Curtis Menz

MACP (In Progress)

Curtis comes to South Island Centre for Counselling and Training Society as a Masters student in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. He brings a background and education in physical health by completing his Bachelor's degree in Sport and Fitness Leadership and working as a fitness coach. This belief in the mind-body connection embraces the counselling emphasis on wellness, growth, empowerment, and personal development. Through a collaborative, safe, and respectful environment, Curtis hopes to work with clients through the cognitive, emotional, and behavioural aspects to build resilience and well-being. A natural client-centred approach supports clients in understanding their narratives and embracing their authentic self while reducing negative self-perceptions.
Curtis is available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for in-person and virtual sessions.

Laura DiCastri

MACP (In Progress)

Laura is currently completing her Masters of Art in Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University. She values creating a positive therapeutic relationship with clients through a non judgemental and empathetic approach, with a particular focus on client strengths. She is familiar with different theoretical approaches such as CBT, narrative therapy, solution focused therapy and believes in tailoring the therapeutic process to the unique needs of the client. Laura is passionate about the counselling process and exploring how she can work collaboratively with clients to increase wellbeing through acceptance, self-awareness and goal creation. 

Annachie Elkin

MC (In Progress)

Annachie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Victoria and is currently completing her Master of Counselling degree through City University of Seattle in Canada. She has spent most of her professional career working in the field of mental health and has many years of experience working with socially vulnerable youth and youth in crisis. Annachie is a certified Therapeutic Hatha Yoga teacher and has pursued mindfulness training, which she enjoys incorporating into her counseling approach. She recognizes the innate wisdom that all individuals possess and values understanding her clients’ worldview and beliefs. Annachie believes in working collaboratively with her clients to help them gain self-awareness and personal insight into their challenges. She holds special interests in working with individuals on self-esteem, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, relationship issues, and early-adult life transitions. Annachie draws from several different therapeutic frameworks in her work with clients and adapts her approach to best meet their current needs. She emphasizes both a strengths-based and person-centered perspective, and her practice is grounded in mindfulness, self-compassion, and acceptance-based approaches. She is also trained in solution-focused therapy (SFT), psychodynamic therapy, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Annachie is available to see clients for in-person and/or virtual appointments on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. 

China Lloyd

MACP (In Progress)

China holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and is currently completing a Master’s in Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University. She has been working in the field of mental health for over ten years, supporting individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, body image, trauma, attention issues and life transitions. Additionally, China is a certified trauma-informed yoga therapist and a mindfulness meditation instructor. China’s unique and diverse training enables her to take a collaborative, holistic and non-pathological approach to mental health and well-being that is both solution driven and compassion centered. Her therapeutic approach is person-centered and primarily draws on humanistic, narrative, cognitive-behavioral and trauma-informed modalities. Her primary objective is to help clients gain insight into their inner lives and to help them initiate their own meaningful and transformative change process, recognizing that all people receive and process experiences differently based on culture and context. Her role as a counselor is to nourish and support that personal, creative process and to add professional expertise when needed.

Ashley Haley

MACP (In Progress)

Ashley (she/her) holds a Bachelor's of Science in biology and psychology from the University of Victoria and is currently completing her Master's in Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University. She takes an integrative, evidence-based approach that draws on theories including Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Person-Centered Therapy. Ashley’s goal is to provide a non-judgemental and safe space where you can work together to navigate, understand and manage, your internal experiences. Through her education and life-experiences, she has come to appreciate the strong mind-body connection so she infuses grounding and mindfulness practices into her sessions to help promote self-awareness and self-acceptance. Using a strength based approach, Ashley hopes to support you in uncovering and building upon your skills and resources that can help you move in a direction that aligns with your values and goals. 

Nicole Hutchinson

MACP (In Progress)

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is currently completing a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University.  She draws from her nursing background to offer an integrated somatic (body) approach with compassion and mindfulness-based techniques. Nicole aims to gently nurture the roots behind her individual clients’ current concerns while offering personalized coping techniques for the here and now.  Additionally, her 20 years of pastoral counselling experience with individuals, couples, and families offers a rich foundation for empathy and presence. Being a foster/adoptive and biological parent who has navigated trauma and grief with children, youth, couples, and families, Nicole brings an experienced and empathic attachment and strengths-based perspective for moving forward through life’s challenges, great and small. She has flexible availability, preferring to see clients in the evenings and on weekends.       

Tamara May

MACP (In Progress)

Tamara is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology Program at Yorkville University. Tamara works from a solution-focused and strengths-based approach while incorporating CBT, narrative, and person-centered methods. This perspective acknowledges the mind-body connection, as well as the strengths, values, and untapped potential in each client as they navigate their life stories and set goals. Tamara also infuses mindfulness into her sessions to promote a healthier mind-body presence that helps facilitate self-awareness, self-acceptance, and well-being. She believes in working collaboratively with clients and creating a safe, open, and accepting space to explore their experiences. Tamara emphasizes the importance of a compassionate, non-judgemental, and trusting therapeutic relationship to ensure that you feel supported, comfortable, and understood as you navigate your wellness journey together.  

Taylor Evans

MACP (In Progress)

Tay (she/her) holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology and is currently completing her Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology with Yorkville University. She has also completed over 600-hours in yoga and mindfulness training and comes from a background in health promotion and sexual violence advocacy. Given her eclectic background, Tay integrates a variety of approaches to offer individualized support. She is continually drawn to body- and justice-oriented approaches, as well as relational  orientations to understanding mental health. Tay aims to offer a supportive, accepting place for all clients to land—and to hopefully get a little curious about their inner and outer experience.

Tay is available to see clients Wednesday to Saturday.

Miranda Harvey

MC (In Progress)

Miranda holds a bachelor's degree in religious studies and history from the University of Victoria, and is currently completing a Master of Counselling degree from City University of Seattle in Canada. She has years of experience as a crisis support volunteer for youth, and has also volunteered extensively as a counsellor for university students and adults. Miranda enjoys working with people of diverse backgrounds to situate problems in systems of influence, unveiling individuals' inner resources by collaborating on connecting their values and interests with their goals for meaningful transformation. She is especially interested in helping individuals manage stress, anxiety, and pain; improve their relationships; navigate grief and loss; and become better friends with themselves. Co-creating a warm and safe environment imbued with curiosity through therapeutic approaches like Narrative Therapy, Solutions-Focused Therapy, and Existential Therapy, as well as through tools like grounding, body-awareness, and mindfulness, Miranda supports the people she works with to thrive amid the ebbs and flows of life.