Find a Therapist in Lions Bay, British Columbia.

In my practice as a psychotherapist I assist individuals to understand forces within that cause suffering & confusion. My approach is engaging, compassionate and expansive. I have over 25 years of experience with many types of people from different cultures & backgrounds. I believe most people have a mixture of complex emotions & complicated life experiences. But most everyone is trying to live a better life. People often have ‘scripts’ of who they are & why they came to be living the way they are. I help people develop ways of reflecting on what has been, what is, and what might be. This opens the possibilities for more choices in life. Your life can be different if you want it to be.

A major focus for me is the body-mind relationship and attuning to the wisdom within the person. Besides "talk therapy", I often incorporate tools such as dreamwork and creative expression. Having over twenty years experience as a psychotherapist and having been an instructor of counsellors for many years as well, I am familiar with all of the major approaches to psychotherapy and am therefore able to work with each client according to their individual needs. For those exploring spiritual issues such as meaning, direction, and deeper connection, I bring my training in Interfaith Spiritual Guidance and many years exploring Jungian psychology.

All of us have can attest to the life experience of having been ‘thrown a curve ball’, ranging from a ‘bump on the road’ to full out ‘holy smokes, what just happened?!” In addressing these issues, Bronwyn has a warm and pragmatic approach that assists clients to pro-actively move forward from self-limiting patterns of behaviours and helps clients to process challenging life events using recognized therapeutic interventions. The scope of these issues includes anxiety, depression, grief, unresolved childhood concerns, addiction, and trauma. She puts clients at ease by assuring them of a safe, non-judgmental environment where their concerns are addressed with compassion and respect. Aware that clients are tired of feeling ‘stuck’, Bronwyn works collaboratively with her clients to formulate go

In my approach to Psychotherapy, I prioritize creating a collaborative and empathetic therapeutic relationship that serves as a safe and confidential space for clients to explore their thoughts, emotions, and life experiences. I draw from a diverse range of therapeutic modalities, tailoring my approach to each client's unique needs and goals. Through active listening, introspection, and evidence-based techniques, clients can expect to gain a deeper understanding of themselves, develop effective coping strategies, and work towards personal growth and positive change.

My professional credential is Registered Therapeutic Counsellor not psychotherapist. However I have extensive experience with the tools of psychotherapy including: attachment healing, somatic attunement, object relations, ego state therapy, and depth psychology. I integrate the Diamond Approach, a system for spiritual and psychological maturation, into my work with clients. A core tenet I experience daily is: we each have an individual soul with unlimited potential to free ourselves from limiting aspects of personality, inherited trauma and old beliefs. I've been a student of the Diamond Approach since 1989 and am grateful to the teachers, teachings, and our community of lovers of truth.

Psychotherapy (or counselling) is ‘talk therapy’ – where you, as the client, share: your experiences, goals, challenges, presenting concerns, both verbally and nonverbally. Through this communication a therapeutic relationship (or alliance) is formed. This relationship acts a safe space for you to explore, excavate, evaluate, take new risks, etc. In a large way, engaging in the therapeutic relationship is ‘practise’ for the real world. I, as the therapist, will work with multiple modalities (or theoretical orientations) within our dialogue and engagement, which will serve to help us reflect, challenge, bear to light, collaborate, as well as model things (such as security, compassion, etc.).

Life and relationships become painful, sometimes paralyzing when our emotions overwhelm us. Emotions are actually intended for good - they are intended to give us motivation and information; specifically they inform us of how to act in the way that is in keeping with who we are. I help people to face their emotions, take from them the lessons that they offer and move forward positively in their lives. You do not have to be stuck, paralyzed and fearful, you can be peaceful, productive and motivated.

Therapy can help us see new perspectives, become aware of our blind spots and increase our capacity to sit with discomfort so that we could live life fully in the present moment rather than in a mode of distraction and avoidance. I offer EMDR and somatic/body-focused approaches as well as talk therapy to help you feel safe and better. You are not alone, I will be walking by your side to tackle the challenges you are facing.

In transactional analysis psychotherapy client is expected to be an active participant at every stage of the process. You will be invited to set your goals for your therapy; thus it is helpful if you come with an idea of what you want to get out of therapy and I will help you to set realistic and achievable goals. A part of being an active participant in the therapy involves doing 'homework' in between the sessions, such as using relaxation techniques, writing down your thoughts about something or practicing new behaviours. Full engagement in therapy requires a high degree of honesty/transparency of thoughts and emotions. Often things we are most reluctant to discuss are the most important.

When working with me, you'll start to understand yourself better, learn to cope and manage your emotions and triggers and find more peace and harmony in your life. Psychotherapy with benefit your life in many ways and provide you with the tools you need to move through your hurt, relationship issues, trauma, anxiety, and depression. This is the first step in getting to the place you want to be.

We implement a range of therapeutic techniques and exercises such as guided imagery, relaxation techniques, expressive arts therapy, journaling, or mindfulness exercises as part of our psychotherapy approach. These interventions are carefully selected and tailored to support clients in achieving their therapeutic goals, which may include relieving emotional distress, managing symptoms of mental health conditions, improving interpersonal relationships, enhancing coping skills, and promoting overall psychological well-being.

Socrates used a question and answer method of teaching --MAIEUTIC TEACHING to help his students find truths within themselves. Psychotherapy, similarly, seeks to help individuals find certain "truths" about themselves. I gently push individuals to explore the various ways they have of knowing and understanding themselves. I will discuss past experiences and explore how the "truths" we have of these experiences influence our present circumstances (work, study, relationships, goals, etc.). Once an individual starts to become aware of how and why they are making the choices they make, they become free to make new, more positive, choices about their future.

My counselling approach always begins with building a trusting working relationship. I believe in being genuine, open-minded, non-judgmental and empathic. I understand that it takes courage to reach out for help. By doing so, you are half way there! My goal as a Counsellor is to begin working with clients where they presently are in their lives, listening to their life stories and processing with them any trauma or stress they might have experienced. Moving forward from there, we address current issues and work together to outline what clients want to change. Both intrapersonal and interpersonal difficulties are addressed. I am open to using a variety of different therapeutic approaches.

My approach is rooted in creating a collaborative and empathetic space where clients can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. I believe in the power of a therapeutic relationship built on trust and respect, serving as a foundation for the transformative process of self-discovery and healing. Drawing from various therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic, and Humanistic approaches, I tailor my methods to meet the unique needs and goals of each individual. By fostering a non-judgmental environment, I aim to empower clients to openly express themselves and work towards understanding the underlying factors influencing their behaviours.