Hi, I’m Kirsten.
I'm known for my great sense of humour and am easy to laugh, which makes so much sense when I look at my career. I deeply value wellness and connection, and laughter is such a powerful tool in our healing journey as we courageously work towards living as our true selves.
When I am not working as a counsellor, you can find me reading a great book or going for walks in nature. I really do love spending time investing in mindful activities for myself to maintain balance, gratitude and happiness in my life.
I am genuinely invested in each person's story and experiences in life and want to ensure people feel heard, seen and understood.
Providing a calm, kind and trusting environment with my clients is my top priority as I acknowledge the vulnerability and courage it takes to do this work.
I believe that although we cannot change past events, we can change the impact those events have on us. I know that change is always possible and it's up to us to take responsibility for how we live our lives on the inside, even when the outside refuses to change.
Generational trauma in my family continued to teach me that when we experience trauma, anxiety, depression or other struggles with mental health, we were to keep that inside. Just tuck it away and "it will just go away". I was never given any tools to deal with struggles I was experiencing and I began to see that this was a common theme through generations past.
There came a point in my life where I realized that this coping/defense mechanism was NOT working anymore as it was affecting me not only mentally and emotionally, but physically and spiritually as well. Therefore, my journey came to focus on changing this generational coping style.
With the experiences I have had in my life, and my passion for working with people, this has brought me to what I do now, and empowering others to flourish and live their best lives!
“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
~ Maya Angelou
My Background
-
Education and Training
I earned my Master's Degree in Counselling from City University of Seattle, in Vancouver, BC. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association for Clinical Counsellors (RCC #14040). Previously, I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Psychology from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC.
Further training that I have completed include:
Bringing the Body into Practice, Somatic Attachment Psychotherapy 2 Year Training - In process (2023 - 2025)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) basic training through British Columbia School of Professional Psychology (BCSPP) with Marshall Wilensky, Ph.D.
Trauma Workshop with Maureen McEvoy, MA, RCC - Neuroscience/Trauma/Brain
The Fundamentals and More of EAP/EFAP with Claire Sutton, MA, RCC, CEAP, FEA
Family Services Workshop with Arden Henley and Mary Kean
Addictions Services Workshop through Vancouver Coastal Health
Circle of Strength Training with Shelley Brierley, M.Ed, CCC, RCC, RTC
-
Volunteer
I believe in giving back to our communities and have been truly honoured to bear witness to countless situations where men and women have shown tremendous strength and courage in the face of trauma.
I was humbled to volunteer at Tri-City Transitions Society, a registered charity offering emergency shelter and support to women and children fleeing family violence and abuse in the Tri-City areas. I helped support counselling groups of women affected by various forms of abuse to learn more positive ways to parent, create boundaries in relationships, and increase self-esteem.
I have also volunteered to counsel groups of men who have been affected by abuse, or have been abusive to others, to learn more positive ways to parent, including a focus on the impact of violence on children, and to cope with anger.
Other groups include parents learning to build healthy attachments with their young children and working with teen moms to help them build healthy parenting and relationships with their child or children.
