Counselling & Psychotherapy

Having compassion starts and ends with having compassion for all those unwanted parts of ourselves. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.
-Pema Chödrön
  • Do you often feel stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious?
  • Are you tired of your inner critic running the show?
  • Are you struggling to move on from a past or present hurt?
  • Do you want to experience greater freedom, connection, & happiness in your life?

If you're currently struggling with a challenge or seeking meaningful change, then know that you don't have to go through this alone. As Registered Clinical Counsellors with years of training and experience, we can help you move towards more balance in your emotions, clarity in your mind, stability in your body, and connection in your heart. 

Who We work with:

We work with adults, young adults,  teens, couples, and families, to bridge the gap between where they are now and where they would like to be. Our style is to collaboratively address distressing symptoms, while also beginning to heal the core wounds that lie beneath them,  re-wire the brain and body's way of responding to stress and threat, and build tools for greater confidence, clarity, regulation, and self-worth.

With time, trust, and courage, counselling can not only help you to cope better, but live a joyful and empowered life. 

Our Areas of Specialty Are:
  • Anxiety & Stress
  • ​Depression
  • ​Emotional & relational trauma (childhood & adulthood)​
  • Relationship & Intimacy issues
  • Couples & Family Therapy
  • PTSD & Complex Trauma
  • Chronic Pain
  • Abuse (Sexual, Verbal, Emotional)
  • Self-Esteem & Body Image
  • Spirituality, Spiritual Emergence, & Existential Meaning
  • Gender & Sexuality
  • Concussion
  • Anger
  • Wellbeing
  • Child & Youth Counselling
Our therapists are each highly skilled and trained. Check out our therapists' bios to see their specific approaches and training, or contact us and we can help you determine who might be the best fit for you.

Our Counselling Philosophy

​The key to any positive counselling experience is feeling safe, understood, and respected by your therapist. At Compassion Within, we have a highly relational way of practicing therapy, and focus on building connection and trust at the foundation of our relationships with each client. 

Rather than simply focusing on eliminating difficult symptoms, we will aim to work collaboratively with you to explore, identify, and heal the core issues that lie beneath them, at your own pace. This can often involve gaining clarity on patterns of thinking, behaviour, and emotions that might be keeping you stuck or unhappy, supporting you to unburden and heal from past and present hurts, and building practical and holistic skills for relating to yourself, your emotions, relationships, and life's circumstances with kindness and acceptance.

​What lies at the core of the majority of challenges that people face is the way they consciously and unconsciously relate to themselves. Although this concept can seem simple at the outset, we believe that developing a loving and compassionate relationship with oneself is one of the most powerful acts that any of us can undertake. At the heart of each person lies incredible gifts of strength, wisdom, intuition, and creativity. Learning to relate to yourself with greater kindness and love frees you up to recognize your own innate gifts, and take meaningful risks in sharing them more freely with the world.

You can read more about the typical stages of therapy here.  

How We Work

 
Collectively, we combine decades of training and professional experience in evidence-based and mind/body therapy from a range of traditions. Though each therapist is unique in their skills, we blend science and intuition in our counselling approach, and draw on many of the best insights from Internal Family Systems, EMDR, AEDP, Compassion Focused Therapy, and Somatic Therapy.

The backbone of our counselling work is built on the wisdom of self-compassion and mindfulness.  Cutting edge research and ancient spiritual teachings alike support  self-compassion's positive impact on healing depression, anxiety, trauma, and low self-worth. These practices are scientifically proven to foster greater emotion regulation, self-awareness, empowered choice, motivation, and wellbeing.

Although self-compassion can seem simple, it's often not easy. Shame, trauma, and a host of mental health issues can stay locked in place when inner criticism, low self-worth, and lack of emotional regulation are present and deeply rooted. We will work with you to explore your challenges compassionately, soften your inner critic, and shift your inner dialogue to being supportive of your deepest goals and values in life. 

​Over time, the impact of counselling is healing that you can feel and see in your daily life. We like to think of this process as becoming your own best healer and ally!

Book a Session


​We offer counselling both in person (in Vancouver) and online via video-conference. If you would like to book a session or talk further to find out if working together is a good fit for you, then please contact us to book a free & no obligation 20 minute phone consultation. 

We look forward to hearing from you, and finding out how we can support you on your healing journey!

Fees

Fees range from $160-$185. Please check each therapists' bio to see their rates.
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  • Check with your health insurance provider to find out if seeing a Registered Clinical Counsellor is covered under your health plan.

Location

Our office is located downtown Vancouver, at 610-1125 Howe St., Vancouver, BC.
Positive transformation is always possible. Ready to begin?
Contact Us today at 778-683-3362, or at [email protected].