I provide counselling to adult individuals and couples to address a variety of issues that may be causing friction or creating barriers. I am passionate about working with individuals impacted by substance use and mental health challenges as well as those having experienced single-incident, prolonged, intergenerational, and vicarious traumas. The clients I work with may also be experiencing life changes or stressors related to daily life and interpersonal relationships. I am comfortable exploring both short and long term treatment goals.
I am Paola (she/they) a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology and experience supporting neurodivergent individuals of all ages. My approach is collaborative and integrative, grounded in curiosity, compassion, and respect for each person’s unique experiences. I have a particular interest in neurodivergence, trauma, identity, relationships, and the ways our experiences shape how we understand ourselves and navigate the world. In my work, I draw on humanistic, narrative, acceptance-based, and compassion-focused approaches to support self-understanding and meaningful change. I strive to create a space where people feel understood, can explore their experiences without judgment, and develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves and others.
I am a Mexican-German, first-generation immigrant whose values-driven perspective has been shaped by diverse cultural identities and lived experiences. As an able-bodied, multilingual, gender-fluid person with lived experience of mental illness and neurodivergence, I approach others’ journeys with empathy, curiosity, and an appreciation for their complexity.
I share these aspects of myself because I believe each person is made up of multitudes, with no single identity capturing the whole.
Outside of the counselling room, I’m a crafty soul who loves painting, knitting, and sewing, and I’m happiest when I can spend a quiet afternoon creating something with my hands. You’ll often find me curled up on the couch with my cats, surrounded by a rotating collection of creative projects.
