Samantha Cheng (she/her)- Registered Clinical Counsellor Languages: English

To connect with Samantha email samantha@expressivewellness.ca

Availability- Virtual

Tuesday 9:00am-6:30pm Wednesday 9:00am-6:30pm Thursday 9:00am-6:30pm Friday 9:00am-6:30pm

I am Chinese-Canadian, by way of the Philippines (FilChi, of Hokkien descent). Born and raised in Vancouver, I’ve since moved to Gibsons, and am now exploring life on the unceded territories of the Skwxwú7mesh and Shíshálh nations on the Sunshine Coast. As a queer woman of colour, and a middle-class settler, my lived experience has taught me that the personal is political, and that alongside the challenges that arise when we come up against systems of power, so much strength and resilience can be found in our complex, intersectional identities.

A metaphor was once offered to me, of the role of the counsellor likened to sitting in the passenger seat of a client-driven car. As a counsellor, I am called upon as a companion, to offer the perspective of another window’s view, or to refer back to the map in the glove compartment, or to comment on the skyline, but ultimately, it is the driver that is in charge of the route, the destination, and even the speed at which we travel. Perhaps, more than anything, my role is to bear witness, and especially, to bear witness to moments of transformation, to those particularly beautiful sunsets.

I truly believe that feeling seen and heard is a crucial part of the human experience, and foundational in allowing individuals to foster their own sense of belonging and significance in the world. It is my passion for this process that drew me to this field, and it is my joy to witness individuals embarking on journeys of discovery that lead to greater abilities to move, act, and speak from an authentic and integrated place that acknowledges and honours their voices, needs, and experiences.

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (#12003), and I hold a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from City University of Seattle. In addition to years of community agency work experience- focusing on adult and youth substance use, outreach-based family counselling and parent-teen mediation, and hospital work experience around reproductive health, reproductive choice, and pregnancy loss, I have been working in private practice since 2014.

Grounded in theories that align with my own values of meeting people where they are at, my abilities to listen to, be with, and support others continue to be honed. With a passion for social justice, and rooted in a strengths-based, collaborative approach, I see my work as an opportunity to join with others on their journey to discover all that they already are, and to further support them to become who they would like to be. It is my honour and privilege to bear witness to both the tough and tender moments along the way. In my day-to-day life, I love dancing, drawing, reading YA FIC, hanging out with my pups, and finding magic in everyday encounters with the world.

Samantha Cheng (she/her)- Registered Clinical Counsellor Languages: English To connect with Sama... Read More

Sammy enthusiastically welcomes non-traditional sex and relational identifying folx, such as sex workers, sugar-daters, non-monogamous (regardless of self-identified ethical practice), queer, and kinky folx!

Sammy has been living, working, learning, and playing in the stolen and unceded ancestral home of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations for the past 10 years. Sammy is a queer, polyamorous, neuro-spicy, disabled, kinky, indigenous cis-gendered woman with a passion for exploring non-dominant ways of being. She is passionate about supporting and working alongside similarly oppressed, misunderstood, or stigmatized folx. She is in constant pursuit of disrupting oppressive, dominant social, and harmful sexual and gender scripts.

As a member of the Métis Nation by way of the ‘60s Scoop’ stolen indigenous children in Canada, raised in a queerphobic remote community in northern Canada, Sammy’s values are deeply rooted in anti-oppression, radical acceptance, unconditional positive regard, and informed by social constructionism, intersectional feminism, social exchange, attachment theory.

Sammy recognizes and honours the vulnerability, trust, and strength needed to seek therapy. She approaches each session with judgment-free unconditional respect, humility, curiosity, empathy, and compassion. You can expect warmth, authenticity, and neuro-spicy quirks from Sammy as she integrates aspects of person-centred, narrative, somatic, relational-and emotion-focused therapy that is trauma-sensitive, sex- and body-positive, and queer- and kink-affirming.

You can expect her to show up as a perfectly imperfect fellow human. She appreciates the expertise of lived experience and hopes to empower folx by walking alongside them on their unique healing journey. She believes that through identifying, challenging, and unlearning the internalized, oppressive, and harmful socially constructed scripts and narratives, folx can discover, connect with, and rewrite their stories and authentic identities and gain self-understanding, self-compassion, and self-love.

