ally@gathercounselling.ca

Ally is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and a Bachelor of Child and Youth Care from the University of Victoria. She specializes in supporting children and parents during the middle school years as well as older youth from high school into early adulthood. You can expect a light-hearted, warm, and casual approach that is gentle and oriented toward a trusting and safe relationship. You can expect to spend the session talking, but will also incorporate simple art activities, games, or a walk when it works well for the client. She will take time to get to know you and your goals for counselling, ensuring she earns your trust authentically along the way.

Ally is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) trained and has an integrated counselling approach that draws from strength-based, person-centred, and solution-focused approaches. When working with children Ally’s preference is to include parent support. This is optional and depends on the consent of the child she is supporting. She is also completing courses in Internal Family Systems as well as in the areas of mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance. Ultimately she believes the relationship with your counsellor is key to effective and successful counselling and she will always come from a place of compassionate curiosity.

Ally loves the ocean, camping, and a good cup of coffee. She’s usually spending time with her young family and loves going for a run or experimenting with new recipes.

RCC Designation Number: 15031

ally@gathercounselling.ca Ally is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a Master of Arts in Coun... Read More

melody@gathercounselling.ca

Melody is a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) with a Master of Counselling and a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care. Born in Pakistan to Iranian refugee parents, she immigrated to Canada in 1989 and grew up in Ottawa before moving to Vancouver Island in 2001. Melody now lives and works in Victoria with her family. Her life journey as an immigrant and member of the BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ communities deeply informs her compassionate, kind, and playful approach to counselling.

For over 20 years, Melody has worked with children, youth, and families in a variety of settings. As a counsellor, she practices a client-centred, strength-based approach, integrating modalities such as internal family systems (IFS), narrative therapy (NT), solution-focused therapy (SFT), and somatic work.

Melody’s counselling approach is trauma-informed, collaborative, and rooted in compassion and respect. She believes that clients are the experts in their own lives, and her role as counsellor is to walk alongside them, offering safety, trust, and collaboration in the process of healing and growth. She especially values creating inclusive, culturally responsive spaces for clients who identify as LGBTQ2+ and/or BIPOC, where they can feel heard and supported.

Beyond the counselling room, Melody is passionate about movement, fitness, and the mind-body connection. As the founder of Iron Soul, she has supported individuals in achieving physical and mental well-being through strength training, movement, and community. She often integrates movement, nature walks, or body-based practices into counselling when helpful to support emotional and physical balance.

Outside of work, Melody enjoys spending time in nature, exploring trails, playing games, travelling, and enjoying quiet moments with her family. She lives with her wife, their son, and their dog Cricket, and values the balance between active adventure and calm, restorative family time.

RCC Designation Number: 26943

melody@gathercounselling.ca Melody is a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) with a Master of Co... Read More

gaby@gathercounselling.ca

Gaby is a compassionate counsellor with a background in supporting children, youth, and families. She holds an MA in Counselling Psychology, and a BA in Child and Youth Care. Having worked in various settings, including schools, outdoor education, therapeutic adventure, and adaptive recreation, Gaby is adept at fostering social-emotional skills and providing tailored supports for her clients. Gaby embraces a person-centered approach, focusing on highlighting each individual’s strengths and adapting interventions to meet their specific needs. Her practice incorporates talk therapy, art, play, mindfulness, and experiential learning. Spending time building a strong therapeutic relationship and trust with clients is central to Gaby’s approach.

Gaby values a collaborative approach to care, integrating family and community supports to develop effective interventions and programming. She has completed training in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) and Nature-based Therapy, as well as mindfulness, and yoga teaching.

Gaby was born and raised in Victoria, BC, the traditional territories of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Esquimalt) and W̱SÁNEĆ People, and loves spending time outside, doing yoga, camping, kayaking, and hiking with her partner and young twins.

