Cultivating Compassion Within.
Evidence-based counselling for anxiety, OCD and intrusive thoughts — grounded in mindfulness, self-compassion and Internal Family Systems. For teens (13+) and adults, online across BC and in person in Nanaimo.
Hello, and welcome. My name is Andrea (she/her), and I'm a Registered Social Worker, trauma-informed therapist and qualified mindfulness teacher.
If your mind gets hooked in cycles of worry, rumination, or obsessive and intrusive thoughts, you may know how exhausting and lonely that can be. Maybe you're also carrying something heavy: grief, a complicated family relationship, or the burnout that comes from giving more than you have.
You've come to the right place. With 18 years in mental health and social work — including six years of one-to-one therapy practice — I've helped people meet the parts of themselves that get caught in worry, rumination, and intrusive thoughts with evidence-based treatments for anxiety and OCD, held within a practice of mindfulness and self-compassion. Together, we won't just work toward symptom relief; we'll help you cultivate a more compassionate relationship with yourself, so you can live your values and not let anxiety and OCD run your life.
Two ways to begin
Counselling Services
Individual counselling for youth and adults focused on anxiety and OCD support, as well as counselling for grief and family estrangement — drawing on Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and mindfulness and somatic-based approaches.
Mindfulness Courses & Coaching
Learn the foundations of mindfulness with the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, or begin today with my free guided meditations.
Who I work with
I support teens (13+) and adults who are:
✧ Experiencing anxiety, intrusive or obsessive thoughts, or OCD — including those who identify as neurodivergent or highly sensitive
✧ Navigating grief and loss, including the death of a loved one or other significant life transitions, including those experiencing disenfranchised or complicated grief
✧ Struggling with family estrangement or painful and confusing relationship dynamics
✧ Experiencing chronic stress or burnout, often from caregiving, work, or long periods of emotional strain
✧ Feeling overwhelmed by complicated emotions such as guilt, sadness, anger, or loneliness
✧ Wanting to develop healthier boundaries, greater self-compassion, and emotional resilience
My approach
I bridge two things that anxious minds need and rarely find together: evidence-based clinical treatment and a genuinely deep mindfulness practice.
On the clinical side, I'm trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the standard treatment for OCD — along with CBT and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). My approach also integrates Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and an Internal Family Systems (IFS)–informed perspective.
On the depth side, I'm a qualified MBSR teacher with over a decade of personal Insight Meditation practice. In our work together, you'll learn to develop a kinder relationship with yourself, set boundaries, live your heart-centred values, and get back in touch with your own innate aliveness.
Featured Program
8-Week MBSR Program — October 2026
Next cohort: October 15 – December 3, 2026 · Online via Zoom · $500 (sliding scale available)
MBSR is an 8-week, evidence-based program providing a comprehensive introduction to mindfulness meditation and mindful hatha yoga. It has been shown to decrease chronic pain, anxiety and low mood, and to build a greater sense of ease, well-being and resilience to stress.
Free guided meditations
I've created three guided meditations for you — a 10-Minute Body Scan, a 7-Minute Pause, and a 10-Minute Mindfulness of Breathing. They're offered freely, wherever you are on your path.
Want more? Find me on Insight Timer.
Professional Credentials
Registered Social Worker #14073
IOCDF-trained in ERP for OCD
Qualified MBSR teacher (UCSD-trained)
18 years in mental health and social work
Thank you for being here
If you're curious about whether we might be a good fit, I offer a free 20-minute consultation — no pressure, just a chat.