Island Narrative Therapy Counselling

 About Karen

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Hi, I’m Karen.

I’m a narrative therapist counsellor, a writer, a community facilitator and a compassionate and curious listener.

It is important to me that people who seek counselling are supported by someone who genuinely bears witness to their personal hardships.

My passion is for helping people move through the difficult situations they may find themselves in. It is such an honour to help and humbly serve those who consult with me. Your stories are valued and I hope my listening, questions and letter writing will make a significant difference in your life.

 
 

Connect with me on Instagram
@
islandnarrativetherapy

 

Karen’s Credentials

Karen has a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Education and a Masters in Narrative Therapy and Community Work.

 

Prior to becoming a mother of 3 boys, who are now grown up, I worked as an elementary school teacher in Surrey, BC. As my children grew more self-sufficient, I decided to begin volunteering at the local Hospice House in 2011. This changed the trajectory of my life.

In 2015, I attended a conference in Skagit County. The keynote speaker was Dr. Alan Wolfelt who is the founder of The Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Inspired by Dr. Wolfelt’s approach to death, grief and loss, I began taking classes at The Center for Loss in Colorado. Eventually, I received enough hours of instruction to obtain a Death and Grief Studies Certification in 2016.

The same year, I certified with The Creative Grief Studios Online Program and with The Vancouver School of Narrative Therapy foundations course.

I fell in love with Narrative Therapy and continued to take classes through the Vancouver School. Learning about Michael White’s approach to therapy, I explored The Dulwich Centre in Adelaide, Australia and eventually applied for and was accepted into the Masters in Narrative Therapy and Community Work out of The University of Melbourne.

I graduated from the Masters program in 2019 and started my Narrative Therapy practice. Narrative Therapy is a passion of mine and I want to share it with others. To maintain accountability and continue to improve upon my skills, I receive professional supervision four times a month from two Certified Counselling Instructors. This supervision helps to enhance and improve upon my narrative counselling artistry and professionalism, which undoubtably benefits the people I serve.

 
 

Some other interesting things…

I grew up in North Burnaby, B.C. and moved to Bellingham, Washington in 1999, where my husband and I raised our three boys. In 2021, our family relocated to Victoria, BC, and are enjoying the Island lifestyle.

I have many hobbies such as walking, biking, hiking, yoga, exercise training, reading, baking, cooking, cleaning, organizing, knitting, crafts, coffee, local cafes, bookstores, gardening, sitting by the ocean, and spending time with my family, including our 2 cats.