Hi, my name is Shaila and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor.  I am originally from New Zealand and moved to Vancouver in 2000.  This was one of several significant transitions in my life and I bring insights from these experiences to my work.

Prior to becoming a counsellor, I was an accountant for over 20 years. This period provided huge learning about issues such as burnout, perfectionism, and stress, both in myself, and people I worked with and mentored.  During this time, I also discovered a passion for helping people find balance in their lives through exploring and understanding their self-relationship.  Eventually a chronic health issue I had struggled with for almost 10 years forced me to realize I had to start taking my own advice!  I began a journey towards wellness that led to a career change and ultimately a transformation in my own relationship with self.

I love supporting people through counselling, as I know what is possible when we begin this journey.   It is very rewarding to witness the joy and freedom that emerges when a person begins to align with a truth within themselves.

So how might this look when I work with you?  I guide and support you in exploring different parts of yourself, particularly behaviors/beliefs that may unconsciously create distress.  This asks for a degree of ownership of your situation and that can be scary.  Therefore, I aim to create a warm and non-judgmental space in which we explore together.  The goal is to help you get better at recognizing any unhelpful beliefs/behaviours so you can make different choices.  Choices that ultimately lead to better emotional and physical health.

My counselling approach is client-centred and experiential.  I may use techniques such as expressive-arts or focusing-oriented therapy during our sessions.  My intention with these techniques is to encourage a whole-person therapy experience.  I believe healing endures when we attend to the mind, body, and spiritual self. 

Finally, I acknowledge each client has a unique perspective and worldview and I respect this when considering the use of any technique or approach.