Courage, Compassion,
Connection
Individual counselling for teens and adults deeply exploring personal wellbeing, purpose, and relationships
Hi, I’m Kristen
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #17311) in Vancouver, British Columbia and I’m honoured to provide individual and confidential support to teens, young adults, and fellow grownups as you explore and grapple with your inner well-being and relationships in this complex world we inhabit.
I have worked therapeutically with children, youth, and families for over 10 years and I have advanced training in polyvagal informed approaches to somatic and mind-body connections as well as mindful self-compassion. I also work with gifted and twice exceptional individuals (identified or not yet) with a neurodiverse affirming approach.
My clinical roots are humanistic and psychodynamically informed and I believe that safe relationships are key to exploring the whole self. I respect the courage it takes to do this and honour invitations to accompany individuals on their paths.
Who I love to work with
Teens 13+
Young/Emerging Adults
Adults
As a respectful ally I strive to be affirming of gender, sexuality, and sexual identity. I also acknowledge my settler status and cultural privilege.
I am always learning and hope this can be a shared and collaborative process.
My areas of focus
Exploration of emotions
Life transitions
Giftedness
Exploration of identity
My personal and professional reflections on…
Courage
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are”
—E.E. Cummings
Living takes a great deal of courage, from the millions of decisions we make every day, to the risks of new beginnings, and the big questions we encounter from time to time. At all stages of life, courage to be vulnerable, to share, and to be open to change, is a deep human quality that can also be quite scary. Courage to invite another into moments of questioning, moments of exploration, and moments of potential growth is to be honoured and revered.
Compassion
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion” —Dalai Lama
Compassion is a deeply complex experience and can be felt and enacted in small moments of time, in life choices, and also in forming and shifting relationships. It can be gentle or fierce and sometimes feels foreign when invited to apply to self. Exploring this complexity in a safe space can often open up opportunities for growth and change, both internally and in life.
Connection
“Connection is why we're here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.”
—Brené Brown
Most likely, we all have a wide range of experiences in terms of feeling connected to an other. We may have felt misunderstood or lonely and many of us have been harmed by connections. These experiences are held within our bodies and we often forget that our bodies give us cues of safety and risk when connecting with others. We may also forget the value in connecting with ourselves, both in past and in present, to help heal and grow.
How to begin working together
Contact me and let me know how I can support you
We'll set up a 20 minute complimentary consultation (phone or video) to get to know each other and see if we're a good fit
If you feel we've made a potential connection, we'll book an initial session to begin working together