementary school teacher in Vancouver. I have a special appreciation for the unique challenges experienced by children, adolescents, and their families. I believe connection, non-judgement, and trust are vital to building a strong therapy relationship.I think every piece of ourselves is important and together we will work with, rather than against, your experiences and emotions. It is important to me that you feel both safe and empowered throughout this entire process. In my spare time you can find me curled up with my dog Yuki watching musicals and reading fantasy novels.

It takes courage to heal and create change within yourself. By being here, you have already taken a significant step towards transforming your life. As your counsellor, I am committed to working alongside you in collaborative exploration to cultivate your natural intuition and strengths, empowering you to feel embodied in your true self. My therapeutic approach is rooted in cultural humility, compassion, and curiosity. As a proud Taiwanese-Canadian woman and second-generation immigrant, I bring a deep understanding of the cultural and intergenerational challenges that many bicultural individuals face. This perspective allows me to help clients expand their cultural narratives and harness their unique strengths and insights to foster growth and resilience. With over a decade of experience as a strength coach, Olympic weightlifting coach, and Registered Kinesiologist, I possess an understanding of the intricate connection between physical and mental health. My passion lies in supporting youth and teen athletes, helping them navigate issues such as performance anxiety, perfectionism, and belonging. Additionally, I am dedicated to supporting adults who are facing challenges related to anxiety, depression, trauma, imposterism, and cultural identity. In our sessions, you can expect a warm, empathetic, and grounded clinician who understands the importance of giving voice to your experiences. I hold space for you to show up as you are and firmly believe in your internal wisdom and capacity for growth. Through our work together, I aim to help you cultivate a more compassionate and accepting relationship with yourself, embracing all parts of you. When I’m not seeing clients, I enjoy lifting weights and spending time with my family and friends over a good meal. I love to reconnect with myself through nature walks with my dog, listening to music, and karaoke!

I offer a supportive and reflective space for individuals who are navigating the everyday challenges and complexities of life. Whether you are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, relationship concerns, or simply looking for a place to pause and reconnect with yourself, I am here to help. My goal is to provide a calm and compassionate space where you can feel heard and supported as you make sense of what you are going through. My approach is grounded in empathy, curiosity, and respect for your lived experience. We can explore your thoughts and emotions to better understand what might be keeping you feeling stuck. I work with people from all walks of life who are seeking clarity, growth, and emotional well-being.

Hello! My name is Elika (Eh-lee-ka) and I am a neurodivergent, cisgender, second generation Okinawan immigrant settler occupying the stolen traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations. I am an intern counsellor completing a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology degree, and am excited for the opportunity to lean into over 15 years of experience working in community-based programs and social services. I have had the privilege of working alongside individuals of all ages, identities, and diverse family/caregiver structures such as young folks living in the foster care system. I bring a deep passion for welcoming and exploring the unique story of each person, nurturing their strengths, interests, and capacities while creating a supportive space to work through life’s challenges. Together, we’ll explore how your past experiences, your environment, and the different parts of who you are shape the person you are becoming today. Through developing a meaningful and trusting connection to ground our work together, I strive to support your vision of health and well-being with warmth, openness, empathy, and kind care. I believe in exploring and (re)discovering your inner resources, and nurturing your authenticity in a way that is meaningful to you.