Play Therapists

As a counselor specializing in play therapy for children, I am dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment where young individuals can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences through play. With a background in psychology and specialized training in play therapy techniques, I work closely with children facing various challenges to help them develop coping strategies, build resilience, and enhance their emotional well-being.

Through the use of creative and interactive play activities, I support children in expressing themselves, processing difficult emotions, and developing crucial social and emotional skills. Whether a child is dealing with trauma, anxiety, behavioral issues, or family conflict, I aim to create a trusting therapeutic relationship that encourages growth, healing, and positive change.

My role as a counselor involves listening actively, providing empathy, and guiding children towards self-discovery and empowerment. By utilizing play as a therapeutic tool, I help children communicate their inner world, learn problem-solving skills, and build confidence in themselves. My passion lies in helping young individuals navigate life’s challenges and thrive in their emotional and mental well-being.

I am a Registered Clinical Counselor and licensed with the BCACC with an RCC designation.  I am also registered with the CCPA and have a CCC designation.  I have various advanced training in Play Therapy and have completed certificate programs in the following areas:

• Foundations of Play Therapy Certificate
• Specialization Certificate 
• Intervention Certificate
• Play Therapy Supervision Certificate

CHILD AND YOUTH THERAPY

• Child play therapy using play therapy techniques and other play therapy interventions such as 
• Sandtray therapy: Using miniature figures and a tray of sand to create scenes that reflect the child’s thoughts and feelings.
• Art therapy: Utilizing art materials to help children express themselves visually and explore their emotions.
• Puppet play: Allowing the child to express their feelings and thoughts through interactions with puppets.
• Therapeutic games: Using board games or other structured activities to facilitate emotional expression and problem-solving.
• Storytelling: Encouraging the child to create or narrate stories that reflect their experiences and emotions.
• Role-playing: Engaging in pretend play scenarios to explore different perspectives and practice new coping skills.
• Movement or dance therapy: Incorporating movement and dance to help children release pent-up emotions and enhance self-expression.
• Symbolic play: Encouraging the child to use toys and objects symbolically to work through conflicts or challenges.

I specialize working with families and children in the following areas:

• Children experiencing behavioral challenges or emotional issues
• Self esteem and confidence coaching
• Children with social skills deficits or difficulties in peer relationships
• Anxiety and depression and other mental health conditions
• Career exploration with youth
• Trauma and Abuse
• Grief and Loss
• Dealing with separation and divorce from the child and parents perspective
• Children with developmental delays or disabilities
• Children on the autism spectrum (ASD) or with other neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Helping parents and children with strategies to deal with ADHD and ADD
• Informal Assessments for Autism, ADHD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder 

PARENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ADVOCACY AND MEDIATION:

• Access to informal assessments and diagnosis
• Informal Psycho-educational, Autism, ADHD testing
• Referral to local psychologists for formal assessments and testing and diagnosis
• Referral to local behavioural consultants and creating a behavioural intervention team
• Mediation with school districts and IEP planning
• Access to 3rd party funding and Ministry of Children and Family case workers
• Completing government and agency paperwork to obtain funding, therapy and resources:  CKNW, Variety Club and CRA Child Tax Credit
• Family planning at transitional ages: birth, school age and adult
• Working with CLBC and adulthood transitions meetings

As an empathic listener for my clients, I treat them with kindness and a non-judgemental approach. I believe that all people pose an internal drive towards positive change and growth. Let me assist you in reaching new goals for your child/youth and family. I have had experience working with a wide range of children and families, blended, or separated.

Some of the diagnoses that I have worked with are Anxiety Disorders, ADHD, ODD, OCD, Behavior Issues, Stress, Autism, Grief. I have helped families in all these areas, plus more. I have a passion for teaching, playing, learning, and bringing out the best in all. Let me assist you on your journey or your child’s journey. We are in this together!

I have many years of experience working with children and teens in various areas including:

– ADHD

– ASD

– OCD

– Anxiety

– Separated and divorced families

– High-conflict families

– Children who have experienced trauma

– Children with MCFD involvement

– Life transition struggles for youth

I also offer parent-coaching and family therapy, using an emotion-focused and solution-focused lens. I can help families in areas of enhancing family connections, creating cohesive family plans that work for everyone, and psychoeducation for positive behaviour support and effective parenting strategies. I look forward to meeting your child and creating an environment where they can truly thrive!

My purpose in life has always been to help others.  I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor through BCACC and have a MEd in Counselling. In addition, I have completed my Bachelor of Education, Post Graduate Certificate in Special Education and my BA in Child and Youth Care.

