My name is Emily and I am a student counsellor offering accessible counselling to help support you through times of transition, crisis and uncertainty. I have a passion for grief and loss counselling. This includes the grief and loss that comes with the death of a loved one, as well as the ongoing and sometimes ambiguous losses that may affect us directly or indirectly in circumstances of illness, divorce, mental health struggles, immigration, disability, caregiving, addiction, aging, and the climate crisis. Tending to our grief can build resilience and open up space for greater connection and meaning in our lives.

My personal experiences fuel my interest in grief and loss counselling and have led me to volunteer in hospice organizations, facilitate grief circles and participate in workshops on MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying). In my practice, I strive to offer a calm, focused, and caring environment where exploration, insight, and change can unfold. I understand personal mental health and well-being as deeply interconnected with our relationships and the broader social systems we are part of. I draw on my experience as a community organizer working with marginalized folks and I adopt a social justice lens and strive to create a queer positive space where all variety of relationships and experiences or intimacy are welcome.

I specialize in working with adults, older adults and couples. I am inspired by the methodologies of Emotion-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Narrative Therapy, embodiment practices, and therapeutic ritual. On my own journey I have found ritual to be a powerful way to honour and transform grief and I am passionate about including ritual in our work if there is interest.

As a counselling student I am offering 55-minute sessions for $75 with a sliding scale option available for those in need. I am available for counselling sessions online as well as in person in Courtenay, and on Denman Island. You can book a counselling session with me here and I also offer a free 15-minute video/phone consultation so you can get a sense of how it may feel to work with me and to discuss sliding scale options. You can also email me at emily@anemonecounselling.com if you have any questions.