Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Vancouver, BC.

The UBC Psychology Clinic is an outpatient mental health and state-of-the-art training clinic in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia. We offer comprehensive psychological services for children, adolescents, adults, and families in the Greater Vancouver community. We provide affordable, professional services using the most recent advances in mental health care. All our services are confidential and meet the ethical guidelines established by the College of Psychologists of British Columbia.

Anxiety and stress counseling offers individuals practical tools and emotional support to manage overwhelming feelings and regain a sense of balance and well-being. Evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation exercises, and mindfulness practices are utilized to help clients identify and challenge anxious thoughts, regulate physiological responses, and develop coping strategies. Through collaborative goal-setting and validation, counseling empowers individuals to build resilience, enhance self-care practices, and cultivate a greater sense of calm and mastery in navigating life's challenges.

While our bodies are perfectly designed to adapt and react to stress, modern problems mean that we tend to detect life threatening dangers in very ordinary places. Conflicts at work, arguments in our relationships and uncertainties such as the post-Covid world activate old survival mechanisms. We may be stuck in the buzzing, fear states of ‘fight-flight’ or the numb and paralyzed states of ‘freeze and shut down.’ The good news is that I have a long history of safely and successfully helping individuals and couples to reduce and release stress using a variety of CBT and mindfulness techniques, as well as trauma-informed therapy. You have my commitment to compassionate and educated care.

When working with clients experiencing stress and anxiety, I often draw on both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) approaches. CBT helps us identify and challenge the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that fuel stress and anxiety, replacing them with more balanced and supportive ones. DBT complements this by focusing on building skills like emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness, which can help clients manage the intense feelings and reactions often tied to stress and anxiety. By integrating these approaches, I aim to support clients in developing healthier coping strategies and fostering a greater sense of calm & control in their lives

You might be familiar with that tense, unsettled feeling that you can't shake. The overthinking, ruminating, and worrying. It's so hard to be present and engaged when we suffer with anxiety! Anxiety is the #1 reason people seek out my services. I can help you get to the roots of your anxiety (hint: it's not ONLY about disputing your irrational thoughts) so that you feel more grounded and alive. Through their work with me, my clients have reported that they are more socially engaged, less in their heads, more in tune with their bodies, and better able to attend to the underlying emotions and needs underlying the anxiety. I look forward to supporting you in moving beyond your anxiety.

Anxiety and Stress are a part of our human experience as we navigate so much that is out of our control and unpredictable in life. Some anxiety and stress is helpful in navigating difficult moments in life. We want to be able to move through life with an awareness of how the anxiety and stress is helping us and how it is also covering deeper emotions that need to be addressed. Through body psychotherapy we can connect more deeply to ourselves and the emotions stored in our bodies and use tools and exercises to regulate the anxiety and stress while processing the deeper emotions. The anxiety and stress dissipates as we become more comfortable with our deeper emotions and we begin to thrive.

Anxiety and stress can be overwhelming. Constant worry and rumination suck your energy leaving you worn out and unavailable to family and friends. I can help you identify the patterns that keep you stuck in anxiety, and use CBT to help you change your brains structure so that worry will be a thing of the past. You'll move forward with confidence clarity and a sense of peace. Worry is a mental habit, it can be unlearned, I will show you exactly how to do this. I've done it for myself (life-long worrier here) and countless clients. I'd be honoured to travel with you on your journey.

Anxiety and stress impact our sleep, physical health, and our ability to be fully present in our lives. Stress acts as a ‘check engine’ light to let us know something in our environment needs to be addressed. We cannot eliminate stress without attending to our stressors. Some people find a moderate amount of anxiety gives them the umph they need to get things done. Ultimately, we want to feel good in our bodies, and be fully present, without the shadow of worry at every turn. What are these emotions trying to tell us? Getting to their roots gives us the information we need to make healthy adjustments in our lives, so the ‘check engine’ lights can turn back off.