About Ariel

Professional Background

• Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) for British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (#10799)
• MA Counselling Psychology from City University (2005)
• Certified Somatic Transformation Practitioner (2017)

About Me

As someone in a long-term marriage, I understand the efforts required to stay connected and committed. With two teenagers, I know parenting can bring us to our knees; it is not for the faint of heart. I believe a sense of humour and compassion for self and others are critical to cultivating relationships. I can attest to the emotional, physical, and spiritual benefits of exercise and communing with nature. As an avid traveller and someone who values activism and social justice I have been fortunate enough to volunteer in Thailand, Bolivia, Guatemala, and South Africa.

About My Practice

My approach is compassionate, creative, and collaborative. I bring my knowledge, insights, and resources to the table while you bring your life experience and expertise. Together we will work towards your goals and expand your capacity for healing and change.

By exploring affect regulation, cognitive distortions, and attachment patterns, symptoms of depression, anxiety and other problematic mental health issues can improve. I draw from emergent research from the neuroscience community which explains the physiological functions that are the catalyst for our behaviour and responses.

Therapeutic Modalities

• SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions)
  ~Collaborative and structured program to decrease family accommodation of a child’s anxiety while increasing parental support
• Response Based Approach
  -Acknowledges victim/survivor resistance in the face of abuse
• Somatic Transformation
  – Elicits the body’s innate wisdom and facilitates healing from the stress of daily life, attachment relationships and trauma
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  -Identifies unhelpful thought patterns and behaviour so they can be replaced with useful coping strategies
• Synergistic Play Therapy
  -Therapeutic power of play blended with interpersonal neurobiology, attachment, mindfulness and therapist authenticity

About My Clients

I enjoy working with a variety of individuals, couples, and families. I love to roll up my sleeves and work alongside parents to help decrease their children’s anxiety symptoms. By working with the parents, it does not matter if the child or youth is interested in coming to therapy and yet we can still make significant changes. By increasing support and decreasing accommodations, families can detangle themselves from the pretzel position anxiety created. In addition, I am honoured to be an approved provider for the First Nations Health Authority and an Approved Clinical Supervisor for BCACC.

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world”. ~ Robin Williams