Alison is a Registered Clinical Counsellor providing online counselling and in-person sessions in Kelowna, BC. Alison has expertise in anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, and life transitions. She also sees couples who are facing challenges in their relationship and communication. Alison has over seven years of experience as a mental health professional for various non-profit organizations.
Alison uses what she describes as a holistic, humanistic, and existential approach to therapy. She believes that the quality of a therapeutic relationship is strongly tied to getting good outcomes. She sees everyone as unique, and every therapeutic relationship will be as well. She draws on different counselling approaches when she sees they can be of help to a client. She uses a client-centered and open approach to facilitate growth. She is nonjudgmental, compassionate, and honest and supports clients to explore all aspects of their lives and inner worlds.
Alison helps clients to unravel their stories, and make sense of themselves and their place in the world. This takes time, patience, and hard work. Part of this process involves exploring uncomfortable feelings, unfavourable parts of ourselves, and facing painful parts of our past. Often, therapy involves learning how to set new boundaries in our relationships, which can be challenging and unpleasant. Allowing a therapist to sit with you while you explore challenging aspects of yourself and your life is difficult, but almost always necessary for real change and movement to occur. Once trust is built, Alison encourages clients to go at their own pace and to venture to these hard places, in a supportive and safe environment. As a therapist, there is no better feeling than witnessing a client move through their pain and emerge on the other side.
In our fast-paced world, therapy can be a refreshing space in which we are allowed to slow down and reflect. Alison believes in the value of human connection and the importance of taking a step back from ourselves to set intentions for the future. Therapy offers a space for this, which can’t always find a place in our busy lives. Alison’s aim for each client is that they will eventually leave therapy feeling empowered and in control of their lives, with a stronger sense of who they are, and what they want. She believes that anyone who prioritizes their mental health and dares to be imperfect and seek out help is deserving of respect. Alison always looks forward to meeting new clients.