I have over ten years’ experience supporting people facing many challenges. As a volunteer at The Single Parent Resource Centre I supported single parents through my work as a peer support person. As a single parent myself I understood many of the challenges faced when parenting on your own. I also facilitated support circles for single parents and parents of teens through Parent Support Services.

My paid work has included working at two of the transition houses, Victoria Women’s Transition House and The Cridge Transition House. As a women’s counsellor I supported women and children who were fleeing violence. I learned about the strength and resilience of the women who accessed these services. I learned that hope lives in us even when circumstances seem bleak and overwhelming.

I spent some time working at many of the housing facilities operated by Cool Aid Society. The men and women who were housed struggled with substances, poverty, mental health challenges and homelessness. The people I worked with taught me about how universal the need to belong and connect with others is. There are any of us who believe that disconnection is the root of addictions of all types.

As a counsellor at Family Services of Greater Victoria, I worked with children and individuals. Most of my clients were dealing with the aftermath of divorce and separation. I facilitated the Caught in The Middle groups with children and parents. I learned how insightful children can be and how divorce and separation can impact children.

I worked as a clinician as Cascadia Counselling Services. I supported individuals, couples and families who had been mandated by the ministry to obtain counselling. As a counsellor I learned much from my colleagues about this demanding position. At Cascadia I had the opportunity to co-facilitate the Preventing Violence in the Family group. The group was offered as a men’s group and as a women’s group. I was impacted by the openness and vulnerability of the men in the group and how the women were eager to ensure their children “did not have a childhood they needed to recover from”.

My most recent role is as a private practitioner, I welcome new clients who might be struggling with feelings such as depression, anxiety, grief and loss, to name a few. Perhaps you are facing life transitions or changes that are overwhelming and/or confusing or maybe you desire better relationships. It is common to feel stuck, or trapped and not know how to move forward. I might be able to help with these issues and others as well.

Feel free to call, text or email to see if I am a good fit for you. Contact Deanna