In my practice, I believe in using a Person-Centered and Solution-Focused approach to help guide my clients to discover their abilities, skills and strategies that are useful as they move forward in their healing. Working with my clients has granted me the opportunity to build positive connections using a strength-based approach and mindful strategies to help them regulate their emotions, problem-solve, and increase self-confidence and self-esteem.

Over the past 20 years, I have supported students in the school system in my current and past careers from elementary to high school. My current role as a School Counsellor allows me to support children and youth to ensure they have a valuable, inclusive, educational experience. Some areas of support include helping the student who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, or trauma, or regarding their social-emotional, or behavioural needs. I may support my students in a variety of ways including one-to-one or small group sessions or use an in-class approach. Some therapeutic strategies include Sand Tray Therapy, Mindfulness, Solution-Focused Therapy, and strength-based, person-centred methods. My previous role as an Integration Support Teacher gave me the opportunity to work alongside students, families, school teams and community partners to support children with neurodiverse needs such as autism, FASD, and ADHD.

Some of the areas where I can support you are:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• Abuse
• Anger Management
• Stress management
• Emotional regulation
• Relationships
• Personal development
• School issues
• Career planning
• Burnout
• Phobias
• Communication
• Setting Boundaries
• Self-Esteem
• Grief and loss

I follow an eclectic approach to therapy because I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach. We will spend time understanding exactly what you are experiencing and why, so they will stick when you start making changes to improve your life.

As a counsellor specializing in play therapy for children and youth, I am devoted to creating a safe and nurturing environment where young individuals can express and understand their thoughts, emotions, and experiences through play. With a background in psychology and specialized training in play therapy techniques, I closely collaborate with children dealing with various challenges to aid them in developing coping strategies, building resilience, and enhancing their emotional well-being. Whether a child is dealing with trauma, anxiety, behavioural issues, or family conflict, my goal is to establish a trusting therapeutic relationship that fosters growth, healing, and positive change.

By utilizing play as a therapeutic tool, I help children and youth communicate their inner world, learn problem-solving skills, and build confidence in themselves. My passion lies in helping young individuals navigate life’s challenges and thrive in their emotional and mental well-being.

I have a bachelor’s in human development, a master’s in psychology, and am about to graduate with a Master’s in Counselling Psychology. I am trained in Play Therapy and have completed certificate programs in the Foundations of Play Therapy Certificate.

CHILD AND YOUTH THERAPY

• Child play therapy using play therapy techniques and other play therapy interventions such as 

• Sandtray therapy: Using miniature figures and a tray of sand to create scenes that reflect the child’s thoughts and feelings.

• Therapeutic games: Using board games or other structured activities to facilitate emotional expression and problem-solving.

• Storytelling: Encouraging the child to create or narrate stories that reflect their experiences and emotions.

• Role-playing: Engaging in pretend play scenarios to explore different perspectives and practice new coping skills.

• Movement or dance therapy: Incorporating movement and dance to help children release pent-up emotions and enhance self-expression.
• Symbolic play: Encouraging the child to use toys and objects symbolically to work through conflicts or challenges.
• Children experiencing behavioural, emotional issues or sleep-related concerns
• Self-esteem and confidence coaching
• Children with social skills deficits or difficulties in forming or maintaining peer relationships
• Anxiety and depression and other mental health conditions
• Trauma and Abuse
• Grief and Loss
• Dealing with separation and divorce from the child and parents perspective
• Children with developmental delays or disabilities
• Children on the autism spectrum (ASD) or with other neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Helping parents and children with strategies to deal with ADHD, ASD, and ADD

PARENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ADVOCACY AND MEDIATION:

• Informal Psycho-educational, Autism, ADHD testing
• Mediation with school districts and IEP planning
• Completing government and agency paperwork to obtain funding, therapy and resources:  CKNW, Variety Club.

I have experience working with children and youth with various challenges stemming from parental separation, anxiety disorders, grief and loss and especially difficulties with social inclusion and feeling outcasted. I encourage you to reach out and start your wellness journey. I truly look forward to showing you how Art Therapy can help better your life.

I am an Art Therapist with over six years of experience providing trauma informed mental health and addictions support to vulnerable clients in Surrey. Art Therapy is a treatment approach that combines the creative process and psychotherapy, facilitating self-exploration and understanding.

A common misconception is that artistic ‘skill’ or ‘talent’ is required to benefit from art therapy. In fact, many artists find that their perfectionistic attitude towards their skill level promotes anxiety and a sense of failure. The purpose of Art Therapy is to promote wellness by engaging your creativity, playfulness and problem solving skills.

