Cultural and Systemic Oppression Therapists in Canada

Julie has Master’s Degrees in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Counselling and is currently finishing her doctorate’s degree in clinical psychology. In addition to professional training and experiences in psychotherapy and treatment, clinical counselling, behavioural intervention, and neuropsychological assessments, Julie also has a background in psychological research at the doctoral level and uses the empirical insights gained from previous studies to supplement her current clinical practice, making her unique as a practitioner of both clinical-scientist and scientist-practitioner models. Julie has worked with BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse (BCSMSSA), Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV), Chimo Community Services, and local medical clinics and healthcare centres. She has provided individual and couple/family therapy, treatments, and assessments to individuals for disorders and issues including depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, feeding and eating disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders, neurocognitive disorders, affect management, self-regulation, stress management, sexual/physical abuse and violence, crisis intervention and stabilization, couple/marital/parenting conflicts, academic/work stress, identity crisis/exploration, self-introspective needs, loneliness, and relationship difficulties. She identifies as a cisgender female who is open to clients belonging to the LGBTQIA2S+ communities. Julie applies an integrated theoretical framework informed by trauma theory, understanding of behavioral and neuropsychology, and multicultural sensitivity to her eclectic therapeutic approach. As an advocate of positive psychology who understands that mental health is more than the absence of illness, she focuses on building success and helping clients flourish rather than merely reducing distress. Her clinical repertoire includes Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), CASE Approach for Risk/Suicide Assessment, Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Motivational Interviewing, Somatic Experiencing/Body Awareness Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Clinical Hypnosis. Owning to her mixed ethnic heritage, she is a native speaker of English, Mandarin, and Hokkien, and has conversational-level skills in Japanese and Cantonese.

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed, down or anxious? Do you have a hard time accomplishing goals? Do you want to work on your relationships? As a psychotherapist, my role is to assist you in your journey to achieve these goals; together we will figure out strategies and tools that are ideal for you. I have experience working adults on a variety of issues such as anxiety, stress, depression amongst other complexities. My work history is significant for navigating numerous types of interactions, which has further developed my skill set as a mental health professional. I use a client-centered approach and incorporate integrative techniques to psychotherapy, predominantly working from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT). The decision to start therapy is not always easy, there is a mixture of stigma, guilt or misinformation involved. That being said, I commend you for looking into a therapist, as it is the first step towards your healing process. If you are having a hard time, please contact me, I look forward to hearing your story.

Hello! I'm glad you're here. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (#11949) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, and a Canadian Certified Counsellor (#11249171) and am able to support clients who reside in within Canada. My aim in any therapy session is to support you in a way that you find helpful, while holding a safe enough space to challenge beliefs and behaviours you deem unhelpful. I have varied work experience in the field of mental health, including several years working alongside individuals who live with the lasting impacts of trauma, substance use, mental health diagnoses, poverty, and homelessness. I am Canadian born and Indian, and part of my work is rooted in my lived experience existing between cultures to support clients who face similar struggles. My Masters of Counselling Psychology degree is supplemented by additional postgraduate training in cognitive behaviour therapy, mindful self-compassion, anti-oppressive psychotherapy, narrative therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, and strengths-based listening. I incorporate an intersectional feminist lens in my work, and am continually learning to be a more effective ally to multiple communities (including Black, Indigenous, people with racialized identities, and LGBTQ2SIA+). Outside of Counselling work, I enjoy spending time with friends, animals, and my niece and nephews. I see clients in person or virtually at my Vancouver office on Monday evenings and Fridays, and offer virtual only sessions on Thursday evenings. If you would like to know more about how we could work together or know more about what the counselling process could look like in general, I invite you to book a free 20-minute consultation session (virtual or over the phone). My hope is that I can offer support that is helpful to you! Areas of Practice: - Depression - Anxiety - Stress Management -Identity and Cultural Concerns - Mental Health Diagnoses - Difficult Life Transitions - Grief and Loss - Trauma - Substance use Approaches Used: - Strengths based listening - CBT - Mindful Self-Compassion - Anti-Oppression Psychotherapy - Narrative Therapy - Dialectical Behavioural Therapy -Intersectional Feminist Lens The land I work, live and play on is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and the Stó:lō Nations.

