Living Tides Psychotherapy and Wellness
MCP, Registered Clinical Counsellor
Thank you for visiting Living Tides Psychotherapy and Wellness. All humans are welcome here. ​
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Do you get stuck in repetitive behaviours, thoughts, or emotions that keep you from enjoying your life or relationships to the fullest? Do you ever find yourself emotionally triggered by seemingly small or neutral events or interactions, leaving you feeling confused as to why the incident bothered you so much in the first place? If this is you, you've come to the right place.
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It can be frustrating, exhausting, and defeating to feel trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle of unwanted patterns. Although such patterns may be unhelpful or even harmful in your current life, they may have been useful or even essential to your survival at an earlier time. What do said "patterns" look like? They can present in numerous and unlimited ways, such as through self-criticism, people pleasing, over-expression of emotion (anxiety, anger, overwhelm), under-expression of emotion (numbing, dissociation), or anxious or avoidant attachment. They can even manifest as body symptoms or chronic pain.
It is important to understand that every struggle makes sense when we look at the context of our environment and history (e.g., family of origin, early relationships, culture, institutions, physical environment).
While coping tools can be helpful and will often be provided at the onset of therapy to manage symptoms, I believe it is important to address the root of your issue, and I strive to do so as holistically as possible. To make changes to unhelpful patterns, it helps to process emotional wounds commonly held by younger parts of us who either consciously or unconsciously drive the habitual patterns we get caught in. Understanding, healing, and connecting with deeper parts of ourselves can move us toward our values, goals, and a more harmonious relationship with self & other.
​Why "Living Tides?"
As a child, I loved exploring tide pools along the Gulf Islands with my dad, an activity I can still easily get lost in for hours. There is wonderment in the tiny creatures who will show themselves beneath a salty ocean window should you be still enough for long enough. With such presence and attention, parts of a larger thriving ecosystem will suddenly come to life before your eyes: A hermit crab seeking new residence, sculpins hiding in a sandstone cave, green anemone’s closing in on a catch.
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Much like tide pools, our minds are composed of a beautifully complex interconnected system requiring intercommunication and balance in order to thrive. When one component is not functioning optimally or is cut off from the others, the whole system can be affected. This is where curiosity comes in. If we can look at all parts of ourselves, even (especially) parts we fear or dislike, with openness and curiosity, we will be surprised at what we find. I invite you to tap into your own version of the child in awe of the tidepools. Curiosity will almost always lead you down a path of self-awareness, understanding, and ultimately, to healing.
Therapy: What to Expect ​
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While empathetic, attuned, and non-judgemental listening is imperative to our work together, I will do much more with you than simply listen. With your consent, I will incorporate exercises into our sessions to help guide you into a deeper understanding of your inner world, aiming to help you access, understand, connect with, and heal different parts of you. Over time, you can develop the opportunity to be internally guided from a place of inner wisdom, confidence, and intention, rather than by mistaken beliefs, painful emotions, or uncomfortable body sensations held by younger parts of you.
As always, it is my job to create a space that feels comfortable and safe in order for your more vulnerable parts to feel ready to show up.
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While I may point out habits of avoidance or gently redirect sessions if I notice a pattern that is counter to your goals in therapy, at the end of the day, these are your sessions, and you get to choose how to spend them!
My way of working will probably feel different than what you are accustomed to in everyday life and will likely require a shift in how you normally think. To access the deeper more vulnerable parts of you, it helps to use imagination, stillness, and especially, an open mind. You are welcome to research Internal Family Systems (IFS) online to help you understand what this approach looks like in practice. I may also use some additional neuroscience techniques to help you process more vulnerable emotions or traumatic memories using a new therapy called Observed and Experiential Integration Therapy (OEI). For more information on OEI, please click here.
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​While it is wonderful to feel excited and motivated to make changes in our lives. It is important to remember that most of our patterns have been neurologically hardwired for decades. Change takes time. This is why it is important to understand that personal healing and growth is a journey, not a destination. It is imperative to notice and celebrate the little successes along the way, as each will play a part in the larger changes that will happen over time.
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Some days you may simply want to come to therapy to connect with me and just chat about your life, and that's totally okay too. Further, some struggles will have more to do with outside influences, such as people, prejudice, or institutions, which may need to be discussed and validated before jumping into the workings of your mind.
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Throughout the therapeutic process, I am scanning for environmental, cultural, or oppressive systems that may be causing or contributing to your struggles. I am also holding an awareness of the inherent power imbalances that may exist between the intersecting identities of you, me, and the dominant culture.
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I am committed to a lifelong reflection of my biases, values, and beliefs. As I work to unlearn language and biases born from oppressive systems in the dominant culture, I will inherently make mistakes. When this occurs, I will take responsibility and work to self-correct. If you notice that I miss something, it is not your responsibility to educate me; however, I endeavor to provide a safe and open space for feedback if you feel this would benefit our relationship, yourself, or others.
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Contact Me
Have you ever taken the Myers-Briggs or 16 Personalities Personality Test? If so, it might be useful to know that "Intuitive-Feelers" and "Sensing-Feelers" tend to benefit the most from my psychotherapy approaches, while all personalities can benefit from Pain Reprocessing Therapy if you are visiting for chronic pain more specifically. If you are curious about your Myers-Briggs Personality Type is, you can take the free test here.
If you are interested in teletherapy or in-person counselling, please email me to set up a complimentary 15-20 minute consult call.
Vancouver​, BC​
Email: info@livingtides.ca