Welcome to Lupine Clinical Counselling

At Lupine Clinical Counselling, we support adults across the West Kootenays, with a particular focus on individuals seeking help with their fertility journey, pregnancy loss, perinatal mental health, birth trauma, and early childhood parenting challenges.

We also specialize in providing Intensive Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) treatment.

Comfortable modern therapists office in Nelson, BC with plants
A woman sitting on the grass by a body of water during sunset, facing away from the camera.

Individual Counselling

60 minute individual session (75 minute initial session). Tailored to those experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, relational concerns, struggles with fertility, perinatal mental health difficulties, illness or challenging life transitions.

If you are considering making some changes in your life to feel better, or work through some difficult issues, it would be a privilege to support you. I will listen to your story and help you make a plan to create change in yourself and your relationships.

Two people sitting at a white table, holding hands, with mugs of coffee and a potted plant nearby.

Relationship Counselling

75 minute sessions are intended to support individuals to attend counselling with a significant person they are in relationship with with a goal of understanding each other better and to re-create meaningful lives together. Perhaps you are looking to reconnect, work through a challenging transition, challenge negative interactional patterns or repair a significant disappointment. Our counsellors at Lupine Clinical Counselling facilitate emotional safety in these sessions and support you to work through these struggles towards reconnection. We work with adults in intimate partner relationships, family members and significant others.

Two people sitting and holding hands, one wearing a denim jacket and the other in dark clothing.

Group Therapy & Support Groups

We strive to offer support and therapy groups at Lupine Clinical Counselling as we believe that a group environment can offer a supportive and validating environment during the individual and families reproductive years. Group members bring different viewpoints and experiences which can lead to new insights and solutions to others. It’s a great way for Lupine Clinical Counselling to also offer skill development to individuals and families in an affordable way. Overall, the collective experience and support in group therapy can significantly enhance the therapeutic process.

Our Areas of Focus

  • Dealing with infertility and medical treatment can be an emotionally difficult experience. Individuals and couples can benefit from having access to caring and compassionate support while on this challenging journey. Examples of experiences in which counselling can be beneficial:

    • Actively undergoing IUI or IVF Treatment

    • Participating in 3rd party reproduction such as sperm donor, egg donor or surrogacy

    • Experiencing pregnancy loss

  • The journey of pregnancy, birth and parenthood may be more difficult than you anticipated, and you may be looking for support. Many parents may struggle in pregnancy or after the birth of their baby(s) with: birth trauma, overwhelm, worry, sadness, intrusive or scary thoughts, anxiety, adjustment to parenting, and/or depression.

    During pregnancy women may experience; fear of childbirth, fear of parenting, feeling uncertain about wanting children and having unwanted thoughts about past medical trauma.

    Short term counselling has been shown to be very effective for perinatal mood concerns and birth trauma for both partners and as a family. Vanessa will meet with you (individually or with your partner) and discuss what you need right now to help you (you may bring baby). A safe place will be provided to talk about your struggles and fears. We will discuss your experiences and symptoms and make a plan for relief. Vanessa may provide education about post partum depression, birth trauma and/or anxiety.

    Lupine can also make any necessary referral to community and/or medical services.

  • What is birth trauma? Approximately 40% of people feel their birth was traumatic or disappointing in some way. Some examples of experiences are:

    • You may have felt in danger

    • You may have felt your baby was in danger

    • You had a pre-term baby

    • You had a lot of intervention during your birth

    • You may have felt not listened to or cared for

    • Difficulty telling your birth story or have anger/resentment when hearing others birth story

    • You are preparing for another birth and are still struggling with experiences from a previous birth

    • You feel very triggered near the anniversary of your baby’s birth and or loss

    If you have had these experiences and are triggered emotionally or ruminating on your experience it is very helpful to access counselling.  Counselling will provide you with someone listen to you, without judgment,  and help process this important story, and bring new meaning or healing to what you have experienced. At Lupine we use talk-therapy so you can move through things you feel stuck on, vivid memories, and triggers.

  • Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is a drug-free, non-hypnosis therapy that transcends modern therapeutic methods by treating adults and children with depression, anxiety, phobias, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, sexual abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, addictions and many other mental and physical conditions resulting in remarkable benefits starting in as little as one session.

What our Clients are saying

  • "My A.R.T. sessions have been nothing more than life changing. After some significant trauma, I developed night terrors and would often wake up screaming in the middle of the night. This had been going on for years and after only 3 A.R.T. sessions I have not experienced any night terrors and sleep through the night." - Client, Nelson, BC (2021)

    - Client, Nelson, BC (2021)

  • “I was skeptical about trying Advanced Resolution Therapy but a single session transformed me. I had been experiencing deep grief, but through ART I was able to let go, to find peace and to imagine my loved one in a beautiful place.”

    - Client, Nelson, BC (Pregnancy Loss, 2022)

  • "I have found A.R.T therapy sessions to be unlike any other type of therapy I have tried. It is quite remarkable how much can be worked through and healed without much speaking. I feel completely in control during the sessions and after as though a weight has lifted. I strongly suggested this type of therapy to anyone who has experienced trauma."

    - Client, Nelson, BC (2022)

Why Lupines?

Lupine are a wildflower that signal growth and renewal, they represent the resilience that is needed. Lupines thrive in some of the most difficult environments, adjusting to adverse conditions and blooming against all odds. Lupines grow in clusters representing the connection we need in our community, friendships and family to thrive.

Close-up of purple and lavender lupine flowers in foreground with blurred mountains and cloudy sky in the background

Let’s Connect

Taking the first step toward support can feel big. We’re here to make it easier.

Feel free to reach out using our contact form, or visit Our Team page to connect with one of our therapists directly.

Whether you’re looking for more information or ready to get started. We look forward to connecting with you.