RCC Designation Number: 22719

gaby@gathercounselling.ca Gaby is a compassionate counsellor with a background in supporting chi... Read More

theresa@gathercounselling.ca

Theresa’s career has been filled with a passion for psychology and the human brain. She completed a Bachelor of Arts, Honours degree (Psychology) and a Master of Science degree (Neuroscience) before coming to Victoria and earning a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology in 2008.

With her warmth, experience and sense of humour, Theresa is skilled at building relationships with her clients. She has worked with clients of all ages to help them in their process of healing and self-discovery. She uses a client-centred, strengths-based, talk therapy approach. Theresa enjoys exploring different therapetic modalities, which she tailors to suit each individual client. Some of these modalities include solution-focussed brief therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy and expressive modalities. She has completed the SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Events) treatment training, which is a parent-based treatment program for childrent and adolescents experiencing anxiety.

Theresa often incorporates her neuroscience education into her counselling work. One of her aims is to help people of all ages understand how their brain functions, so that they can also understand the growth and change that they are capable of achieving. Theresa has supported many clients with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence. She has studied Daniel Siegel’s Interpersonal Neurobiology, which looks to integrate different streams of science to understand the interconnectedness of the mind, the brain and relationships.

RCC Designation Number: 15530

theresa@gathercounselling.ca Theresa’s career has been filled with a passion for psychology and ... Read More

marissa@gathercounselling.ca

Marissa is a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and a professional art therapist with the British Columbia Art Therapy Association. She works with children, youth, and young adults through traditional talk-based counselling and expressive art therapy. She supports individuals who have undergone trauma, stress, and substance use, as well as those who experience challenges with identity, anxiety and depression, relationships, and life transitions.

Her counselling approach is integrative and tailored to each client, drawing from art therapy, Adlerian psychology, solution-focused brief therapy, and narrative therapy, and is trauma informed, strengths-based, and person-centred. She believes therapy is most effective when it meets people where they are, and she works collaboratively to create a safe space for exploration, growth, and healing with each client.

As a lifelong artist, Marissa values creativity and self-exploration as powerful tools for understanding oneself and creating a life one is excited to wake up in each day. With a BA in Social Sciences (Psychology major, Visual Arts minor) and a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology with a focus in Art Therapy, she brings both clinical and creative skills to her counselling work. She continues to deepen her knowledge and practice through further training in trauma-aware practice, neurodiversity, gender diversity and LGBTQIA+, and dialectical behavioural therapy. In her practice, she emphasizes process and progress over product, helping individuals use creative expression to discover new perspectives, build resilience, and reconnect with themselves.

Outside of her counselling work, Marissa enjoys spending time by the ocean, swimming, or simply reading. She enjoys iced coffees and baked goods, cozy video games, and a good nap.

RCC Designation Number: 27089 Professional Art Therapist Designation Number: 0701P

marissa@gathercounselling.ca Marissa is a registered clinical counsellor (RCC) with the British ... Read More

laurie@gathercounselling.ca

After leaving the sprawling prairies many years ago to live closer to the ocean and attend university, Laurie has happily settled in Victoria. She takes an integrative approach to counselling, working collaboratively with people of all ages to construct a therapy plan that incorporates elements of cognitive behaviour therapy, talk therapy, and solution-focused therapy. She pulls in aspects of art, play, reading, writing, and mindfulness, and helps people learn skills to cope with challenges such as anxiety, depression, big emotions, life transitions, and uncertainty.

She is open, honest, and warm, and approaches counselling from a place of curiosity. Finding a good fit with a therapist is one of the most important parts of the counselling process, and she welcomes clients of all ages to get in touch for a complimentary consultation.

She has worked in many fields, gaining a wide perspective, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and a Master of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication. Most recently she spent time living and working at a local boarding school with students and families from all over the world, and then pursued her MA in Counselling Psychology. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor in BC through the BCACC. She also makes a perfect chocolate chip cookie.

RCC Designation Number: 20197

laurie@gathercounselling.ca After leaving the sprawling prairies many years ago to live closer t... Read More