Meet Donya
Hi, my name is Donya
Addictions, ADHD, Anger Management, Anxiety or Fears, Body Image, Boundary Setting, Break-ups, Burnout, Childhood Trauma, Chronic Pain, Codependency, Depression, Dissociation, Divorce, Domestic Abuse or Violence, Eating Disorders, Emotional Abuse, Family Conflict, Gambling, Grief & Loss, Identity, Immigrant Experience, Infertility or Adoption, Infidelity, Interpersonal Challenges, LGBTQIA+, Life Coaching, Life Transitions, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Parenting, Perfectionism, Personality Disorders, Prenatal & Postpartum Counselling, Psychosis, PTSD, Self-Esteem, Self-Development, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Addiction, Shame, Social Anxiety, Spirituality, Suicidal Thoughts, Stress, Women’s Issues
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Narrative Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy
I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and have a Master of Counselling degree
from City University of Seattle (in Canada). I have a BFA in
Dance from Simon Fraser University and am an Associate Teacher of
Fitzmaurice Voicework; I’ve been teaching voice for 20+ years,
specializing in the intersection between voicework and trauma work. With my training in Somatic Experiencing, I feel most interested in helping clients with anger management, anxiety or fears, boundary setting, birth and childhood trauma, dissociation, grief and loss, PTSD and shame. I have also studied Eye of the Needle work on traumatic experiences of near death, surgeries and anaesthetic, and traumatic substance-induced altered states of consciousness.
I’m a singer, songwriter, and arranger of acappella vocal music
and the Performance Director of VanCity Harmony, Vancouver’s newest
acappella chorus. I’m passionate about people (re)claiming their own
voices and expressing themselves authentically.
Having lived and worked in diverse places such as the Philippines,
Korea, Thailand, India, and Colombia, I enjoy immersing myself in
different cultures and learning new languages. This cultural curiosity
enriches my practice. I also have a deep appreciation for food,
cooking, art, and music, and find joy in cozying up with my knitting,
a good book, and a cup of tea. Currently, I reside in co-housing in
North Vancouver with my husband and teenage child, where I am
particularly interested in the role of community in supporting mental
health.
My therapeutic approach is primarily body-oriented. As a Somatic
Experiencing Practitioner, I recognize the body’s innate capacity for
healing when provided with safety and co-regulation, facilitating the
gentle processing of emotions and physical responses stemming from
past trauma. I am also drawn to Internal Family Systems, Narrative
Therapy, and mindfulness-based approaches such as Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy. My practice is LGBTQ+ affirming and grounded in an
anti-oppressive, client-centered, and social justice framework.
Registration#25009
Education & Training
- Registered Clinical Counsellor with BCACC (#25009)
- Master’s of Counselling (CityU)
- BFA in Dance (SFU)
- Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework
- Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (2020)
- Eye of the Needle I & II (SE) on near-death experiences