About the Therapist

Hi, I’m Alyssa!

  • My path into counseling hasn’t been a straight line—it has been shaped by both lived experience and professional training. Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a clinical cardiac researcher, witnessing how unprocessed trauma, chronic stress, and unsupported mental health struggles often manifested in the body as very real and painful health conditions.

    I also navigated my own journey as a long-term patient within Western healthcare. These experiences gave me a unique perspective: I saw both the strengths and gaps in our current systems of care, and I wanted to create something different. I wanted to build spaces where care feels humanized, accessible, inclusive, and compassionate—where people are supported as whole beings, not reduced to symptoms or diagnoses.

  • My therapeutic approach is integrative, person-centered, and heart-led. I weave together:

    • Relational-Cultural Theory

    • Attachment Theory

    • Interpersonal Neurobiology

    • Internal Family Systems

    • Somatic practices

    Alongside these evidence-based methods, I embrace a holistic lens that may include:

    • Energy psychology

    • Medical Qigong

    • Spiritual and nature-based counseling

    • Art as a tool for healing

    • Astrology (for those interested in intuitive or esoteric practices)

    I aim to create a balanced process of healing—one that doesn’t have to feel heavy all the time. Therapy with me also celebrates your strengths, fosters joy, and awakens your capacity for resilience, allowing healing to happen not only on emotional and mental levels but also through spiritual, creative, and energetic dimensions.

  • As a White, neurodivergent woman living with invisible disabilities, I carry an awareness of systemic harms in Western healthcare and mental health systems—especially those rooted in pathologizing, reductionist models and White supremacy.

    I am committed to decolonizing my practice by centering:

    • Trauma-informed care

    • Cultural humility and lifelong learning

    • Neuro-affirmative approaches

    • Disability-affirmative care

    • Size-acceptance and body-affirming

    This means honoring each person’s unique story and identity while co-creating a space where safety, healing, and integration are possible.

    I also offer several Sliding Scale spots to make therapy more accessible for those facing financial barriers. (Please note that all Sliding Scale spots are currently full.)

  • I do not aim to “fix” anyone. My role is to accompany, support, witness, and empower people as they explore their capacity for:

    • Healing

    • Self-leadership

    • Connection

    I am deeply honored to support you on your journey toward greater peace, balance, and joy. At the heart of it, I believe healing happens in safe, authentic, and compassionate relationships. My goal is to co-create spaces where people feel deeply respected, seen, and supported as they reconnect with their inner strengths, navigate life’s challenges, and build lives aligned with their values.

Just as a tree’s roots intertwine with soil, water, and unseen networks of support, our own healing deepens when we connect to ourself, to community, and to the natural cycles of life. When we nurture our roots, we cultivate steadiness, clarity, and vitality that can carry us through challenging times and helps us flourish in our most authentic self.

Qualifications & Trainings

  • Master of Science in Clinical Counseling,

    • Emphasis in Somatic Therapy and Trauma Therapy

  • Brainspotting, Level 1

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills Training

  • Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP)

    • Clarity and Wisdom: Ethics of Energy Psychology Certification

    • The Science of Energy Healing Certification

  • Microchakra Psychology for Mental Health Professionals Training

  • Medical Qigong Practitioner, International Institute of Medical Qigong

  • Usui Reiki Practitioner, Level II

  • Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

  • San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training, Core ICS Mental Health Training

  • IHI Quality Improvement: Patient Safety, Person and Family-Centered Care Training

  • Vancouver Island Health Health Authority Medical Terminology Certification

  • Vancouver Island Health Authority

    • Confidential Information Management (CIM) Code of Practice

    • Good Clinical Practice (GCP)