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EVIDENCE-BASED
ACCESSIBLE THERAPY
Searching for Something?
We all are, to some extent... whether you need immediate support and intervention for a crisis you are facing or are restless and wanting more out of life, counselling is the first step to understanding what is missing.
Sometimes I meet clients who are facing the end of a relationship, and therapy is a desperate effort to hang on to what they value. And that is appropriate, our relationships are the treasure of our lives. Increasingly, though, I meet people who realize they are not satisfied with the bland or "good enough" relationships they participate in and want more.
How can therapy help?
Primarily, therapy is helpful because it reclaims the Art of Accompaniment. Why Art? None of us is getting through this life without struggling with loss, anxiety, depression, or relational challenges at some level. Although we recognize commonalities in the human experience, the particular way we suffer, struggle, or are wounded is unique to each of us. The journey toward self-understanding and healing is an art, fruitful in the collaborative moments where you can experience being truly seen and heard.
We are relational beings, created to connect with ourselves and with others to become who we are. This can go wrong. Developmental trauma, attachment wounds, loss, depression, and anxiety are some of the many ways our human formation gets disrupted, and we can lose our way and lose touch with who we are. Therapy is a place to focus on gaining freedom from emotional dysregulation, distortions, attachment wounds, and developmental traumas, so we can be free to heal, grow, and discover a more excellent way.
Who is Sarah McKenzie?
I am a daughter, a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor, and a Clinical Trauma Specialist. I have spent the last 23 years building a family and raising 8 kids, alongside my husband, Collin. The invaluable education I have received through this adventure has led me to the counselling profession where I have discovered an incredible sense of meaning and fulfillment in accompanying others on their journey, if only for a while.
Two years ago my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. As anyone whose life has been touched by this terrible disease knows, this was a very difficult and uncertain time in our lives. It was exceptionally challenging for Collin but also for every person
who knows and loves him. The support we received from those people stunned me, and a day doesn't go by that I don't marvel at the generous and thoughtful hearts of our friends and family. Knowing that their support made all the difference to our family motivates me to accompany those who are struggling with illness or their caretakers on their difficult journey as well. We are not meant to feel alone.
I am an avid reader and podcast enthusiast and like to describe myself as a curious humanist who is passionate about human flourishing and actualization through relationships.
My favourite place to be is at home with my family. I love to watch my kids dance, play soccer, baseball or fastpitch, battle at Jiu Jitsu, perform in a play or sing at church, tend their garden, or catch a crab or fish for lunch. I will probably never stop trying to recreate the lush Victoria gardens here in the Kelowna desert.
AREAS OF SPECIALTY
Parenting Support
Stress and Anxiety
Trauma-Informed Parts Work
Attachment Styles
Conflict Resolution
Couples Therapy
Mens issues
Grief
Post/Pre natal Support
Caretaker Fatigue
"I am so grateful to have had Sarah as my counsellor. From the moment we began, her calming presence enveloped me, making me feel instantly at ease and supported. Throughout our sessions, Sarah's encouragement and empathy were unwavering, creating a safe space where I felt heard and understood.
Sarah's depth of knowledge of trauma was instrumental in my healing journey. Her insights and guidance helped me navigate through difficult emotions and experiences, empowering me to confront and overcome challenges I never thought possible.
I cannot recommend Sarah enough to anyone seeking support and guidance."
WHAT TO EXPECT
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3
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Initial consultation
Treatment
Homework
Initial consultations are 15 minutes free of charge which gives us the chance to visit...I want to know your story and what you hope to get out of counselling. It gives us a chance to determine if we are a good fit.
Individual sessions are 50 minutes, couples sessions are 90 minutes, and both can be booked seamlessly through the Jane App. Treatment plans are built collaboratively and are 100%
client-centred.
To supplement and build on the virtual sessions we have together, clients are often encouraged to engage in practices in between; this could be with book or podcast recommendations, breathwork, journaling, or other lifestyle changes.
Trauma-Informed Parts Work
Sarah is a blessing in her field - she is naturally gifted on so many levels. With her patience, communication and amazing skillset -she easily gave me the tools to talk and work through my frustrations.
She explored gently and asked thought-provoking questions thereby challenging me to approach my situation more openly; allowing me to process so I may have more skillset to deal with things at another time. Her voice is calming and helps me to feel more relaxed and comfortable. I recommended Sarah to everyone I knew- and still do- she worked wonders in my life.
QUALIFICATIONS
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Wife and Mother of 8 plus 1 daughter-in-law
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Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (Arizona Trauma Institute)
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Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (Diploma of Counselling Therapy, Academic Distinction)
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ADHD Course: Strength-based Interventions to Thrive with ADHD from Childhood to Adulthood
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Complex Trauma Training Level 1 & 2 (CCTP/CCTP-II) Course with Janina Fisher
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Provincial Violence Prevention Certified
VALUES
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The values of respect, trust and unconditional positive regard guide my practice
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I value the life and dignity of every single human person
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I recognize the rights and responsibility of each person to be a free and autonomous agent in their own life
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I recognize the family unit, whatever form that takes, as an important structure for healthy development and formation
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I respect parental rights and recognize parents as primary educators of their children
Parts Work
4 - 60 min virtual sessions
$400 + tax
up to 4 participants
Introduction to Parts Work
During this course, explore what it means to think of ourselves as a multiplicity and unity. Themes covered during the sessions include:
- Qualities of the Innermost Self
- Roles and jobs of Parts
- Burdened Parts
- Integration
- Mapping the Self System
- Connecting with Parts
-Experiential Exercises
Parent Support
4 - 60 min virtual sessions
$600 + tax
up to 4 participants
This Workshop includes:
- Psychoeducation on
Attachment Styles,
- Parenting Styles,
- Parts Work,
- Emotional Regulation,
- Communication.
Assessments are available to
understand our own experience
of being parented and how that
contributes to the formation of
our own parent identity.
Consider joining my email list for monthly tips to achieve a healthier mindset
Coming Soon