Re-connect the body, heart, and mind.

meet burnout and uncertainty

with calm and ease.

MINDFULNESS & NATURE-BASED COUNSELLING

IN VANCOUVER & BURNABY

Life Transitions Counselling.

Career Burnout Counselling.

LGBTQ+ Newcomer-Affirming Counselling.

You may be arriving at a crossroads in life, filled with moments of realization. Perhaps you're realizing that you've been living a life so hectic, it feels as if you're trapped in a hamster wheel and your body is taking the toll.

Or you may be realizing that your sense of worth and belonging has been defined by stories that no longer resonate.

You may also be craving balance, wholeness, and connection, but you're not sure where to begin.

These moments can be scary because they force us to reexamine stories about who we are – to ourselves and to each other.

They are life junctures that hold transformative potential.

As a companion in your journey, I offer counselling that centers Mindfulness-based approaches to reconnect the body-mind-heart, and Nature-Based Therapy to facilitate reconnection between the self and the more-than-human natural world.

These practices can help us uncover deep-seated stories that have shaped our lives and weave in new stories that foster wholeness and connection – all while moving at the speed of trust and relationship.

HI, I’M Shila.

I am a Registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers (13297) and a member of the BC Association of Social Workers and the Canadian Association for Social Work Education. 

Before private practice, I spent over 15 years working in community-based health care, social services, and political organizing in Vancouver, Canada and my home country, Indonesia. The countless people I met throughout this journey taught me a profound lesson: that our inner and outer worlds are deeply interconnected, and that inner peace is inseparable from outer peace.

These days, friends know me more as an avid birdwatcher, a dedicated ecological restoration volunteer, and a devoted cook for my loved ones.

My approach to counselling is grounded in the transformative practices of Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Nature-Based Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. 

This means that my main role in the therapeutic relationship is to facilitate a re-connection: 

  • between our body-heart-mind through awareness of the present moment, 

  • between us and the more-than-human natural world, and 

  • between us and the stories that support and enrich our lives.

Warmth, openness, collaboration, and kind curiosity will be at the core of our working relationship together. 

services

in-office, in-nature, or virtual appointments

1:1 COUNSELLING

1:1 counselling grounded in re-connecting our mind, body, and heart

OUTDOOR counselling

More than just a ‘walk & talk’, counselling in and with nature at a nearby park or natural setting.

group programs

Cultivate radical empathy and solidarity with others as we rediscover wholeness and stillness together.

*In-office appointments available by request

Sessions available in English & Bahasa Indonesia

“Knowing that you love the earth changes you […].

But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond. ”

- ROBIN WALL KIMMERER, from Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

DEEPENING MY LEARNINGS

I am committed to deepening my skills, knowledge, and practices. Below are highlights of the ongoing learnings I’ve taken:

  • Master of Social Work - York University, Toronto, ON

  • Bachelor of Social Work - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Teacher Training - Center for Mindfulness Studies, Toronto, ON

  • Narrative Therapy courses - The Dulwich Centre, Australia

  • Nature-Based Therapy Level 1 - Human Nature Counselling, Victoria, BC

  • Volunteer Lead, EcoStewards & Dedicated Invasive Removal Team - Stanley Park Ecology Society

  • Yearly participation at LGBTQ+ Insight Meditation Retreat with bruni davila - Insight Retreat Center, Santa Cruz, CA

 

Get in touch

If you would like to book a complimentary 20-minute consult or have any questions, please reach out to me by filling out the form below.

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