Heather is completing her Master’s in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University and is currently training with Jolene Dawn Counselling and Consulting. Based in Nanaimo, BC, she will be offering virtual counselling sessions to residents across the province at reduced rates from September 2025 through April 2026.

Hi, I’m Heather (she/her). I’m so glad you’re here!

Both professional and personal experiences have shaped my path to becoming a counsellor. With a Bachelor’s degree in marketing and a background as a certified coach, I blend my business skills with clinical expertise to empower clients toward growth, resilience, and authentic self-connection.

My therapeutic lens is holistic, relational, and trauma-informed, drawing from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Polyvagal theory, and somatic and mindfulness-based approaches. You can expect sessions that are collaborative, compassionate, and paced to honour your story, balancing gentle presence with purposeful encouragement. I am prided with my ability to create a compassionate and collaborative space, designed to help others nurture trust, foster self-exploration, and promote positive growth.

I feel especially drawn to supporting women, 2SLGBTQIA+, and Indigenous clients, as well as adults navigating grief, trauma, anxiety, relational challenges, sexuality, identity exploration, or significant life transitions. I believe that therapy is not a luxury, but an essential form of self-care—a space where hope, healing, and reclamation are possible, even in the most challenging seasons.

Heather is completing her Master’s in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University and is curre... Read More

Jolene is a Master’s Level, Registered Social Worker (#09027) with the BC College of Social Workers, Alberta College of Social Workers (#16988) and an active member of the BCASW. She has been practicing since 2006.

Jolene has a Bachelor’s Degree of Social Work from Thompson Rivers University and a Master’s Degree of Social Work from Dalhousie University. She came to us from Mental Health and Substance Use services where she had over 12 years of experience working with complex concurrent psychiatric and substance use conditions. She specializes in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and OEI (Observed and Experiential Observation) trauma treatments, Motivational Interviewing which is effective in assisting those with substance use struggles, or those contemplating any changes in their lives. She also has experience in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Bio-psycho-social-spiritual models, Emotion-Focused Family Therapy approaches. Jolene is also trained in Usui Holy Fire Reiki – Levels I, II & III (Masters) and uses this energy to holistically enhance the healing process and transformations that occur during the therapy process. These modalities combined make for a very effective, efficient and transformative journey.

Jolene sees individuals of all ages in her practice. Some areas of special interest are grief/loss, suicide, relationship traumas, divorce, postpartum adjustment and birth trauma, 2SLGBTQIA+, men’s health, Indigenous populations and intergenerational trauma, as well as, performance enhancing treatments for athletes, students, professionals, workplaces, etc. Jolene has also created group workshops that are run at various times of the year which are great ways to begin your journey and to start working with her if you are awaiting a spot on her waitlist.

Jolene was born and raised in Kamloops, BC. She appreciates the connectedness of this community, as well as the beauty of the land surrounding us. From forests to rivers and mountains to lakes, Jolene has always appreciated the opportunities the Tk’emlúps territory offers for pleasure, exploration, healing and growth. Jolene is grateful to be a part of the healing community here in Kamloops, feeling as though this process has come full circle in her own journey of healing.

Having lost her father to suicide at the age of 17, Jolene brings with her an integrated understanding of the complexities that grief can hold within someone. This, complemented with years of education and clinical experience, allows Jolene to draw upon a vast set of skills when personalizing treatment approaches and providing therapeutic healing interventions. As a social worker, she is also acutely aware of the larger systemic and structural barriers that can negatively influence a person’s well-being and will work holistically to address the impacts of these in ones’ healing journey. Jolene believes strongly that people truly know what is best for themselves and is privileged to walk alongside them in their journeys of reaching their full potential.

Jolene is a warm, charismatic and playful person. Humor has always held a healing and joyful place in her life. When Jolene is not working, she is enjoying her time with her son, and twin girls, along with her feline and canine companions. Her childhood career and passion was dancing, which taught her how to weave the intricacies of creative freedom and discipline. Jolene has always carried a love for the outdoors, camping and adventure. She had a love/hate relationship with reading throughout the demands of her educational pursuits but has now made room for reading pleasures–Non fiction being her choice content obviously. Her adulthood passions have evolved to all things motherhood, soul care, staying curious, creating delicious food in the kitchen (that’s a love language in itself) and embracing learning as a lifelong process.

Jolene is a Master’s Level, Registered Social Worker (#09027) with the BC College of Social Worke... Read More

I am a creative and community-minded person, a mother to 3 boys, a wife, a potter and a passionate knitter. For many years I owned and ran Brambles Bakery in Merritt, which satisfied my desire to provide nourishment - both in the form of delicious food but also in a welcoming community hub where folks could gather and connect. I find similar fulfilment in counselling work, helping people develop deeper connections and discover more meaning and purpose in their lives even when things are difficult.

I have experience working as a doula, and I have been a gestational carrier (surrogate) for two separate families, which was an amazing and rewarding experience and has given me greater insight into fertility issues and family wellness.

I am completing my Master’s in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and have found particular interest in learning about therapeutic approaches that emphasise psychological flexibility, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Somatic Experiencing. I appreciate person-centered modalities and tend to focus on humanistic and sometimes existentialist approaches.

I feel honored to be working in a field where I can hold space for people’s emotional growth. I’m committed to cultural responsivity, and I acknowledge my position of privilege as a person of white settler descent who lives, works, and plays on the unceded lands of the Nkalapamux and Sylx people, colonially known as Merritt.

I am a creative and community-minded person, a mother to 3 boys, a wife, a potter and a passionat... Read More

Jaqueline is completing her Master’s in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University and is currently training with Jolene Dawn Counselling and Consulting. She will be offering virtual reduced-rate counselling sessions from September 2025 through April 2026.

Hi, I am Jaqueline (she/her). I am so glad you’re here! Both professional and personal experiences have shaped my path to becoming a counsellor. With a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, experience as a social worker, and a background in mindset and fitness coaching, I bring a well-rounded perspective to supporting clients. By blending my coaching expertise, business skills, and clinical training, I aim to empower clients toward growth, resilience, and authentic self-connection.

My therapeutic lens draws from several approaches: person-centered therapy, which creates warmth and a supportive environment; somatic practices, which help people tune into the body’s signals; existential therapy, which explores meaning and identity; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which supports making choices aligned with values; and Solution-Focused Therapy, which builds on what is already working to create meaningful steps forward.

You can expect sessions to feel unscripted and natural, with space for curiosity, reflection, and authentic connection. Together, we will explore ways to reconnect with your sense of self, strengthen your relationships, and discover new ways of living that align with what matters most. I support clients navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, parenting challenges, teen concerns, athletic performance, chronic pain, stress, relationship patterns, and the cultivation of self-compassion.

It takes courage to reach out for support, and I would be honoured to walk alongside you in this season of your journey.

Jaqueline is completing her Master’s in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University and is cur... Read More