Please note, I am not available to supervise practicum students or provide counselling internships.

My Supervision Philosophy

I believe that the bedrock of effective clinical supervision is a relationship of trust and emotional safety. If we are fearing judgment and recrimination, how can we be honest about what is truly going on clinically? How can we have the clinical conversations that are necessary for us to be as effective as we can be?

A judgement-free zone does not mean that I will never offer feedback and challenge, rather, it is always done with the utmost respect. My opinion is that supervision is most effective when it is approached as an ongoing process within a supervisory relationship that is both emotionally safe and dynamic.

Therapeutic Approaches That Guide My Practice

Speaking a similar ‘language’ is important and insures that we are examining clinical scenarios in a way that makes sense to you. While we will not be carbon copies in our respective approaches, some common ground is important. I work from the following perspectives:

• Strengths-Based
• Humanistic
• Relational and Psychodynamic
• Mindfulness, Meditation, Radical Acceptance
• Cognitive-Behavioural with some elements of Dialectical Behavioural therapy
• Trauma-Informed
• Solution-Focused
• Feminism/Intersectional, Cross-Cultural and Anti-Oppressive
• Client-Directed Outcome-Informed
• General Systems Theory
• Internal Family Systems
• Neurodiversity-Affirming; I have a special interest in working with neurodivergent supervisees

Supervision Needs

Therapists may reach out for clinical supervision, sometimes also known as external supervision, for a variety of reasons, including:

• Clinical skill building
• Case consultation, including formulation/assessment and planning
• Seeking support, empathy and a non-judgmental space
• Developing fresh perspectives
• Integrating theory and practice
• Reducing professional isolation, and increasing collegiality, particularly for mental health professionals in private practice settings, online settings or professional settings where limited/non-existent support exists for clinical supervision
• Stuckness with a client, clinical power struggles
• Addressing confidentiality issues and ethical dilemmas
  Counselling Confidentiality: An In-Depth Look
• Enhancing self awareness and the ability to self-reflect on clinical work
• Reducing burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization
  Therapist Burnout (And Why it Matters to Clients)
• Seeking clinical rejuvenation or encouragement
• Professional identity and role development
• Being a neurodivergent counsellor in neurotypical counselling spaces
• Clinical underinvolvement or overinvolvement
• Increasing self-care
  Taking Care of My Future Self
• Fulfilling continuing education / professional development requirements (CPD)
• Navigating toxic workplace environments, politics
• Healing from counsellor-targeted online hatred
• Obtain clinical supervision hours towards the RCSW credential
• As a condition to maintain registration with your professional body or as the result of disciplinary requirements by your professional college or association

The Supervision Process

While I do not impose an agenda for our work together, I work with you to understand your clinical needs and goals and to find the solutions, resources and options that best fit your reasons for attending supervision. I then seek to collaborate with you on a plan that brings these elements together in a way that benefits you and ultimately your clinical work, most.

I consider supervision agreements “living documents” that evolve as your experiences and needs evolve, and benefit most from being reviewed from time to time. Committing to a schedule of appointments ahead of time, allows this process to remain dynamic and also helps to avoid unscheduled gaps in your supervision.

Hawkin’s and Shohet’s 7-Eyed Process Model of supervision can be a helpful lens for understanding clinical supervision. Further, I also use Stotenberg’s integrated developmental model, understanding that the learning needs of beginning practitioners differ from experienced clinicians’, as do counsellors who are “in between.”

In collaboration with you, the following methods may be used:

• Case consultation, planning, solution-building
• Role playing
• Journalling
• Understanding transference and countertransference
• Linking theory with practice
• Identifying community and/or therapeutic resources to enhance the care you provide your clients
• Process recording, particularly for beginning therapists
• Audio, video or clinical note review (with signed client consent)

We will often identify next steps to build on what we discussed in session and I may reach out with additional resources to supplement our work together. Practical application outside of supervision, in my view, greatly enhances the benefit people receive from supervision.

I believe in clinical supervision from the inside out.  I consult with my clinical supervisor monthly and also participate in regular peer supervision.

What Supervision Is Not

I believe that essential to understanding what clinical supervision is, also encompasses the understanding of what clinical supervision is not.

In my practice, clinical supervision is not:

• Chatting informally about client situations – while this has value, this is best accomplished with co-workers or colleagues, at no cost to you.
• Counselling or Psychotherapy – As much as I strive to create a respectful, emotionally safe milieu for supervision, I do not provide counselling or psychotherapy to supervisees.  I may ask you to reflect on your internal responses, as they pertain to your clinical work or the supervision experience, however this is not to be confused with psychotherapy, whose service parameters differ. If you are purely seeking counselling, I regularly meet with counselling professionals who are seeking therapy. I am also happy to work with you in a supervision capacity and refer you to a separate counselling provider.
• A Complaints Department – While a certain amount of letting off steam, or easing in is often normal at the beginning of the session, this is not the focus of our work together.
• Private Practice Coaching – Although we may discuss general ideas and leads, I generally do not provide business coaching to counsellors and therapists in private practice. A Google search lists options of Vancouver-area counsellors and business coaches who work with counselling professionals to strengthen and effectively market their practice.
• A Crisis Service – While crises can and do occur with our clients from time to time, the overall trajectory of supervision is longitudinal and focused on your goals. There are also limitations around my availability which makes ongoing crisis support unfeasible. Please see the policies and parameters section, below.
• Ad-Hoc Meetings – While there are times in every supervisee’s life that are extremely busy, or overwhelming— and necessitate suspending clinical supervision—those working with me have the capacity to commit to regular sessions.