I have a Masters Level Diploma in Art Therapy from Vancouver Art Therapy Institute which followed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of British Columbia. My training background and experience includes community outreach, addictions and trauma work and family counselling. I have extensive experience working with children, teens and families and have a personal interest in connecting with families who are newly arrived in Canada.

As a young person who experienced uprooting one’s life and moving across the world to start over, I quickly found my passion working with children and youth in Surrey neighbourhoods where the kids often acted as English interpreters for their parents. These families had the unique challenge of finding that their children were more independent and capable of navigating their new environment and culture than they were. The disconnection and alienation they experienced created large gaps in communication causing anger and hurt on both sides. The youth centre programs I ran helped bridge this gap allowing the kids to draw strength from their resilience and find creative ways of engaging their parents and bringing the community together. I also participated in community outreach, forging alliances with at risk youth vulnerable to homelessness and addiction.

More recently I have been working with women struggling with trauma and multiple barriers (justice system involvement, homelessness, generational trauma, addiction) and found that Art Therapy provided something that regular psychotherapy couldn’t – a way to own their story and become authors of their own experience, creating something tangible out of their pain and self-advocating in the process.

How I work with clients:

I work with clients in a variety of ways and I cater my methods to my client’s needs and therapeutic goals. Often, I will introduce a client to a theme and suggest a directive which will touch on or evoke a response in that theme.

An example would be working with the theme of identity. I would ask the client to create a sculptural lifeline which would showcase their life journey, major life events, accomplishments etc. The client will have an opportunity to choose the size of the sculpture, materials used (wire, paper mache, cardboard, string) and which events or information to include. Some clients prefer to talk about their process while they are creating, while others prefer to discuss their results upon completion. A theme can be explored over a number of sessions and through various directives like masks, photos, body tracings, sculpture.

The resulting artistic product is the property of the client and retains the same confidentiality protection as the context discussed in a session. It is up to the client how the art is handled, stored or disposed of. As well, a client’s permission is required to share the art with others outside of the scope of supervision.

Here are some specific examples of clients I work with/have worked with in the past:

• Child whose parents have recently separated and is experiencing extreme separation anxiety
• Mother and young (4) child, fleeing domestic abuse and child acting out through aggression towards Mom
• Young adult woman recently moved out from home due to Mom’s substance use, struggling with self-worth and depression.
• Young woman awaiting trial for robbery, with multiple childhood trauma incidents, survivor of incest.
• Autistic child experiencing alienation from peers and loneliness, rejection.
• Autistic adult, exploring their authentic self and wanting to delve into their masking behaviour and repression of their intrinsic self regulation mechanisms.
• Child who recently experienced the loss of an estranged parent due to suicide.

Over the past decade, I have worked in the community with children and adolescents, both neurodiverse and neurotypical. I am passionate about working with the next generation and am deeply honoured when I am given the opportunity to help a child thrive. I believe in a collaborative relationship with parents and other caregivers to promote a positive support network to surround the child.

I wholeheartedly trust that every child can heal when met with genuine support in a safe and empathetic environment. Through a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive approach, children can explore their emotions and make sense of their inner world. A nurturing therapeutic relationship between a child and counsellor facilitates this process and may further help a child heal and flourish.

In my practice, I believe in the power of play as a natural language for children to express themselves, process their experiences, and work through difficulties. Through a child-centered approach, I utilize play therapy techniques to meet each child where they are and support their emotional growth and development. 

I specialize in assisting both neurotypical and neurodiverse children in navigating various challenges, including anxiety, trauma, behavioral difficulties, family transitions, academic struggles, and social skills development. 

I understand the importance of collaboration and maintaining communication with parents, caregivers, and other professionals involved in the child’s life. Together, we work as a team to provide holistic support and promote positive outcomes for the child. 

I am dedicated to staying updated on the latest research and best practices in child therapy. Through ongoing training and professional development, I strive to enhance my skills and tailor my approach to meet the needs of the children and families that I serve. 

If you are seeking support for your child’s emotional well-being or have any questions about my services, I’m here to help. Let’s work together to create a nurturing environment where your child can flourish and thrive. 

I invite you to connect with me to discover how play therapy can benefit your child. I look forward to being part of your child’s journey toward healing and growth. 

My areas of expertise include: 

• Depression, anxiety, and panic disorders
• Trauma and abuse
• Divorce and separation
• Grief and loss
• Life transitions
• Gender dysphoria and LGBTQ transitions
• Children and youth with MCFD involvement
• Communication building
• Addiction
• Emotional regulation and coping skills
• Boundaries
• Early childhood development
• Parenting and family dynamics
• Career planning
• Self-esteem

I believe that a therapeutic relationship built on trust, warmth, and acceptance is crucial for fostering your child’s growth and sense of autonomy. Through the language of play, I aim to step into your child’s world to explore their behaviour, emotions, thoughts, expectations, and the meaning they make of their concerns. I also consider the impact of the systems in which they exist, such as their relational, family, and cultural contexts. In a collaborative and strength-based manner, your child and I will identify their stuck points and develop strategies to support their goals and development.