Starting therapy is daunting. Existing in this world is not easy! There is much uncertainty and hurt. I congratulate you for taking the initial steps to find the right fit for you. I believe that everyone has the right to healing and community. We heal in community. The work I do with my clients in essence is relational. The work you will do in therapy is a radical act of self-advocacy in a world that often demands from us productivity and perfectionism. As a social justice activist, yogi, and post-modernist my approach to healing work is holistic. I aspire to go beyond the medical model and do not conform to what the norm demands from us. As your therapist, I engage with you curiously to go deeper, exploring many aspects as you unpack the layers of your narratives. Healing can only begin when we separate who we are from our problems. Coming from a bi-cultural background, I believe the narratives we have to speak to our individualistic and collective experience of events. It is vital to look within and around the communities to which we belong. I can provide services in Hindi, Punjabi, and English. My goal as a therapist is to facilitate mindful exploration of your trauma in a safe, collaborative, and open space. I want to hear your stories. Revisiting painful, challenging, and stressful stories can be a complex process. You are not alone! We work at your pace to restore your agency so that you can reclaim the narratives that serve your interpersonal growth and well-being. Through a trauma-informed lens, together, we can unpack: Anxiety and Low Moods Addictions Abuse Sexuality Social Anxiety Self-esteem and self-worth Burnout Challenges around social justice advocacy and activism Fear and hopelessness Body Image Self-Care Chronic Illness Ableism Navigating bi-cultural reality and expectations Relationships Perfectionism ADHD Feelings of isolation My approach is multi-faceted, and I will be combining traditional talk therapy with somatic psychology practices. I believe movement is essential for our healing and self-regulation. With virtual sessions, I want us to acknowledge that we are present with each other in our whole bodies and not just our floating heads. Therefore, I invite you to get in touch with your senses and body through practices such as tapping exercises or body scans. I will also lean on my mindfulness philosophy to help guide a process through which you can access inner wisdom, be present in the here and now, to release your traumas, and narratives which no longer serve you. My mental health work background is grounded in traditional Vedic-Yoga practices, Buddhist psychology, and Western psychology. Over the last decade, I have strived to do collective healing work through my activism and mental health aid for community members. I am committed to supporting you on your healing journey with great compassion. At this time, I can only see clients that are currently residing in Canada. I wish to express gratitude, and acknowledgment that I currently live, work and play in the ancestral, traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Tsleil-waututh Nations.

Hi there! I am an able bodied and second generation Chinese Canadian immigrant, living and working on the stolen lands of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) Nations. I particularly enjoy supporting marginalized communities and neurodivergent individuals who may be struggling with experiences of invalidation, life transitions, family conflict, relationship challenges, anxiety, and low self-worth. I support folks navigate their own identities by creating a holistic understanding of their history, cultural narrative, and relationship with themselves and others. I understand the complexity of juggling dual cultural identities or not feeling like you belong in either groups. I approach each session with compassion and curiosity as I prioritize my client's safety when processing and unpacking their lived experiences. I strongly value creating a safe, nonjudgmental, healing space where individuals feel valued, heard, and empowered to step into their transformative self-worth. I also support folks impacted by medical trauma and the oppression that can occur in mental health systems. In particular, I support folks struggling with schizophrenia and psychosis. I am committed in supporting folks with symptom management, decolonizing mental health stigmas, fostering self awareness, and bridging community support. I pull from various therapeutic modalities and lean towards a more person-centred, intersectional, and social justice-framed approach. I also enjoy utilizing inner-child work in my sessions! I believe in empowering my clients to unlearn biases, prejudice, and oppressive narratives to help them reclaim their truth. I would be honoured to be a part of your healing journey as we cultivate a safe space together. Please feel free to email me to book or if you have any questions! I am also more than happy to provide a 15 minute complimentary consultation! Now accepting ICBC clients! 12 free sessions for ICBC clients within the first 12 weeks of the accident.

Hi, I’m Larissa (she/her). I navigate the world as a queer, cis woman with mixed ancestry. My mom’s side being settlers from Europe and my dad’s family being Coast Salish from Sq’ewqétl (Skowkale) First Nation. That in-between space shapes how I understand identity belonging, and the complexity of people’s experiences. My counselling approach is flexible and relational, drawing from person-centered, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), strengths based, and mindfulness and rooted in anti-oppressive, trauma-informed care. I recognize that many of the struggles we carry are shaped not just internally, but by the systems and environments we exist in. I work with young adults and adults, including women and folx who identify as queer and LGBTQIA+, and aim to create a space where all parts of you are welcome, even and especially the messy or uncertain ones. Outside of counselling, I enjoy slowing down through arts and crafts (most recently diamond art and junk journaling) and spending time with my therapy cat (who often likes to sit in on work-from-home sessions). I also love exploring new places, whether that’s close to home or another country. I hold a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology from Adler University, and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC).

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.