Supervision Parameters and Policies

Intake

Interested in working with me? I have a limited capacity to welcome new supervisees and intake fluctuates throughout the year. Sometimes my counselling practice is closed to new clients but my supervision practice is open. Please be in touch to check. The next step would be to arrange a free 15-minute consultation to help you determine whether we might work well together.

Session Length and Cost

My most popular session length is 50 minutes. Extended 75-minute sessions are available upon request, as are 25-minute booster sessions. 25-minute booster sessions work well for many folks who are seeking a brief consultation in-between regular appointments. Please see my fees page for my current rates. My fees for clinical supervision sessions are the same as the fees for my counselling and psychotherapy sessions.

Session Format and Frequency

I offer clinical supervision in-person in my downtown Vancouver office or by phone or secure video call. For video sessions, I use the the Jane App.

Frequency is ultimately determined by you at the outset of supervision and can be adjusted as needed. If a pause or a break in our work together is needed, please let me know so that we can plan accordingly.

Beginning therapists may choose to meet more frequently, particularly if they have limited support in their current work setting.

I recommend pre-booking in advance to ensure that we are meeting at the frequency that supports you best.

Client Considerations

Clinical supervision is available to local Vancouver-area counsellors or to mental health professionals in all parts of British Columbia, Nunavut and the Yukon. I do not offer clinical supervision for Ontario-based therapists due to issues with GST.

Please see my phone and video counselling page for information and parameters for working together over the phone or online. Regrets, supervision is only available for therapists working with adult populations. I am not able to provide clinical supervision for therapists seeking support for specific child and youth-related clinical situations. I also respect scope of practice; if you are seeking supervision with client populations or issues with whom I have no, or limited experience, I will support you in finding alternate clinical supervision.

Confidentiality

The usual rules of confidentiality apply. I have a responsibility to maintain your confidentiality, as well as that of your client, except in situations involving the risk to yourself or other (including a child or elder) or if there is a duty to warn (specific danger to another person).

If you are seeking consultation regarding a clinical situation that includes identifying information, please ensure that you have provided a release signed by your client, authorizing discussion in supervision. I will attach this to your file. It is always recommended that you convey only information which is clinically relevant in supervision. This helps to retain focus and lessens the possibility of a confidentiality breech.

Crisis Situations or Urgent Client Concerns

These can arise from time-to-time. I respond to messages Tuesdays through Fridays within 48 hours; if your concern is urgent or an emergency, please contact the national suicide hotline at 9-8-8 or call 9-1-1.

I reserve 2-3 days a week where I offer 25-minute sessions for clinical consultations and support. Please contact me to inquire, as these are only bookable by contacting me directly (not available in online booking).

Practicum Students

If you are a student enrolled in a counselling program with a practicum requirement, and are seeking a practicum supervisor, please note that while I am honoured by your request, I am unable to accept counselling students. As a solo practitioner, responsible for all aspects of Willow Tree Counselling (clinical and administrative and more), I do not have the time required to offer you a meaningful and fulfilling placement. You may, however, want to refer to this list of private sliding-scale counsellors in British Columbia, many of whom have interns who provide low-cost counselling. Contact the respective practices to inquire.

About Me

A clinical social worker by training, I have been practicing counselling and psychotherapy since I graduated in 1998 with my Master of Social Work degree (MSW), from the University of Toronto. I also have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a certificate in Family Studies, both from Simon Fraser University. Additionally, I completed the Field Instructor Training Certificate at the UBC School of Social Work and Family Studies in 2000.

I subsequently completed Innovative Practices in Clinical Supervision, a course at the Justice Institute of BC and Running on Empty, a workshop on compassion fatigue for mental health practitioners, both in 2014. Most recently, in early 2024 I completed the Justice Institute’s Clinical Supervision in Counselling and Psychotherapy Program (levels 1 and 2), which represented an additional 42 hours of supervision instruction, over and above the program’s readings and assignments.

In 2010 I credentialed as a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) in British Columbia, following 12 years as a Registered Social Worker (RSW). I am also a Registered Social Worker in Ontario, approved for electronic practice.

In 2023, I had the privilege of participating in and completing PHSA’s San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training certificate (Core ICS Mental Health stream).

In my early career, I worked extensively in non-profit agencies and at the Master’s level, I have experience in inpatient and outpatient mental health settings and in the employee assistance sector. I founded Willow Tree Counselling in 2009, which has been my sole source of employment since its inception.

My passion has been counselling and psychotherapy from the start and I take active steps in my leisure and personal life to maintain joy for this work and avoid burnout. I am deeply grateful to my teacher, partner and friends who have persistently encouraged me in my meditation practice and shown me the Way.

Professionally, working with a diverse clientele has been key in keeping work fresh and engaging. I have extensive experience helping with:

• Anxiety (panic, OCD, phobias, generalized anxiety)
• Major depression and Mood Disorders
• Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress
• Eating Disorders, most commonly binge eating, bulimia and recovery from dieting
• Addictions and compulsive behaviours
• Life Transitions
• Grief and Loss
• Relationship issues
• LGBTQ+ Support
• Neurodivergence

I believe in lifelong learning, always exceeding the 40 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) required by the BC College of Social Workers, to maintain licensure.

In my spare time, I love to connect with my special interests in knitting, sourdough bread making, films, documentaries, reality TV, business and psychology. I have a partner, two stellar teenagers and a consistently silly cat, Baby.