EMDR Consultant
Ripple Affect
Each of us face difficulty, confusion, and loss during our lives. While we may experience some common ground as humans, we are unique and complex in our history, experiences, emotions, and thoughts. Seeking a professional and confidential counselling process can help you gain clarity, understanding and make changes.
We are all born into circumstances that affect our lives in ways that ripple within ourselves, in our choices and into our communities. Mine began in Ontario, Canada as the youngest of three. I graduated from Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario with an Honours B.A., in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology as well as a TESL diploma from Fleming College. With shoddy internet service only to be found at an internet café, I began travelling in Asia. Over a ten-year period, I lived and taught English in rural Japanese village and then in Hong Kong, teaching and attending HKU for my teaching degree. While overseas, I travelled to Nepal six times between 1999-2007 witnessing the impacts of the civil war on families and to volunteer through this time. I caught a glimpse of Mt. Everest few times from the Khumbu Glacier and also from Tibet. I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Fuji, learned to dive in the Philippines, as well as many other life affirming experiences. This period of my life spurred growth and was deeply healing. I learned that when you put one foot in front of the other this is similar to a healing process where the journey might take you to a destination that is more incredible than you could have imagined. We may need to persevere to get through the difficultly to then be able to discover our freedom and peace.
In 2007, I returned to Canada ready to pursue a career in counselling. I graduated with an undergraduate degree in Co-operative education and Psychology and an M.A. in Counselling Psychology from the University of Victoria. As part of the journey to becoming a therapist, my experience includes supporting students in the school environment as a district elementary counsellor and a behaviour support teacher. I also developed experience supporting high-school students’ emotional well-being and health while living at a boarding school. As my practice evolved, I began to specialize in trauma therapy and working with clients coping with Complex Trauma, PTSD, DID, Bipolar, Borderline, Depression, Anxiety, Personality Disorders, childhood trauma, abuse/violence, accidents, grief and loss and relational issues. I bring warmth, sensitivity, compassion, and advocacy to either short or long-term therapy.
I provide a gentle, confidential, and non-judgemental counselling space both online and in-person for individuals, families, couples, and children. I am dedicated to a collaborative process where clients feel connected, understood, and can create lasting change. Approaches that uncover root causes and nurture relationship with oneself are services that I provide for clients seeking a therapy process. These approaches include EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Ego States Therapy, IFS (International Family Systems) and somatic therapies. I specialize in EMDR intensives for those seeking a flexible therapy process that is also deeply transformative. I also specialize in working with children. Please view my website under the Specializations tab to read more about these two areas. My background includes training in DBT, CBT, and mindfulness as useful ways to learn to handle emotions, navigate relationships, and set boundaries. Through the counselling process you will affect your life by making insights that can ripple into your well-being, your relationships, your community and beyond.
Based in Victoria, BC specializing in trauma therapy and EMDR since 2012, I also offer individual and group consultation as an EMDRIA Approved Consultant, facilitate practicums for the Basic EMDR trainings since 2014, and host advanced workshops as an EMDRIA approved credit provider. Please see the information under EMDR Consultation & Certification and also Trainings on my website as well or get contact with me for more information.
1140 Fort Street, , Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8V 3K8
Phone: (250) 412-5921
Email: michelle@arippleaffect.com
Population Served:
Both Adults and Children & Adolescents
Languages:
How EMDR is Offered:
Both online and in-person
Areas of Expertise:
Anxiety
Attachment Focussed
Birth Trauma
C-PTSD
Critical Illness
Depression
Dissociation
EMDR Intensives
Eating Disorders
Grief & Bereavement
Medical Trauma
Military
OCD
PTSD
Pain
Panic Attacks
Phobias
Physical Abuse
Road Traffic Accidents
Sexual Abuse
Social Anxiety