Sammy is dedicated to learning and unlearning as an intentional lifelong endeavour. She is completing her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. Her passion for learning about sexuality began early in her undergraduate studies at Simon Fraser University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences degree. Majoring in psychology and minoring in human development and counselling, her breadth of studies predominantly centred around sex, gender, and sexuality through sociology, anthropology, and health sciences. As a student member of AASECT, she is in the beginning stages of working toward her Sex Therapy certification. Sammy often explores the wild, seeking out hidden bodies of flowing water to exist in silence with her very senior dog. Friends and family often describe her personality as organized chaos, as evidenced by her 3 a.m. baking and headphones-in solo dance parties.

*Sammy’s Availability: Sammy hopes to co-create equitable access to therapy by offering ‘unconventional’ appointment times for folx facing barriers to ‘normative’ operating hours. She intends to tailor her availability based on the unique needs of her clients whenever possible. Sammy asks that you please specify your unique scheduling needs and limits when booking your initial consultation with her so that she can offer inclusive availability. Please be mindful that accommodated hours will be limited.

Sammy enthusiastically welcomes non-traditional sex and relational identifying folx, such as sex ... Read More

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HI! I am Pin-Han, a registered clinical counsellor, a queer settler coming from Taiwan not long ago. My practice is to provide anti-oppressive and nonjudgmental care to marginalized individuals including, but not limited to, people in the LGBTQ2S+ communities, immigrants, people who use substances, and survivors of domestic violence.

I provide services in English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese.

Based on my personal experience and stories around me, I hold a framework of multiculturalism and intersectionality to support individuals experiencing layers of systematic oppression such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability, class and culture.

By strongly believing that you are your own expert and that my role is to guide and support you through the therapeutic process, I collaborate with folks to find the integrative therapeutic approach that best meets their needs. I recognize your vulnerability and am honoured to walk alongside with you. I aim to meet you where you are at and offer a safe and confidential space in your journey. I look forward to meeting with you.

我提供英文、中文及台語服務。因為自身的成長背景及生命經驗，我對多元性別認同、多元交織性及各個弱勢族群相關議題有濃厚的興趣。在堅信「每個人都是自己人生的專家」的信念下，在諮商關係中，我扮演一個燈塔的角色，照亮你生命的大洋，以便你航行下一階段的旅程順遂。

I would like to honour and recognize the traditional and unceded territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo Nations, on whose territories I work and live.

HI! I am Pin-Han, a registered clinical counsellor, a queer settler coming from Taiwan not long a... Read More

With the exceptions of clinical supervision, Residential Historical Abuse Program (RHAP) clients, and hormone readiness assessments, I am currently full with a closed waitlist. Contact samkaplan@expressivewellness.ca to connect.

I often work alongside folks processing personal, collective, and systemic traumas. Specifically I often work with current and former youth in care, neurodivergent folks, folks navigating chronic pain/disabilities, queer/trans folks, sex workers, poly folks and topics around identity exploration.

In working alongside folks I often weave in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), somatic-attachment, art therapy, narrative therapy , trauma centred engagement and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). I see people as experts in their own lives and it is really important to me to work collaboratively alongside people and to co-create space for healing. ​ In my personal life, I love the woods, the ocean, making art, gardening, and animals. I am non-binary (they/them), neurodivergent, and of European and Arab Jewish background. I strive towards anti-oppressive, social justice oriented practices, and also recognize that this is ongoing work of listening and learning and unlearning.

I am located on the unceded traditional and ancestral homelands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

With the exceptions of clinical supervision, Residential Historical Abuse Program (RHAP) clients,... Read More

I’m drawn to support people who feel like they don’t belong. If you have learned to hate parts of yourself, have had to cut off access to joy and rest in order to survive, or have taken on wounds of exclusion, we might be an excellent fit. I welcome bookings for both individual and relationship work.

