“What’s so special about your practice? What makes you (Julie) unique and the right fit for me?” I’ve been asked this question by new clients from time to time in inquiry calls and first sessions and I’ve always felt a bit stumped at first because of my cultural background that has ingrained into me theContinue reading “What’s so Special about Your Practice? An unabashed(?) Confession of Vancouver-based Psychotherapist”
Tag Archives: counselling
The Importance of Indigenous Issues for East Asians
I’ve been talking to clients about the meaning of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and noticed distinct cultural differences in people’s reactions, which is in line with an ongoing psychoeducational discussion with some of my East-Asian clients. I have two primary groups of East Asian clients, one group that endorses more traditional value;Continue reading “The Importance of Indigenous Issues for East Asians”
Avoidant Attachment vs. Avoidant Personality Disorder: What’s the Difference?
Professionally and personally, I have recently become tired of seeing misleading advice on how to deal with so-called “avoidant personalities”? The terms “avoidant attachment” and “avoidant personality disorder” are often used interchangeably, especially on the popular Chinese social media, “REDNote (xiaohongshu),” but they represent distinct psychological concepts. In this post, we’ll explore the differences betweenContinue reading “Avoidant Attachment vs. Avoidant Personality Disorder: What’s the Difference?”
A Moment of Connection: Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Repression from Cultural Influences
Last month in sessions, I almost cried twice. One of those times was during a parent-child/family session. My main client was a very young child of kindergarten age who could not sit still and often became distracted during sessions. Initially, the child kept watching their father’s reactions to see if it was okay to fidgetContinue reading “A Moment of Connection: Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Repression from Cultural Influences”
Predictors of Divorce: Gottman’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
I see quite a few couples in my practice. From those who come seeking premarital counselling to those whose relationships have become shaken by distress bombs such as infidelity, children, finances, illnesses, or other stressors. Couples I can see having strong bonds share healthy characteristics in their communication patterns and passionate love for each other;Continue reading “Predictors of Divorce: Gottman’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”
Exploring Sexual Style with Sensate Focusing
Sexual expression is a natural and essential aspect of human relationships, yet every individual has their unique sexual style and preferences that contribute to the overall experience. Sexual style can include a wide range of sexual behaviours, expressions, fantasies, and attitudes towards intimacy, which can impact sexual satisfaction and relationship quality (DeLamater & Koepsei, 2015).Continue reading “Exploring Sexual Style with Sensate Focusing”
Hearing Between the Lines in Child Therapy
*For the sake of brevity, I will refer to all young individuals of minority age as “children” or “child” in this post. I feel lucky in the fact that I have the privilege of working with several children on a long-term basis – and I mean it. As I have mentioned in my previous post,Continue reading “Hearing Between the Lines in Child Therapy”
Mental Health Workshop for Graduate Students
I’m pleased to announce that I have been invited by BCCRC Graduate Student and Post Doctoral Society (GrasPods) to host a mental-health workshop for grad students! In this workshop, I will talk about some of the common “myths” about mental health (counselling/psychotherapy) and barriers that graduate students face that prevent them from accessing relevant resources.Continue reading “Mental Health Workshop for Graduate Students”
Why I have Decided to Remain a Solo Practice (For Now)
I have been asked quite a few times over the past year whether or not I would be interested in taking associates, which is customary for professionals to do when their practice has grown beyond their individual capacity. Although I have been exceedingly fortunate to have almost-immediately grown into and maintained a full private practiceContinue reading “Why I have Decided to Remain a Solo Practice (For Now)”
What You Want for Boxing Week: Personal Tips on How to Shop for a Therapist
Have you been naughty or nice this year? Or have you simply been anxious or depressed? Now that Christmas is over and that Boxing Week has arrived, perhaps you are thinking about self-care once again after post-holidays fatigue. Whatever your reason is for shopping for a (new) therapist, it still does not negate the factContinue reading “What You Want for Boxing Week: Personal Tips on How to Shop for a Therapist”