Thank you for taking the time to read more about who I am. My name is Andrea and I am a heterosexual, cis-gender woman of Greek, Irish, English, and German descent. I am passionate about supporting people in reclaiming their true nature and build kinder, more compassionate relationships with themselves and their communities.

I currently live and work on unceded (stolen) Coast Salish territories, which includes the Lekwungen (Esquimalt and Songhees), Pacheedaht, Scia’new, T’Sou-ke, and W̱SÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Malahat, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) nations.

I am committed to walking a path of respect, relationship, and accountability to the earth and its peoples.

Relationship is at the heart of my therapeutic work, and I have dedicated myself to practicing presence and ongoing self-awareness so that I can be attuned to you and hold unconditional positive regard for the people I support.

I feel incredibly privileged and grateful to have found Social Work as a pathway that helped me to align my passion with the principles of social justice, human rights, and the dignity and worth of every person. My education has helped me to recognize how historical and ongoing colonial systems have shaped the experiences of marginalized and oppressed communities.

I have over 16 years of experience working in the field of social work in a diverse range of settings that include community outreach, youth mental health, adult mental health, housing, and education.

For many years, I worked within health authorities, in Alberta, BC and Australia offering community outreach and counselling to individuals living with severe and persistent mental health challenges. This work opened my eyes to the profound structural and systemic barriers that many people face in accessing compassionate, consistent, and culturally safe care. It deepened my commitment to trauma-informed, person-centered approaches and strengthened my understanding of how social determinants of health, colonialism, and racism intersect with mental health supports.

A bit about how I practice - I consider myself a guide rather than an expert, and I like to frame our sessions by asking questions to invite you to reconsider, or at least question, how you are making sense of your experience.

As well, I consider myself a feminist counsellor, which means I can help create opportunities in our sessions to examine how power shapes different areas of your life. I am passionate about integrating empowerment and consciousness-raising into my therapeutic work, and I find it meaningful to explore how power dynamics and systemic injustices influence your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in the world. Together, we can also discover creative ways to resist the status quo and move toward living with greater authenticity, belonging, and aliveness.

In my personal life, I am a dedicated practitioner of Insight Meditation (Vipassana) and I attend multi-day silent retreats each year. I love to travel and I love to be in nature and enjoy spending quality time with my loved ones, including my kitty, Tito! :)

It is very important for me to practice humility and curiosity as I walk the path of learning around how to be an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community. I endeavour to create safe and inclusive spaces for the queer community in my practice.

If you are curious about how we might be able to work together, I offer a free 20-minute consultation. You can click the link below to learn more.

I look forward to meeting you!

Postsecondary Education:

• Registered Social Worker - Member in Good Standing (RSW#14073) - British Columbia College of Social Workers (BCCSW)

• Master of Social Work (MSW)** In Progress- University of Calgary, **Expected completion, 2026‍ ‍

• Community Based Health and Wellness - Graduate Certificate - University of Calgary, 2025

• Advanced Social Work Practice - Graduate Certificate - University of Calgary, 2024

• Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) - University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, 2011

• Diploma in Social Work - Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, 2008

• Qualified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher, 2024

Trainings

• Supporting Dignity Through Grief: Sacred Grief- Shauna Janz, 2026

• IFS (Internal Family Systems) Therapy Immersion: Integrating the IFS Model Across Clinical Applications, PESI, 2025

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Attachment Science in Practice, Sue Johnson - Psych Wire, 2024

• Trauma Informed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Russ Harris - Psych Wire, 2024

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - International OCD Foundation Training Institute (IOCDF), 2024

• ERP School for Mental Health Professionals - Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD - Online Training - CBT School, Kimberly Quinlan. 2023

• ERP School for Mental Health Professionals - Mindfulness School for OCD - Online Training - CBT School, Kimberly Quinlan. 2023

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD: Foundational Training - Candace M. Monson, Ph.D., C. Psych., Phillipe Schneider, Ph.D., C. Psych. 2020

• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) –6-Day MBSR Teacher Training Intensive through the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute. - Battavia, NY, 2019

• Introduction to Nature-based Therapy (NBT) (12 hours). Victoria, 2024

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for beginners (ACT), Russ Harris - Psych Wire. 2022

• Non Violent Communication with Marshal Rosenberg - Online. 2018

• Advanced Certificate in Guiding and Teaching Meditation – Australian Centre for Holistic Studies - Melbourne, 2016

• Understanding the Neurobiology of Complex Trauma, Australian Childhood Foundation, Melbourne, 2015

• Working with and Supporting Individuals who have a Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, VICSERV – Psychiatric Disability Services of Victoria, Melbourne, 2015

• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Manual Study - DBT Community Team, Sheldon Chumir Health Centre, Calgary, 2014

• Motivational Interviewing Training Level 1, Ethos – Career Management Group, Victoria, BC, 2012

Retreats/Short- Term courses attended:

• 5 day Silent Retreat - New Years Retreat - James Baraz and Rachel Lewis - BC Insight Meditation Society - Bethlehem Centre, Nanaimo, BC, 2024/2025

• 6 day Silent retreat- Radiant Mind, Compassionate Heart - taught by Celeste Young - Hollyhock Leadership Learning Centre - Cortes island, BC

• 6 day Silent Retreat - taught by Adrianne Ross and Kristina Bare - BC Insight Meditation Society - Bethlehem Centre, Nanaimo, BC, 2023/24

• 5 day Vipassana Silent Retreat - Taught by Whit Hornsberger, Earthspring Retreat Centre, Highlands, BC, July 2023

• 7 day Silent Retreat - taught by Santikaro - Cloud Mountain Retreat Centre, Washington, US, 2022/23.

• 4 day Silent Retreat - taught by Rachel Lewis and Roxanne Dault - BC Insight Meditation Society - Bethleham Centre, Nanaimo, BC, 2022

• 7 day Silent Retreat - taught by Mark Coleman- Natural Radiance: The Freedom of Awareness - Spirit Rock Insight Meditation Centre, Woodacre, California - 2021

• 10 day Silent Vipassana Meditation Retreat – taught by S/N Goenka - Merritt, BC - 2019

• Attended the 2019 and 2022 BC Mindfulness Summit - Victoria, BC

• 3 day Residential Mindfulness Meditation silent retreat with Patricia Galaczy and Mark Sherman. Bethleham Centre - Nanaimo, BC - 2018

• Completed an 8 week Mindful Self Compassion Course - Victoria, BC - 2018

• Completed two 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Courses-Victoria, BC - 2017/2018