My approach to counselling is personalized and adaptive. If something doesn’t work for you, I assume the approach needs to change, not you! You can expect a mix of storytelling, parts work (IFS), imagination, body-based practices (somatic), adapted EMDR, and laughter, with each session shaped specifically for you. I’m here to help you build unique, personalized strategies for healing; my counselling has been described as collaborative, warm, and creative.

I come to this work through a mix of identities and experiences. I embody queer, neurodivergent, straight-sized, working-turned-middle class white settler identities. I hold lived experience in and near trauma, incarceration, substance use, intergenerational trauma, sexualized violence, institutional violence and betrayal, and complex grief.

Professionally, I have a long history of supporting people who are treated like the problem, including QTIBIPoC+ folx, survivors of violence, and people who have experienced institutional harm.

As a counsellor, my goal is to help you find a peaceful sense of home inside yourself. I’d like to help you end patterns of cutting yourself small. I’d like to help you recognize and know yourself more fully. I’d like to help you learn how to be yourself in entirely new ways. If these goals seem unlikely or impossible, I really welcome you to book a consult to learn more about how we could connect.

**Counselling Approaches: ** Trauma-Informed Anti-Oppressive Parts work Somatic Narrative Mindfulness Harm-reduction EMDR

Selected Professional Training I studied discourse analysis, identity construction, and meaning-making in a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. As my interest in healing grew, I mixed formal and informal training in counselling, social work, and ethics. I completed my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychotherapy in 2022.

Since 2018, I have taken courses in social justice, professional ethics, trauma-centered psychotherapy, EMDR, secondary compassion fatigue, dream analysis, LGBTQ2S+ counselling, Tarot as a conceptualization of the healing process, harm reduction, intersectional conceptualizations of anti-Black racism and settler colonial violence, and Usui reiki (levels I and II). I completed my trauma certificate through Wilfrid Laurier University in 2022.

In my free time, I stay up-to-date on academic and popular literature about trauma, epigenetics, anti-oppressive practices, depression, family systems, body-centered healing practices, healing through spirit, substance use, parts work, biomedical ethics, and Canadian postsecondary systems.

Although I have a lot of academic training in these areas, I affirm lived experience as valuable knowledge. I take a non-expert stance in my work with people. No book, article, or opinion is more important than what you know about your experiences.

I’m drawn to support people who feel like they don’t belong. If you have learned to hate parts of... Read More

My journey has inspired a dedication to supporting individuals with relationship struggles, chronic pain, emotional challenges, anxiety, family trauma, the effects of a loved one’s incarceration, and sexual trauma. Drawing from years of valuable growth through my counselling experiences, I am now excited to connect with you as a student practicum counsellor.

As a first-generation South Korean immigrant with over two decades in Canada, I empathize with unique challenges international students and workers encounter, such as homesickness, long-distance relationships, and anxiety/stress related to immigration processes.

I deeply value your autonomy, experiences, and insights, recognizing them as vital components of our counselling journey. My approach is humanistic, focused on your strengths, oriented towards harm-reduction, and informed by a deep understanding of trauma.

I truly empathize with the challenges of finding a therapist you can trust. I invite you to connect with me for an initial conversation, where we can discuss the possibility of working together and ensure that you feel comfortable and supported in this important step.

Please email me for more availability if you do not see time that works for you.

My journey has inspired a dedication to supporting individuals with relationship struggles, chron... Read More

I am a queer, cis, chronically ill, neurodivergent, white settler of mixed Irish and unknown ancestry resultant of family adoption. I use she or they pronouns and invite you to share with me what identifiers currently feel right for you. I live on the unceded traditional and ancestral homelands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. I have been working as a counsellor in community and public health settings for over a decade, including mental health programs, hospitals, non-profit organizations, and schools. Alongside this work I provide clinical supervision for new and student counsellors.

My values are guided by social justice and being trauma informed. I aim to be anti-oppressive, body neutral, sex positive, and committed to unlearning colonialism. I offer tools from narrative therapy, family systems, somatic approaches, and parts work. I completed a post graduate program in Expressive Arts therapy, so if finding the right words isn’t for you, I have some creative tools we can try. I have experience with mental illness and substance use, chronic illness and pain, burnout, trauma and vicarious trauma, grief, and loss. I bring warmth, humour and respect to the connections I have with others.

