Supporting Your Well-Being

Counselling is a confidential process designed to help you address your concerns while encouraging a greater understanding of yourself. Sessions can support the development of effective personal and interpersonal coping skills. It is a collaborative process between a therapist and client in which goals are identified and evidence based interventions and strategies are explored. A registered clinical counsellor is often covered under extended health care plans.

I approach counselling from a relational, person-centered, trauma-informed lens. I most often engage in long-term therapeutic relationships with my clients or support folks looking for short-term help in processing difficult experiences and trauma. I tailor sessions and my approach based on client's needs and prioritize their sense of safety at all times. 

My approach utlizes techniques and theory from Trauma Focused and Attachment-based Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Positive Psychology.

I have a special interest in the physiological experience of emotions, trauma and anxiety. I work to support individuals while they nurture resiliency, re-condition the nervous system and build the capacity to safely engage in deeper connection.

Commonly treated areas include anxiety, PTSD, trauma, childhood experiences including abuse and misattunement, attachment wounds, relationships, divorce and separation, co-parenting, prenatal and postpartum issues, boundaries, mindset and mindfulness and ADHD.

Rachel has a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology and is a registered Clinical Therapist. In the early stages of her education as a Social Justice and Gender Studies student, Rachel volunteered for 6 years with NEED crisis suicide and prevention line and the Sexual Assault Centre. Those experiences sparked her interest in deeply understanding the impact of trauma and ongoing advocacy for accessible mental health services. 

With over 20 years in the helping profession, Rachel is an experienced social worker in the mental health and addiction field, advocate for housing and harm reduction services, a domestic violence counsellor and public educator for the Transition House Society of B.C. She is a registered yoga teacher trainer and certifies new teachers in trauma-informed yoga, mindfulness and somatic practices. Rachel has held clincal counselling roles for Royal Roads University and Women MD.  Currently, Rachel primarily focuses on her private practice at Lumen Counselling and facilitating trainings locally and abroad. 

In addition to her formal education, Rachel has advanced training in S.A.F.E EMDR, Internal Family Systems and somatic practices. It is important to Rachel to engage in ongoing education and supervision to ensure competence and a high standard of ethics in practice.