I am trained at a Master’s level in Counselling Psychology through Adler University, and I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia. I have received specialized training in child and youth therapy through Crossroads Collective’s Foundations of Play Therapy program. Informed by my educational background and previous experience as a youth worker and gymnastics coach, I aim to create a fun, supportive, and affirming environment for your child.

Whether your child is struggling with anxiety, self-worth, stress, or other life challenges, counselling can be a space to process emotions, learn regulation and coping skills, and develop healthy self-esteem. Some of the areas I can support your child with include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Stress
• Emotion Regulation
• Self-Esteem
• Coping Skills
• Communication 

It is my hope that counselling can be a space for your child or youth to feel heard and supported while gaining the skills to take on life’s challenges with confidence. If you think your child and I would be a good fit, please reach out to Crossroads Collective. I look forward to meeting you and supporting your family.

I am a Master of Counselling Psychology graduate student from Yorkville University. Prior to pursuing my master’s, I completed my Bachelor of Psychology degree at Simon Fraser University, where I worked in a research lab focusing on memory and learning, as well as with Options BC as a crisis line volunteer. my passion for helping others grew with each experience in this field, and I have seen how powerful and transformative therapeutic conversations can be. Aside from schooling, I have over 10 years of experience in hospitality and more than 5 years in the fitness and health industry. My personal experience with body image and disordered eating, as well as my certification in exercise and nutrition, have given me insight into how to navigate difficulties with self-image.  

I believe in an integrative approach to counselling, which incorporates exploring mental narratives, bodily awareness, and self-care strategies in the process of healing. I implement a person-centred approach to empower the client, build inner resources, and use collaboration to cultivate a counselling experience uniquely suited to your needs. I am eager to help and support you in your mental health journey. 

Some areas I can help you with include but are not limited to:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Body Image
• Self-Esteem
• Boundaries
• Communication-Building
• Interpersonal Conflict
• Boundaries
• Burnout
• Women’s Issues

I am a Master of Social Work student at Wilfrid Laurier University. While embarking on the journey to become a private counsellor, I also work with Fraser Health Authority as a Clinician Social Worker with an Assertive Community Treatment Team, supporting people daily with acute mental health struggles. Before this, I lived in Saskatchewan and worked as a crisis counsellor for over seven years, and have extensive experience in crisis intervention, solution-focused, and family-centred practice. I obtained my Bachelor of Social Work through the University of Regina in 2010, and have been a registered social worker in good standing for many years with the provincial bodies.

I have gained experience in counselling families and individuals through crisis situations. What brings me the most joy is supporting families, especially parents and children, to learn new ways of interacting and engaging with each other, to create more positive family dynamics and happy home lives. All behaviour has meaning and is an attempt to communicate.

Feel free to reach out if you are looking for assistance in navigating a difficult time in your family. I would love to provide guidance and empathy to help explore alternate perspectives and to heal and move forward toward a new, optimistic, hopeful path, for you and your child.

Areas I can support include, but are not limited to:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Parenting support
• ADHD & Neurodiversity
• Relationships
• Behaviour issues
• Women’s issues
• Self-esteem/self-worth
• Self-harming
• Self-care
• Coping skills
• Trauma
• Grief and loss
• Parenting support

My background in Psychology in both undergraduate and graduate educational training and research and my experience in working with children with diverse needs in an educational and clinical setting has given me a foundation in appreciating the unique developmental struggles of young clients. I use a strengths based approach to empower and cultivate self-awareness, healthy patterns of communication and emotions processing. I am passionate in creating a safe therapeutic space for each child and youth, where they can experience warmth and non- judgment, ultimately giving them a place where they can cultivate self-acceptance, healthy communication, and healing. It is important for me to collaborate with each parent to best meet their child’s needs.

Some areas I can offer support in are but not limited to:

• ADHD
• Life Transitions
• Divorce/Separation
• Trauma
• ASD
• Self-Esteem
• Emotional Regulation

I am currently in the process of pursuing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. Upon completing this program, I aspire to obtain certification as a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) through the CCPA and become a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BCACC.

Prior to embarking on my master’s journey, I earned a Bachelor of Technology degree in forensic investigation at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. During my career, I gained valuable experience in forensic mental health and providing support to women and children fleeing domestic violence. Through these roles, I developed a profound passion for working closely with clients and facilitating positive transformations through counselling.