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (#17871) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. I have a Master’s in Counselling from City University of Seattle and completed the Expressive Arts therapy certification from the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

I am a queer, cis, chronically ill, neurodivergent, white settler of mixed Irish and unknown ance... Read More

Lisley (she/her) identifies herself as a queer, fat, body-abled, black, Brazilian, latinx, cis-gendered woman. Born and raised in the “periferias” of Campina Grande, Brazil, she completed most of her studies in counselling and psychology while also working as a trauma-informed full-spectrum birth worker (doula). Since 2016, she has lived and worked on the stolen, ancestral, and unceded territories of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) Nations.

Lisley has helped over 300 families transition into parenthood, seeking to provide them with a more positive birth experience by informing and supporting pregnant people, no matter the pregnancy outcome.

Lisley believes counselling is a means through which she and her clients can co-create new life perspectives. She is committed to offering an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and trauma-informed approach. In the counselling room, Lisley supports clients in having an understanding of the impacts of systems of power, cultural expectations, loss, and trauma on their realities and relationships. She draws from client-centred approaches, cognitive schema therapy, perinatal psychology, attachment theory, community psychology, and systemic family therapy.

She has experience working with individuals and families from the BIPOC and LGBTQI+ community, as well as immigrants and people who are experiencing major life transitions. She also has experience with people navigating pregnancy, loss and infertility processes.

Lisley is happy to provide care in both Portuguese and English to Adults and Families, BIPOC and from LGBTQA+ communities.

When she isn’t working on counselling and reproductive justice, she enjoys baking, crocheting, riding her bike and spending time with her partner.

Lisley (she/her) identifies herself as a queer, fat, body-abled, black, Brazilian, latinx, cis-g... Read More

​Angel is a queer, Egyptian-Canadian settler living on the stolen homelands of the the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), Qayqayt (Key-Kite), Stz’uminus (Sha-main-us), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwee-Kwet-Lum) Nations. Angel was born and raised in British Columbia and has been working towards a career in counselling since 2014.

Angel believes in supporting folx through hardships and into growth and believes her work is best described as helping people help themselves. She has worked with marginalized individuals including, but not limited to, LGBTQ2S+ folx, Indigenous peoples, sex workers, people of the global majority (BIPOC), and people who use substances. She approaches counselling from a harm reduction, anti-oppressive, trauma informed lens and utilizes a collaborative approach integrating a variety of techniques from theories including person-centred, EMDR, Internal Family Systems, narrative, and others.

Angel is passionate about the outdoors, music, art, and writing and would love to incorporate these forms of expression into her practice if they resonate with you. She seeks to understand your perspectives and meet you where you are at so she can provide counselling best suited to your unique needs and goals. She is looking forward to hearing from you and arranging a free, 15-minute consultation. Please email angelsukkaucounselling@gmail.com to book an initial consult!

​Angel is a queer, Egyptian-Canadian settler living on the stolen homelands of the the xʷməθkwəy... Read More

I believe therapy goes beyond just talk, a chance to explore parts of ourselves that have been shut away in order to make it through the day. If you choose, I would love to take the journey with you, and see what we’ll find.

I prioritize implementing an anti-oppressive, client-entered, and trauma informed lens. I often weave narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, play therapy and art therapy into my practice.

Some of the topics we might be able to navigate together include life transitions, anxiety, depression, relational struggles, sexuality, and trauma.

Outside of the therapy world, I am at the gym trying to build my squat, running to catch sunsets, cooking, and listening to 2000s r&b on repeat.

I believe therapy goes beyond just talk, a chance to explore parts of ourselves that have been sh... Read More

Session Information - Individual Counselling

Format: * In-person (Walk & Talk or in-office) * Virtual (video or telephone)

Rate

• 50 minutes $135
• 75 minutes $200

-FNHA mental health provider

-waitlist for subsidy is full

Availability

• Wednesdays 11:30am-6:30pm (video, telephone, walk & talk)
• Saturday 1:30pm-7pm (video, telephone, in-office)

**Maryanne is vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. For in-person appointments you must be fully vaccinated, wear a mask, and be willing to social distance

Sometimes we need a place where we can kick off our shoes, speak our minds plainly, and work through difficult situations, thoughts, and feelings. Grounding sessions in respect, empathy, and curiosity, Maryanne strives to co-create a space where you can exhale, unpack, explore, grow, and move forward.

