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I am registered with The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC).

 

My practice is based on the Adlerian concepts. My integrative therapeutic approach combines aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, Gestalt therapy, psychoanalysis, as suitable for each client’s individual needs.

 

Specializing in counselling, consulting and education in trauma, PTSD, addiction, anxiety, cross-cultural issues and life transitions.

 

If you are looking for expert help, confidential and tailored to your needs please contact my office.

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Counselling Immigrants in Canada

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Everyday hundreds of immigrants begin their life in Canada. Some immigrants migrate to Canada to flee persecution in their countries while others come to Canada to join their families. Other immigrants in Canada migrate to seek better lives and business opportunities in Canada. Around 200,000 people settle in Canada; furthermore, all the immigrants who settle in Canada are from different cultures and backgrounds that are very different from Canadian culture. Canada is increasingly becoming diverse and many cultural influences are the reality of everyday life in Canada. Cultural diversity means that therapists and counsellors must be ready to accommodate cultural diversity in their therapeutic work to be able to handle the counselling needs of a larger immigrant community.

 

The communities in Canada where the immigrants integrate are also unique and differ in character and culture. For many new Canadians, there are some shared experiences and many immigrants integrate successfully in the society where they learn new language, culture and gain a new network of friends. Some immigrants are successful in integrating in the society while others may experience loneliness, frustration and racism. Newcomers in Canada are also assisted in settling in Canada by many organizations involved in helping newcomers adjust to the society in Canada. Despite the existence of many support organizations and agencies that help immigrants settle in Canada, integration into the Canadian society is still a challenge to many immigrants. As such, the immigrants who settle in Canada have different counselling needs unique to their life experiences.

 

Political refugees and some asylum seekers in Canada have entirely different set of psychological and counselling needs compared. Moreover, the process of prolonged separation from families who were not able to accompany them while fleeing and experiencing torture, and mental anguish means that this group of immigrants endures some tremendous emotional losses. These immigrants may also suffer from disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder that may require counselling services.

 

Immigrants have a myriad of stressors and counselling needs. Counselling services are not the first option for emotional and social support for many immigrants; many immigrants turn to their family members or people of shared heritage for comfort. Therefore, it is very essential for multicultural counsellors to explore the circumstances that make an immigrant client turn up for counselling. While majority of clients can turn to counselling on a voluntary basis, many immigrants turn to counselling due to other factors such as court demands, or referrals by support organizations. Immigrants may also be encouraged by family or friends in seeking counselling. Additionally, counsellors should spend much time familiarizing their clients with new cultures and help them identify new ways of accommodating the demands of their new environment, and abandoning some cultural and communal values. A multicultural counsellor should always explore any existing cultural conflict and explain them to the client.

 

There is a belief that people seek counselling to begin the process of change or continue changing. In case of immigrants, changes are a continuous process. The process of settling in another country has an enormous demand that makes the transition to exceed expectations of many immigrants. Many immigrants in Canada are faced with the problem of cultural shock on a daily basis. Some of the cultural differences result in disillusionment and feelings of regret. It is therefore very essential for multicultural counsellors to validate and recognize the cultural shock of immigrants.

 

Many immigrants often endure many psychosocial problems as they struggle to adapt to new cultures, new language, new social structure and new financial realities. The economic condition of immigrants has a profound effect on the nature of transitions. Immigrants with a good stable income are more likely to find adjustments in new cultures less difficult than those with unstable incomes. Accessibility to resources and time of maintaining connection with other people in a new community or people back at home, and the ability of accessing desired products and services like traditional food items has an influence on the ease in which new immigrants adjust to their new environments.

 

The differences in appearance and language usage can also make immigrants vulnerable to unusual treatment and prejudice. The multicultural counsellor must know when to use an interpreter when counseling immigrants with limited language proficiency. An interpreter can facilitate the communication between the counsellor and the immigrant to ensure that the counsellor and the client relay their message to each other. The interpreter does not just enhance verbal communication between the client and the counsellor, the interpreter also plays a crucial role in clarifying cultural and colloquial usage of language.

 

​It is very necessary for counsellors working in multicultural settings to have cultural competency to deliver cultural sensitive interventions to diverse clientele. Additionally, culture has a profound influence on the personal values; beliefs and perceptions clients have about counselling, the counselling relationship and the problem.