As a play therapist, my counseling style integrates various child-centered techniques tailored to each child’s needs. I focus on empowering them, strengthening their abilities, and setting goals together. Issues like anxiety, depression, social struggles, and life changes can be addressed through our collaborative approach.

Feel free to reach out; I’m here to support your child’s journey towards self-awareness and resilience. Together, we’ll explore how past experiences may affect their present, and I’ll provide tools to foster their growth.

As a play therapist I can help support your child with:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Coping Skills
• Self-Esteem
• Communication
• Behavioral Issues
• Family Dynamics
• Emotional Regulation
• Social Skills
• Bullying
• School-related Stress
• Grief and Loss
• Trauma
• Play Therapy
• Parent-Child Relationships
• Life Transitions

Specialized play therapy and counselling services provide a safe, nurturing environment where your child can explore their emotions, build resilience, and develop healthy coping strategies through the power of play. With a compassionate approach and expert guidance, play therapy can support your child’s journey towards emotional well-being and mental health. Book a 15 minute discovery call to learn more.

As a play therapist I believe deeply in providing my youth clients with the same level of respect, admiration, and confidence that I have with my adult clients. Youth clients actively develop their treatment plans as a team with myself and the loved ones they choose to include in their therapy. Together, we explore ways to get closer to our wellness goals. I take an affirming and acceptance approach to neurodivergence, and incorporate themes of self-discovery and advocacy for all of my clients. 

I work with youth clients of all ages to address areas like:

• Divorce
• Blended Families
• Life transitions
• Grief and loss
• Identity development
• ADHD
• Autism
• Comorbid mental health concerns
• Traumas 
• Bullying
• Sports performance 
• Sleep difficulties 
• Anxiety 
• Depression

Play therapy is an amazing array of techniques that can help children better express their experiences. Through a number of therapeutic games and activities; like painting, drawing, sand-tray, yoga, etc., we will help your child form a solid sense of connection with themselves, and a trusted adult (the therapist). I also offer modalities like walk-and-talk therapy that have additional therapeutic benefits of including movement and nature. If this, or other modalities, are of interest to you and your child we can create an individualised plan that best assists in your child’s therapeutic journey. I offer free 15 minute consultations, if you would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I previously worked as a call taker at a crisis intervention line. I spoke with people experiencing acute psychological distress. Using a crisis intervention model, I helped callers manage stressful and emergency situations by developing a genuine and trusting relationship with them. I worked with callers to create personal action and safety plans to help them navigate their unique situations.

I have been in the hospitality industry for over ten years and have experience working with a wide variety of diverse populations. I offer a non-judgemental, culturally aware, and genuinely curious space for clients to be their most authentic selves.

It is my belief that every child has the innate capacity for healing and transformation, and I am committed to providing the support and guidance they need to thrive.

Please reach out if you think my approach could be well suited for your child or youth.

Some of the areas I can support you in include:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• Social Skills
• Parent-Child Relationships
• Greif and Loss
• Body Image
• Confidence
• Self-Esteem

I can offer support in the following areas:

• Child play therapy
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Separation and divorce
• Bullying
• Self-Esteem
• School-related Stress
• Communication
• Parent-Child Relationships
• Life Transitions 
• Emotion regulation

I am currently completing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology program at Yorkville University and plan to become a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors shortly after graduating. In addition, I have been trained in the Foundations in Play Therapy at Crossroads Collective. As an intern, I am supervised by an accredited clinical counselling supervisor who provides consistent and insightful support throughout my internship.

As a counselling intern in play therapy, I am committed to providing an atmosphere of warmth and safety where your child can begin to understand their thoughts and emotions through play. With a varied background of instructing children and working alongside youth, as well as having specialized training in play therapy, I can work with children and youth to help them through their current challenges and build resiliency and coping sills to strengthen their emotional wellness for the future. 

By using interactive play therapy techniques such as sand trays, art therapy, puppets, storytelling, role playing and symbolic play, I can help children express and process their emotions by listening attentively and empathically. Through these interactions, children learn important interpersonal and social skills, how to problem-solve, understand and communicate their inner thoughts and feelings, and have confidence in their own unique, innate abilities.

My role as an intern counsellor also involves supporting parents and new moms through their parenting journey with individual or family counselling. With an understanding of children’s behaviours and development, I am passionate about supporting you as you learn about and grow with your child.   

Areas of Support:

• Children experiencing behavioural or emotional challenges
• Self -esteem
• Social skills and peer relationships
• Grief and loss
• Anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns
• Dealing with separating and divorce
• Parenting support
• Life as a new mom and post-partum depression