Maryanne has been a registered social worker since 2012, providing counselling and social work services for a wide range of folks including

• 2SLGBTQIA+
• QTPoC
• Second-generation diaspora
• Folks with disabilities
• ADHD
• Seniors aging in place
• Caregivers of vulnerable adults
• Poly/ethical non-monogamy
• BDSM/kink/leather

Maryanne has both professional and lived experience in these areas:

• navigating multiple group memberships (e.g. sexuality and cultural minority; gender and disability)
• traversing daily life with neurodivergence
• self-esteem, anxiety, depression, perfectionism
• exploring sexuality and gender (including initial conversations about hormone therapies)
• alternate relationship configurations
• life transitions

Medically based services * advance care planning and end-of-life planning * Medical Assistance in Dying conversations * adjustment to changes in ability * caregiver burnout * navigating medical systems

What are sessions with Maryanne like?

Maryanne approaches their work with a relationally accountable, inquisitive spirit and trauma-aware, harm reduction approach. Sessions often feel like a friendly conversation - both laughter and inconveniently truthful reflections are commonplace. Expect to explore both your internal landscape and the larger systems in society impacting what we think/feel. With Maryanne’s social work hat on, problem-solving, brainstorming, planning, medical systems navigation, and supportive resource scaffolding are possible.

Counselling Style and Focus

Maryanne uses an integrative counselling style, pulling from person-centered, narrative, somatic, internal family systems, and evidence-based traditions (if requested). Their perspective is inflected with an intersectional feminist social justice lens.

About maryanne

Maryanne is a queer, neurodivergent, gender-fluid, fat, second-generation Chinese Canadian settler with invisible disabilities. They live upon the stolen territories of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) Nations. As a settler, Maryanne strives to treat the First Peoples, land, and plant/animal relatives with care and respect. When not in conversation with clients, Maryanne enjoys snuggling with their small fluffy dog, welcoming folks into various alt-spaces, planting urban food forests, choreography, and introducing friends to dim sum. They look forward to connecting with you!

questions? maryanne@collective-healing.ca

Session Information - Individual Counselling Format: * In-person (Walk & Talk or in-office) ... Read More

​Kaitlin Wu (she/her) is a cisgender, able-bodied, second generation Chinese Canadian immigrant, living and working on the stolen lands of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) Nations.Kaitlin specializes in working with marginalized communities and neurodivergent individuals who may be struggling with experiences of invalidation, life transitions, family conflict, relationship challenges, anxiety, and low self-worth. Kaitlin approaches each session with compassion and curiosity as she supports clients in processing and unpacking their lived experiences towards healing. She is firmly committed to creating a safe, nonjudgmental, healing space where clients feel valued, heard, and empowered to step into their transformative self-worth.

Kaitlin holds a person-centered, intesectionalist, social justice framed approach that believes in helping clients unlearn biases, prejudice, and oppressive narratives to reclaim their truth. Kaitlin has also completed EMDR training. She has spent the last 7 years in both educational and community environments working with diverse communicative behaviours as she attunes to the nonverbal messages, emotions, and patterns that often go unnoticed. She strongly believes in fostering an inclusive and safe environment where youth of all abilities feel empowered and supported in their development.

She strongly affirms that every client is to be met with understanding, integrity, and support, regardless of where they are on their journey. Kaitlin wants her clients to know that every version of themselves is deserving of love and acceptance.

Through empathic listening, Kaitlin holds space for her clients to feel safe and seen as they collaboratively navigate the journey of self-healing, self-forgiveness, and self-compassion. Kaitlin would be honoured to walk alongside with her clients as they learn how to regain self-trust and build a peaceful home in themselves.

​Kaitlin Wu (she/her) is a cisgender, able-bodied, second generation Chinese Canadian immigrant, ... Read More